RIDEGURU
I haven't heard of any Bird Scooters here in CT, but I can't sleep while I wonder this question. I get it that I can probably not steal it as there are GPS chips on it, but what about damages while they all just sit there in public?
What mechanisms are there to prevent vandalism and enforce accountability on Bird Scooter riders?
Posted 6 years, 5 months ago
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ChatswickFan
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The Guru Take
Yes, there are a few mechanisms, such as the GPS and kill-switch
According to Bird that provides the scooters, there are indeed few mechanisms that prevents theft and vadalism:
- The Bird scooters have GPS units built in and are connected to the Internet at all times. This allows the company, as well, as the potential riders, to identify the locations of these scooters.
- There is also an electronic lock that disables wheel movement. In case of an attempted theft, there is even an alarm built into the unit when it is moved without it being unlocked by the app.
- The company has also indicated that there is an automatic kill-switch that is engaged when the scooter loses its power. This can be engaged when the battery dies or electronics are tampered with, and it locks the wheels rendering the unit useless to anyone who steals it.
UPDATE (4/19/2019): Lime is considering adding "drunk driving feature" as this has become a widespread problem among scooter renters.
https://ride.guru/lounge/p/lime-working-to-prevent-drunk-scooter-driving
ippei
1202
Uber Driver, CEO of TaxiFareFinder and Unleashed, LLC
Comments
Maybe when a person goes to pick up the Scooter and it is damaged, they can be prompted to report the damage to Bird or whichever company they use. Then they can determine it was the person who used the scooter prior who caused the damage, and charge them accordingly.
Thats a good idea. I wonder if any of the companies have started doing that yet. You would think they want a system in place to avoid such damages and potential costs for them.
They crowd source this. People get paid to pick the scooters up, bring them home, and charge them. If the scooter is damaged, then they know who last used it. I assume that if it's an isolated incident, they probably just let it go. After all someone could have come along and damaged it after the last person rode it. But if the same person keeps having damaged scooters they would probably ban them eventually is my guess.
wait, what? they bring them home? Wouldn't all the scooters end up being in a single location then?
Not home for the scooters, home for the person charging them. I don't know where they bring them afterwards. I guess they just put them back on the street.
You know, I live in CA, and I thought they had this figured it. I mean how could they be pushing this if they hadn't, right? China had major issues in the past decade with rental bicycles, so I suspected they worked out the kinks.. ....but no.....
Like you said, there is no accountability to what happens when the clock isn't running.
well, it's even when the clock is running, right? If you broke it or dipped in sewer, jut end your ride, and it's back on the streets.
It's like how things will be with Autonomous Robot Taxis. Some people have talked about this. Those cars will get super dirty, and if there are no drivers, what will they do? Robots can't clean cars.
They say their incidences of vandalism to the scooters is really low. Surprisingly. But I'm sure it does happen.
Yes, but I heard there is quite a bit of thefts and vandalisms with these things. College pranksters hang them up as trophies in their dormrooms.
They claim GPS and all that, but once you cut the electricity and take out the controlbox, it's back to a regular ol' electric scooter.
Plus, people love bashing and destroying things they find in public.
The bicycles I realized have locking mechanisms but also ask the riders to afix them on to stationary things. like trees.
Seems a bit weird.