While they’re called e-scooters overseas, in Brazil, they’re “patinete eletrica.” São Paulo introduced its e-scooter sharing service in 2018, and it immediately became popular. But problems arose because there were no clear rules on what users could or couldn’t do with them. They were getting in the way of cars and pedestrians and causing accidents, so in 2019, the Mayor of São Paulo took measures like forbidding their use on sidewalks, making helmet-wearing compulsory, and limiting the maximum speed to 20 km/h. However, the companies supplying the e-scooters later took them all back. The reasons included infrastructure problems in São Paulo, damage by users, and resistance from residents.
Since the start of this year though, 2 companies, Jet azul and Whoosh, have started supplying e-scooters again to restart this service.
To use Jet azul, for example, first you have to install the Jet azul app, then register and select a payment method.
You check the map for the closest e-scooter.
There is a QR code on the e-scooter, so you scan it with your cell phone, then you can use it. The rate differs depending on the time of day.
Once you’ve arrived at your destination, you return the e-scooter to a location shown on the map, and you use the app to confirm that you have returned it.
E-scooters are available in Jardim Paulista, Vila Mariana, Pinheiros, Vila Olimpia, Saude, Moema, and other areas. I think that’s because these areas have a lot of banks, company offices, stores, and subway stations. In the state of São Paulo, e-scooters are also available in the cities of São Bernardo do Campo and Sorocaba, as well as São Paulo. And in southern Brazil, they are available in the cities of Santa Catarina and Porto Alegre, as well as Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro. I think the availability of e-scooters will continue to spread to other areas too.
Here are the rules for using the e-scooter share service in São Paulo.
1. You must not ride e-scooters on sidewalks. You must ride on designated bicycle-only roads, bicycle lanes, or on roads where the maximum speed limit is 40 km/h.
2. You must wear a helmet while using an e-scooter.
3. You must not ride faster than 20 km/h.
4. Two people may not ride an e-scooter together, and it is prohibited to use an e-scooter to carry luggage.
5. You must be at least 18 years old to ride an e-scooter.
The authorities also warn that you should avoid riding in strong winds or heavy rain.
These rules are all intended to keep riders safe, so I want riders to be sure to stick to them. Yet, even after several months, most riders do not wear helmets.
In São Paulo, most riders are young men. They are probably riding their e-scooters to get from the subway or a bus stop to their workplace. I envy e-scooter riders when I see them enjoy gliding along so swiftly. I think you need to be brave to ride an e-scooter in São Paulo with all the buses, cars, motorcycles, and bicycles crowding the roadways. In any case, I just want riders to put safety first.
Amid the influx of convenient devices and means of transport like this, the fact that I have started becoming envious of people who can keep up with it all means I’m getting older, doesn’t it? (LOL)
