Title says most of it. Spin electric scooters exited the Seattle market and abandoned their scooters all over the city and apparently they have a pi 4 in them!

  • WarmSoda@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    arrow-down
    29
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Ohmygod people other than you are using the public services! The pollution!

    Seriously though, it’s going to be different in every city. Your city might not be a good place for them. My city has them being used all the time.

    • snooggums@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      11
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      They are a for profit company, not a public service.

      The scooters are not a problem on wide sidewalks and are better than more vehicle traffic, but they can certainly get in the way on narrow sidewalks.

      • Thorned_Rose@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        In some countries the public transport is run by for-profit companies too. In my city, for example, ALL of the public transport are contracted private companies. They’re all liveried as public transport, but they’re still privately run.

        • UsernameLost@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          1 year ago

          There is a key distinction between a contracted public service and a private company running a for-profit business. Think buses (as you described) vs taxis.

          • Thorned_Rose@kbin.social
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            1 year ago

            Not always. And I don’t see the key distinction you mean. Can you explain further.

            Using the example of my city again, there’s no difference between the buses and taxis here in terms of contracted or not. The various bus companies are all privately owned. Some still have their own liveries. Some have the city council liveries. Some bus services don’t have regular contracts with the council/government at all and just run various private services. Sometimes the council will contract them for one off services. Regardless of how they look or the contract (or lack thereof), they’re all privately owned.

            All the taxis are private owned. But the government/council contracts them for certain purposes. For example, if you are injured and unable to drive, ACC will pay for a taxi to take you to and from health services.

            All of these companies are for-profita nd make profit from their contracts.

            The profit made by some of the public services by private companies is a regular issue of contention in this country. As is the selling off by state owned public interest facilities (such as the rail system, power generation, communications, etc.).