E-scooters: am I right to be worried? Personally I dont think you are worried about nothing but by the same token I agree with others here and recent news opinions that the risk needs to be put in to context with wider transport risks. You could also add in environmental factors too if it's getting cars off the road.
A far as scooters go there are risks to the rider and to pedestrians, having dedicated riding areas for bikes and other wheeled things would keep pedestrians more safe, as would some protective gear help protect the riders.
There is suggestions to limit speed, if they are on foot paths with walkers then maybe that could be appropriate but could only justify that to as slow as someone could other wise run in my opinion. If the scooters were in a designated area then speed limiting is a bit sticky because then all of a sudden are we going to put speed limiters on pedal bikes and every thing else also?
I feel its a new thing and people just need to get used to the idea of change - it's a happening thing weather people like it or not, here in rotorua we have lots of shared walking /biking tracks that get quite busy--there is etiquette, signage and just generally people look out for each other. They keep left, if passing yell passing on right so people infront know - i realise its not the same as a busy city street but same rules can apply. Maybe constant beeping or some noise the scooter could make could replace the need for yelling?
Is a hard one - I can see both sides of the argument but still belive controls should be based off a holistic approach to transport not statistics in isolation to scooters, also I've not seen them and not in a busy city, I imagine if its pretty congested on footpaths really in a ideal world you would just make the whole city centre car free - every one can walk, bike, scoot etc imagine the health and environment plusses that would have