[gaahrdner]

No they aren't, they're probably saving downtown Austin's transportation woes. Decades of failed resolutions by the city council to provide expanded public transportations for an extremely high growth city have brought us to this point, one where the market had to come up with a solution. I'd imagine more regulations are probably due in the near future.

[hobbyjogger]

The scooters definitely aren't "ruining Austin" but they're not "saving" it from transportation woes either. The percentage of drivers who live close enough to downtown to hop on a scooter instead of taking car is pretty small.

For example, only 4% of Austin commuters live within 2 miles of their workplace [0]. Commuters in Westlake and P-Ville, etc. are definitely NOT trading in their cars to get on a scooter (if you could even find one) and then riding it down the highway for 30 minutes. Especially in 100 degree heat.

[0] http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:8eBZN5u...

[woolvalley]

You don't understand marginal improvements and how they ramp up?

[hobbyjogger]

(marginally) improving traffic (a bit) ≠ saving us from our transportation woes

Austin still has a long, long way to go.

[gaahrdner]

Well sure, but that's why I prefaced with "downtown." The five-county Greater Austin metro area has its own transportation issues that need solving as well, like much of the country.

[windows_tips]

It is typical that a market will produce a solution before a government, isn't it?

[Finnucane]

Yes, but only for people who can afford it.

[windows_tips]

There are often programs to make market goods available to those who may not be able to.

Fresh produce, for example. I haven't seen any governments producing the oldest and most critical good.