An Australian university law and technology expert has warned the advent of e-scooters is robbing Australian seniors of what were traditionally safe spaces.
Charles Darwin University’s Dr Mark Brady says government policy around e-scooter use needs to consider the impact on the community, not just the environmental benefits.
“To offset climate change, what we’re doing is indirectly transferring the burden to other parts of society,” said Dr Brady.
“In the rush to produce sustainable policy framework, most policymakers don’t apply a structured framework around a wholistic distribution of justice.
“Whole of life cycle needs to be an essential consideration when drafting policy around sustainability. Policymakers need to take into consideration distributive justice up and down the chain, and consider the impacts both vertically and horizontally.”
Micromobility devices are a sustainable solution to reduce cars on the streets and once enough people are using them, it’s presupposed to save energy and reduce emissions, he said.
“Footpaths were traditionally safe spaces where people such as the elderly, disabled, people with babies, and children could walk, separated from the dangers of heavy motor vehicles.”
“A misconceived understanding of distributive justice has now shifted the risk to pedestrians and the introduction of e-scooters represents a potentially lethal hazard on footpaths.”
He says what was once a safe space for many is now a place of hypervigilance.
“Framing policy needs to consider the ramifications on others, not just the absolute end goal of reducing carbon emissions,” said Dr Brady.
