I really like these scooters and bicycles when visiting a city - I do not need to bring my own stuff to the city and I can pick up whatever makes more sense. No more daily bike rentals for a way too high price which I need to return to a specific location at a specific time.
Tho, this stuff also attracts a lot of, for a lack of better word, dipshits, who will just throw these things in the middle of the walkway and call it a day. With this not getting better (either because the authorities and providers arenβt doing a good job or because the people even do not care about fines), this will happen in a lot of bigger cities. As people can rightfully not be expected to deal with this shit.
In my city in Germany 90% of users are teenagers that are using them for βfunβ like racing on the sidewalk, dangerously forcing pedestrians out of the way and onto the street full of cars.
That sounds like a problem with scooters rather than specifically with rental scooters. I mean, you can just go get one yourself and still break rules with them.
But the barrier of entry is a lot higher. Itβs a lot easier for someone to pay a couple of Euros to rent one rather than pay for the whole thing.
what @Estiar@sh.itjust.works said
Also if it is bought by and registered to a specific person, it is a lot easier to identify the person and reprimand them. Furthermore if someone pays a lot of money for a scooter they tend to drive in a way that will not risk damageing or breaking it.