Provo has had some time to adjust to electric scooters lining up on major intersections and thoroughfares connecting transit.

Our own staff took experiencing the new transportation to heart and tried it, for many for the first time ever, and reported on hindrances, times to get to central locations and now on safety.

Of course, any time you introduce something as novel to Utah County as electric scooters, there’s a learning curve — both for the riders and the rest of the public.

More than a handful of residents have complained about where scooters have so far ended up when carelessly dumped after use or the busy corners they end up congregated at, impeding pedestrians or accessibility of an open walkway.

These are valid concerns and point to the continued need for education of scooter users on where are appropriate places to park the devices once arriving at a destination so as to not create unsafe situations for other drivers and pedestrians.

Accessibility for one group should not jeopardize accessibility for others. While leaving a scooter in the middle of a sidewalk or in the path of a crosswalk may seem like an acceptable and convenient area for disposal, it creates difficult and repeated unsafe roadblocks for our fellow community members who rely on open sidewalks for wheelchair and bike accessibility.

And no surprise here, but how many scooter users do you gander have regularly used a helmet? We don’t see too many zipping by our offices.

As more time passes with this option available to connect residents to “the last mile,” the need for maintained safety does not. Given the perpetual hell of construction, it’s only a matter of time before something dangerous does play out if residents become complacent about scooter safety requirements during use.