"Please Park Kickboards Properly" Electric Kickboards, Becoming Eyesores on the Streets?

Electric Scooters Scattered Across the City Cause Headaches
Obstructing Traffic and Damaging Urban Aesthetics
Scooter Companies Also Handle 'Scooter Organization'
Company Official: "Improving User Awareness Can Solve the Problem"

On the 16th, someone threw and abandoned an electric scooter in a busy area of Jongno 3-ga, Seoul. In the case of one scooter, it was properly returned. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "People are avoiding them altogether. Is it really that hard to use them properly and leave them in place?"

Electric scooters are becoming an eyesore in urban areas. Some users leave the scooters they used anywhere on the street when returning them. However, there are no regulations regarding illegal parking of scooters, so enforcement is limited.

On the afternoon of the 16th, a man in his 40s, office worker Mr. A, almost fell while crossing a crosswalk in a busy area of Jongno-gu 3-ga, Seoul.

When he stepped onto the sidewalk, the scooter's handlebar was under his feet. Mr. A said, "I was just looking ahead while walking, but suddenly I staggered and lost my balance. When I looked down, there was a scooter handlebar someone had left behind."

He added, "It seems like they just used the scooter and threw it down, but I hope they return it properly for the next person."

According to the Korea Transport Institute, by 2022, the domestic micro-mobility service market, including electric scooters, is expected to grow to about 200,000 units and reach around 600 billion won. This means the electric scooter market could become a future growth engine in both the shared service and manufacturing sectors.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, electric scooters are treated as urban eyesores and nuisances because some unscrupulous users park them anywhere without care.

The problem is that there are no proper regulations to crack down on these users. Scooters are classified as motorized bicycles, so fines can be imposed under the Road Traffic Act. However, there are no separate penalty standards for illegal scooter parking, making enforcement difficult.

Also, unlike cars, scooters are scattered around in various places, making them hard to spot.

Because of this, company officials regularly reposition scooters left around the city day and night to improve service quality. However, due to limitations, some companies are even considering introducing dedicated docking stations.

Electric scooter. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Mr. B, a man in his 30s who uses scooters for short distances, said, "When I see scooters left around the city, they definitely seem to obstruct passage. I hope they track users and prevent misuse."

Mr. C, a man in his 40s who has not yet used a scooter, said, "I haven't used a scooter yet, but if I do, I plan to use it cleanly and return it properly. It's not just my scooter; it's one we all share."

A scooter company official said, "As the shared service market grows, side effects are emerging. However, these problems stem from user awareness rather than technology, so there are limits to improvement. Rather than enforcing laws and regulations, a little more consideration from users could help solve the problem."