Electric scooters in CA? In northern CA? (Oakland, Berkeley: rent, to buy)

[treeluvr]

I've been a dedicated user of public transportation for the past 7 years (in Philadelphia). But I love to drive and want a car sooo bad. Cars are expensive, my means are modest, and it just seems like a real bad time to buy anything that requires gas to go. Let's face it gas isn't going to get cheaper because the world is running out of easily accessible oil.

I'm considering an electric scooter--there is no way it replaces a car, but maybe it would be okay for use in town: to work, shopping etc. When I really want to go, I could rent a car.

I'll be relocating to California within the year. Do folks ride electric scooters there? I doubt they are safe for some high traffic cities, but what about medium sized and smaller cities? I'm specifically thinking of Eureka, but any input or impressions (or possible alternatives) would be welcome food for thought.

[TheDragonslayer]

Eureka is really a small city in a sense. Even though it has 28,000 people [ not including the surrounding outskirts of Myrtletown and Cutten ] It has a huge healthfood outlet, at least 6 large grocery stores, 2 malls and a large oldtown district with many nice and interesting shops. It has the county library, the marina and docks, and all on a fairly small footprint. I lived in Berkeley and Oakland for 11 years and for a good part of it I did not have a vehicle and traversed those towns by bike of foot. I would find Eureka very easy to get around, even with a 4 wheel bike car. Do you mean electric scooter as in a two wheel scooter or like a small car like thing similar to a golf cart? I have seen what I think are called rhino trucks, they are little atv looking vehicles that can get to 35 mph, there are only a few streets in Eureka that exceed 35 and that would be Broadway aka highway 101. Google earth Eureka and you will see that it is fairly easy to get around. I live in McKinleyville 12 miles north past Arcata and it is easy to get around and so is Arcata.

[eureka1]

I rains too much here for scooters to be your main form of transit, although I have seen a couple of people on Segways, and they are available at at least one retail outlet . Public transit is good for a community this size but it's still pretty hard to shop etc without a car. Unfortunately. Especially after 7 pm.

[eureka1]

I just posted this and it disappeared so forgive if it shows up twice. It rains too much in Eureka for scooters to be your main mode of transit although you could use them in the sumer. I've even seen a couple of Segways, and there is a store that sells them. Public transit is good FOR AN AREA THIS SIZE but the buses stop running at pm and it's pretty hard to shop etc without a car. Unfortunately.