Society

Electric Kickboard

 

The use of electric kickboard is suddenly increasing. Sales in April 2018 increased 270 percent in 2019 and nearly a year. One of the reasons why electric kickboard have become so popular in such a short period of time, which is the most satisfying travel in short distances. It takes some time to walk, but when you travel short distances to take a bus or subway, you can save time and energy by using an electric kickboard. Also, one of the key factors is that it is not too difficult to operate and costs less to use. The figure is estimated to reach 200,000 units by 2022. This translates into a market worth about 800 billion won. However, with this increase in utilization, accidents involving electric kickboard are increasing. Thus, many people are becoming more supportive and opposed to the use of electric kickboard.

Pros

Transportation devices such as electric kickboards and electric bicycles are called smart mobility, which we can easily see around these days. Electric kickboards are especially more and more popular. The electric kickboard, which has been in the spotlight recently, has many advantages.First, an electric kickboard can be used efficiently in complex cities and on narrow streets.  Not only do you not have to worry about traffic jams, it also helps you lessen them. Moving from one building to another is a distance that can be burdensome but not realistic to use a car. In that case, an electric kickboard is a very good alternative. It is efficient to use a kickboard for these distances.Secondly, it is easily accessible because there are various shared kickboard companies. A shared kickboard is an electric kickboard that can be rented for a short-term in a set area with a fee paid through an application. This relieves people of the hassle of buying electric kickboards themselves and reduces financial burdens. That is why people can easily access and use them.Lastly, it is convenient to pay, rent and return using a smartphone. Using a smartphone app, a user can see the location of  a nearby kickboard, unlock it by scanning the QR code attached to it and pay when finished using the kickboard. In addition, if the kickboard is left within the set area after use, the return will be completed. This can save you the trouble of visiting a particular place and reduce the time burden.Because smart mobility has not been popular long, there are a variety of problems such as using electric kickboards without a license, riding double and not using protective equipment. The revision of the Road Traffic Act on electric kickboards should help resolve these problems. If these changes are made, electric kickboards’ efficiency, accessibility, cost and convenience can serve as a great means of mobility.

●Opinion from a reader

By Lee Su-hyun (Department of International Business)

Electronic kickboard is a vehicle that has recently become popular. It can also be used instead of public transportation. You don't have to wait like you do for a bus, and you can save a lot of traveling time rather than walking. For these reasons, using electric kickboards on college campuses has become a common sight. The presence of a variety of shared electronic kickboard companies, it's easy to use anywhere, and also the rental fee is not too burdensome. Besides these conveniences and economics, eco-friendly is another advantage of the electronic kickboard. Electric kickboards do not emit greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming because they use electricity. This helps reduce fine dust. I think it would be good alternative transportation if the drivers of the electronic kickboard obey the traffic rules.

 

Cons

 As more people ride electric kickboard these days, the number of related incidents is increasing rapidly. Electric kickboard is often used on roads or other pedestrian areas. On October 7, 2018, a woman was hit and killed by a driving electric kick board while crossing a crosswalk. The woman was rushed to the hospital with a cerebral hemorrhage. The doctor who saw the condition of the woman said the degree of injury was very serious. The doctor said it was like being hit by a car, not by an electric kickboard. In addition, many accidents were caused by electric scooters after the first accident. There are several reasons for opposing the use of electric scooters, which cause so many accidents, but there are two main reasons. First, riding an electric kickboard is very dangerous. The reason people prefer electric scooters is simply because they are convenient. People are said to think a lot about which to buy, the bicycle or the electric kickboard. Bicycles are easier to use than cars, but they are very cumbersome to carry around. On the other hand, electric kickboard is easier to carry around, but they are more dangerous because they are expensive for students to buy and have smaller wheels than bicycles. The smaller the wheel is, like an electric scooter, the more likely it is to slip and the faster it wears out. Furthermore, the brakes are not relatively fixed and are less stable. In this respect, riding an electric kickboard is very dangerous. Second, electric kickboard makes walking streets messy by blocking people's roads. With the increasing use of electric scooters, electric kickboard has been installed around city or school campuses. These installations, however, often cause electric scooters to stand arbitrarily in front of crosswalks or near parking lots, buildings and subway entrances. As a result, pedestrians need to avoid electric kickboard, making not only pedestrians but also drivers and many others uncomfortable.

●Opinion from a reader

Kim Min Jeong (Department of Business Administration)

Electric kickboard is very useful in many ways in everyday life. However, many people are having a hard time because it hurts the stability of walking. To avoid this situation, a system must be created so that no one interferes when not in use. Also, speed limits are needed in places where there are many pedestrians. Under the Road Traffic Act, there is a rule that electric kickboard must be worn without fail and only licensed persons must drive electric kickboard. In schools, however, even students without a license can borrow an electric kickboard, and there are no students who wear helmets when riding it. Also, there are many people at school who take risks riding electric scooters. They strongly oppose the use of electric kickboard because without safety training or warnings, there could be big accidents.