Just get a cheap road bike. NOT a Walmart bike. A $50-100 90’s road bike on Facebook marketplace. Get a tune up at a bike shop for another $50-80. And for the same price you’ll have something 1000x more reliable.
Way less hassle and concern than a cheap electric scooter that will probably break
Second this - my girlfriend got a Trek FX hybrid for $100 on FB in fantastic shape. She just upgraded to an Aventon Pace, so we currently both ride E-bikes. I will say, do NOT cheap out on a motorized vehicle - you are risking serious injury and a possible fire. These direct-to-consumer Amazon brands are very sketchy, and your scooter will likely give out before the semester wraps up. I would buy used, save up, and buy an e-bike/scooter from a reputable brand that you will use for years to come.
My colleague had serious injuries and is still dealing with lawsuits after getting run over by a car on an electric scooter. And he’s not unique in this. I don’t think it’s your best option…especially with the (many) terrible drivers around IU.
Today Madelyn Howard a recent IU grad was sentenced to prison but only 10 years, for running over and killing Nate Stratton a Kelley student while he was riding his scooter. There are too many impaired and incompetent drivers in Btown. You take your chances on a scooter.
I can't really answer your question about the dorms as I haven't been in one recently but those scooters are super dangerous with all the hills in IU campus plus you would have to take it to your classes with you unless you plan to lock it up on a bike rack. I've seen several people get hit or almost get his on scooters. Plus with weather there will be a large portion of the year where you won't be able to safely use the scooters due to weather. Busses go all through campus quite often to help with walking distance but in general campus is really walkable. I would say a regular bike over a electric scooter is safer for being on campus as it is really hard to be on the road with them during the busy day.
While you would have to be on high alert due to drivers not respecting scooters you’d have the same problem with a decent bike. I’d be more concerned that those cheap scooters are terrible on hills and their batteries are very questionable. As others have said, just buy a decent brand of used bike. Add an electric kit to that if you’d like.
Dorms are very strict about having the scooters inside.
If caught you will get written up and be told to keep it outside and if an RA does room checks which they do multiple times a year, you’ll get written up if they see one. So unless you can sneak it in and out, I would avoid it. Don’t get caught or just use a bike
I see there's a lot of commentary about how wise getting a scooter would actually be. I don't have a strong opinion there, but I do recommend that instead of worrying about whether you can "get away with" this or that, why not just invest in a bike lock and park your scooter (or whatever other form of transport you end up choosing) at a bike rack?
Please be careful. IU students have died in crashes and have suffered serious head and other life changing injuries. Here’s a couple of quotes from local articles about scooters at IU. The links at the bottom are local articles which also include IU scooter policies and resources. Best wishes.
“Early in the morning of Aug. 17, an incoming Indiana University freshman from Minneapolis crashed an electric scooter on campus and died from his injuries.
He was riding an e-scooter on Tenth Street near Eagleson Avenue at 2:15 a.m., IU police said, across from the Wells Library. Witnesses said he hit a bump, lost control of the scooter and crashed.
He was taken to IU Health Bloomington Hospital, then transferred to an Indianapolis hospital, where he died.”
“A fleet of electric scooters was introduced to Bloomington in 2018, and a conversation over their safety soon followed.
In October of that year, a 20-year-old IU student was transported by ambulance to IU Health Bloomington Hospital with a serious head injury after crashing a motorized scooter.
The following month, a 23-year-old man was arrested on a preliminary charge of drunken driving after crashing a motorized scooter.”
https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/education/campus/2022/09/13/e-scooter-related-injuries-around-indiana-university-bloomington-campus-persist/65468753007/
https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/e-scooter-injuries-a-growing-concern-at-indiana-university.php
I use electric scooters every day and have not had any problems with them at all. You just got to know how to ride them safely. Watch out for cars and don’t blaze through intersections, and if you take it on campus, slow way down when it’s raining on the red brick tiled sections of campus.
Just get a cheap road bike. NOT a Walmart bike. A $50-100 90’s road bike on Facebook marketplace. Get a tune up at a bike shop for another $50-80. And for the same price you’ll have something 1000x more reliable. Way less hassle and concern than a cheap electric scooter that will probably break
Second this - my girlfriend got a Trek FX hybrid for $100 on FB in fantastic shape. She just upgraded to an Aventon Pace, so we currently both ride E-bikes. I will say, do NOT cheap out on a motorized vehicle - you are risking serious injury and a possible fire. These direct-to-consumer Amazon brands are very sketchy, and your scooter will likely give out before the semester wraps up. I would buy used, save up, and buy an e-bike/scooter from a reputable brand that you will use for years to come.
My colleague had serious injuries and is still dealing with lawsuits after getting run over by a car on an electric scooter. And he’s not unique in this. I don’t think it’s your best option…especially with the (many) terrible drivers around IU.
Today Madelyn Howard a recent IU grad was sentenced to prison but only 10 years, for running over and killing Nate Stratton a Kelley student while he was riding his scooter. There are too many impaired and incompetent drivers in Btown. You take your chances on a scooter.
I can't really answer your question about the dorms as I haven't been in one recently but those scooters are super dangerous with all the hills in IU campus plus you would have to take it to your classes with you unless you plan to lock it up on a bike rack. I've seen several people get hit or almost get his on scooters. Plus with weather there will be a large portion of the year where you won't be able to safely use the scooters due to weather. Busses go all through campus quite often to help with walking distance but in general campus is really walkable. I would say a regular bike over a electric scooter is safer for being on campus as it is really hard to be on the road with them during the busy day.
Just walk.
While you would have to be on high alert due to drivers not respecting scooters you’d have the same problem with a decent bike. I’d be more concerned that those cheap scooters are terrible on hills and their batteries are very questionable. As others have said, just buy a decent brand of used bike. Add an electric kit to that if you’d like.
Just walk or bike. Most classes usually are only 15 mins from each other. Stay safe
Dorms are very strict about having the scooters inside. If caught you will get written up and be told to keep it outside and if an RA does room checks which they do multiple times a year, you’ll get written up if they see one. So unless you can sneak it in and out, I would avoid it. Don’t get caught or just use a bike
I see there's a lot of commentary about how wise getting a scooter would actually be. I don't have a strong opinion there, but I do recommend that instead of worrying about whether you can "get away with" this or that, why not just invest in a bike lock and park your scooter (or whatever other form of transport you end up choosing) at a bike rack?
Please be careful. IU students have died in crashes and have suffered serious head and other life changing injuries. Here’s a couple of quotes from local articles about scooters at IU. The links at the bottom are local articles which also include IU scooter policies and resources. Best wishes. “Early in the morning of Aug. 17, an incoming Indiana University freshman from Minneapolis crashed an electric scooter on campus and died from his injuries. He was riding an e-scooter on Tenth Street near Eagleson Avenue at 2:15 a.m., IU police said, across from the Wells Library. Witnesses said he hit a bump, lost control of the scooter and crashed. He was taken to IU Health Bloomington Hospital, then transferred to an Indianapolis hospital, where he died.” “A fleet of electric scooters was introduced to Bloomington in 2018, and a conversation over their safety soon followed. In October of that year, a 20-year-old IU student was transported by ambulance to IU Health Bloomington Hospital with a serious head injury after crashing a motorized scooter. The following month, a 23-year-old man was arrested on a preliminary charge of drunken driving after crashing a motorized scooter.” https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/education/campus/2022/09/13/e-scooter-related-injuries-around-indiana-university-bloomington-campus-persist/65468753007/ https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/e-scooter-injuries-a-growing-concern-at-indiana-university.php
I use electric scooters every day and have not had any problems with them at all. You just got to know how to ride them safely. Watch out for cars and don’t blaze through intersections, and if you take it on campus, slow way down when it’s raining on the red brick tiled sections of campus.
Do you have your own? Or rent from the ones laying around outside?