‘#WeekWithoutDriving’ Day 3: e-scootering across the world’s longest floating bridge

This week, KUOW's Casey Martin is taking part in "#WeekWithoutDriving," a challenge to Seattle drivers to get out of their cars and find different ways to get around. Organizers hope the car-free week calls attention to gaps in the city's transportation systems, especially for disabled people who can’t drive. Casey is stepping up to the challenge, finding a different mode of transportation to get to the office every day this week.

Wednesday brought warm, sunny weather to the Seattle area. That meant it was a perfect day to leave the car at home and hop on a scooter to cross beautiful Lake Washington.

Full disclosure: I love e-scooters.

I test rode rental scooters when they first arrived in Tacoma back in 2018.

Last summer, when five different scooter companies were scattered across Seattle, I tried them all.

During the summer they’ve become my main mode of transportation to get around Seattle, along with light rail.

When I decided to take part in #WeekWithoutDriving, I knew I had to ride a scooter to work.

On Wednesday, I rode an e-scooter from the Eastside into Seattle across the Highway 520 bike path. On weekday mornings, the trail is packed with bike and scooter commuters. When there is bumper-to-bumper car traffic on the highway, the trail is often the fastest way to cross the bridge.

As fun and convenient as e-scooters can be, they also come with some risks.

A report from the Seattle Department of Transportation last year found at least 12% of people who rent scooters have experienced some sort of injury while riding. I crashed a scooter a few months ago when I took a corner too fast and ended up in urgent care. Thankfully I only required some bandages on my palms and a tetanus shot.

Also not all scooter riders park their rides in the best spots. While the city urges people to leave them at bike racks or “corrals,” scooters are sometimes left in the middle of a sidewalk or crosswalk. That causes problems for people trying to get around with a wheelchair, stroller, or walker.

When riding my scooter, I always wear a bright, orange helmet, mostly for visibility. I also recently attached a mirror to the left handlebar so I can see approaching cars or passing e-bikes about to fly by.

I’m also a big proponent of communication — dinging my bell, saying “on your left!” to pedestrians, and giving a nod to people riding in the other direction. Even though I am having fun, I take the risks of riding seriously.

As for the 520 bike path itself, there’s no better way to cross the lake. Opened in 2017, the path is 14-feet wide and includes multiple pull-over spots for riders to take in the views.

My favorite part is approaching U District and being so close to the Montlake marsh where you can spy geese and great blue herons. In a car you miss these details.

One suggested improvement I heard from other people on scooters Wednesday: They’d like to see a taller wall between the bike path and the highway. Car noise can reach 100+ decibels when a truck rumbles by and the serenity of the lake is lost.

During heavy traffic in rush hour, however, that noise is reduced and all you can hear is the lapping of the water from the lake as you leave those cars in the dust.