Why do citizens not prefer to use e-scooters? Views of the public in the Netherlands

Abstract

E-scooters, a burgeoning form of micromobility, are revolutionizing urban transportation systems globally, particularly in the post-pandemic world. The surge in e-scooter adoption introduces novel regulatory challenges for local authorities. Numerous recent studies cater to these policy needs by exploring e-scooter use. However, scant attention has been paid to non-users’ perspectives, which is crucial to understand comprehensively the effect of e-scooters on urban environments. Issues such as accidents, parking problems, and others, which concern city-dwellers, require close attention. To address this research gap, we used a Q-methodology study to examine the diverse views among residents of the Netherlands. Twenty-one respondents ranked 34 statements pertaining to their disincentives to e-scooter use and elucidated their rankings in a follow-up survey. The study unearthed three distinct viewpoints: (1) “environmentalists” deem e-scooters as environmentally unfriendly, (2) “materialist” exhibit a preference for personal vehicle ownership over shared transport, and (3) “socializers” perceive e-scooters as unsuitable for larger groups. These findings set the stage for potential research directions and underline the importance of incorporating diverse public perceptions in micromobility policymaking.