Banning them outright ignores the people who actually depend on them for last-mile commutes. What's the alternative — put everyone back in cars? That's worse for congestion and emissions.

History shows that banning a technology rarely works unless you offer a better substitute. In the 1890s, cities banned 'horseless carriages' from parks — it just pushed the problem elsewhere.

Who enforces this? Police are already stretched thin, and private e-scooters have no plates. A ban on paper won't stop a single rider if there's no practical way to catch them.

A ban unlocks safer streets for everyone, especially older adults and kids. The real innovation isn't the scooter — it's giving people back the freedom to walk without fear.

The deep tension here is real: pedestrian safety versus last-mile mobility. But a blanket ban in dense urban cores doesn't have to be permanent — we could pilot it for 18 months, measure the impact on both injuries and commute times, then decide.