[This piece appeared in The West Australian letters]
Yes super fast e-scooters are an issue. However that’s only part of the story. Ponder this …
Every day I watch the throng of humanity traversing footpaths, their eyes glued to their mobile phones. David Beckham could walk passed naked, and no one would notice.
I see people pacing, negotiating deals on their phones while narrowly missing someone on a walking frame.
Others wearing earbuds fail to hear the toot of a gophers horn.
Then there are those who step out of a shop without checking if anything is coming, or walk diagonally across the pedestrian flow expecting everyone to accommodate them.
As more and more footpaths morph into shared paths, discussion is mounting about what to do. Different factions suggest they have the right of way.
Surely, as with so many things, as life changes the solution lies in education. Before bringing in hard and fast rules we need to educate everyone that shared paths equals shared responsibility for all.
