Blurred boundaries: E-scooter riders’ and pedestrians’ experiences of sharing space

Abstract

ABSTRACT Globally, electric scooters (e-scooters) have grown in popularity in recent years. Introducing new transport modes is complex because existing infrastructures and habits do not easily accommodate them, which can lead to conflict between different types of transport users. In this paper, we explore e-scooter riders’ and pedestrians’ experiences of sharing space in Christchurch, New Zealand. In-depth interviews were carried out with e-scooter riders and pedestrians in 2019. Thematic analysis of the data highlighted the uneven and unfamiliar socio-spatial encounters between e-scooter riders and pedestrians. We explore the ways that e-scooter riders’ and pedestrians’ rhythms, in interaction with the sensory, affectual and material, create blurry boundaries. These blurry boundaries are evident in the ways that e-scooter riders blur modal status, sensory experiences and the regulations of different transport spaces. It is important to understand e-scooter riders’ and pedestrians’ experiences and interpretations of boundaries in order to plan transport spaces that support active and low-carbon modes of transport.