I would have to agree with all the sentiments expressed in the previous letter to the Editor “Flying purple people a menace” (MyCity Logan, October 12) in relation to the proliferation of these Beam purple scooters into our streetscapes around Logan, and what is their negative impact.
On the one hand Logan City Council will espouse a policy of encouraging people to become more active and here we have yet another device to take people off their feet, and who otherwise would have been more likely to have walked to-and-fro.
These scooters are being abandoned all over our suburbs and in spite of Beam advising me that these scooters can only be driven from, and returned to, software-generated parking sites, clearly this is not working.
I, upon enquiring with Beam, to understand how these scooters can be left all over the place, assured me that they are only supposed to be taken from, and must be returned to, designated parking spots, and if a client chooses to abandon a scooter elsewhere then Beam have a system in place to fine that user.
I commented that, clearly that fine provision was not working, and the Beam complaints department stated that they have a problem in that some users seem to have been able to find a hack and somehow avoid the fine.
The hackers will always be one step ahead, and the fine system will not prevent these scooters from being left everywhere and for days.
My experience over the last two weeks have shown that these scooters are often left for days on end and in Kilsay crescent Meadowbrook I have passed the same scooter parked in the same place for 7 days ref. attached photo Kilsay Crescent 7 days so far-24 nov 2022.
Even if a fine system is imposed I would suggest that it will still be cheaper to take the scooter, abandon it and cop the fine, than taking a taxi from our local railway station, which seems to be one of the common uses of these scooters around our Meadowbook estate.
The Beams complaints representative informed me that they have in their strategy a collections system to pick up items that have been parked in inappropriate locations within two days of the parking having occurred.
This is patently not working and Beam seem to be relying on the public to inform them of abandoned scooters and even then, as I have experience the item may not be picked up for a couple of days.
I would suggest the net benefit of these scooters is not positive.
Among some negatives are the occurrence of accidents between pedestrian and/or rider, and the plain truth that fast mechanical wheeled items and pedestrians sharing the same paths is a recipe for trouble.
These scooters facilitate people becoming less active. We have the visual amenity of our suburbs impacted with scooters being left in conspicuous places and often blocking the public strips. Common sense tells us that Scooters being made available at railway stations will be used by commuters riding to their nearby homes and abandoning the scooter nearby.
Given Beam are trialling these scooters around our Logan area one would suppose them to be on their best behaviour and can have little doubt that they will be more lax in their control practices if they are given the green light.
I would implore Logan City Council, if they were to allow these scooters onto our landscape then there should be a provision made that scooters that remain for more than 2 days, after having been abandoned, will be picked up by LCC who will back charge Beam for the inconvenience as we as rate payers should not bear the extra burden to our rates for having to preserve the image of the suburb as well kept and respected.
Kind regards
Stuart
