Scooters, scooters everywhere!
By
Gerry Niskern
I had a visitor the other day. She came by scooter. The scooter was pink, had three wheels and her helmet was covered with blue and silver sequence. I had seen her zipping down the street the day before, tiny lights flashing as she sped by in front of her parents. I couldn’t believe my eyes. She’s three! The last time I saw her she was in a stroller.
Scooters have come a long ways since the first one was devised for people’s transportation back in Germany in l817. Adults used the two-wheeled ride to get to work Then almost a century later, they were motorized with the creation of the Autoped in l916. They were great for anyone who wanted to save time, money and energy. Those could go up to 35mph.
Of course, kids made their own scooters from day one. During the Great Depression kids used wood from old boxes and wheels from roller skates. Manufacturers started making them for kids and they grew in populatity. They were trendy for years off and on. Then in the l980’s they were largely replaced by the kids with skateboards.
Back when I was around nine years old my family moved to a little town that had sidewalks, I enjoyed the little boy’s scooter from across the street. He was four and his daddy (like most dads do) had bought one way too big for him. I was invited to come use it anytime, and I did! Our street was on a steep hill and I would pump it a couple of blocks to the top and have a glorious ride back down.
Many kids today are riding large motorized scooters with big fat wheels. Not much physical benefit there. Regular manual scooters enhances their balance and coordination while enjoying the freedom of outdoors. After the age of two or so they can ride the three wheeled scooters easily
Lucky are the little girls who live in a neighborhood with hills where scooters are really fun.