Last Updated on April 10, 2023 by Matt
The vast majority of people agree that using technology, including electric scooters, encourages laziness and lowers productivity.
However, you might be surprised to learn that electric scooters might actually have exactly the opposite effect.
Read on to find out why that’s the case.
Are electric scooters making people lazy?
For most people, electric scooters arguably increase their activity levels rather than decrease them, which is why an argument can be made that electric scooters are not making people lazy.
While we all know that moving an electric scooter doesn’t require much effort or perspiration thanks to its motor and battery, you’re actually a lot more actively involved in riding an electric scooter than you might think.
Walking or riding a regular bike to get to your destination will burn more calories without a doubt. But riding an electric scooter is not completely passive. In fact, it requires quite a lot of focus and effort (much more than what driving a car or using public transport does).
Electric scooters do bring a great degree of efficiency to transport, but they are still far from a completely detached experience that requires no involvement on the rider’s part.
And when it comes to off-road electric scooters and riding on rough terrain, that becomes even more so, as responding to the different challenges of the punishing terrain is quite an intensive task.
Why are electric scooters actually making people less lazy?
Anyone that has ridden an electric scooter for more than a few minutes will tell you will start feeling a bit tired after a while. Riding an electric scooter can be considered a light form of exercise, as it helps your body stay active, and it’s not as passive as it may seem to an outsider who has never tried riding an electric scooter.
If you struggle to keep a regular fitness schedule, riding an electric scooter might be a good way to get started. It’s a low-intensity activity that doesn’t leave you feeling entirely worn out.
With this type of activity, you may ease into it and have a nice little workout without having to exert too much effort.
Keep in mind that riding really works your muscles. While you don’t expend any real energy to propel the scooter forward, you still need to maintain balance and stay focused and engaged with your surroundings, which does cost your body some energy. Certainly beats eating ice-cream on your couch.
Newbie scooter riders might even experience muscle soreness.
Once you’re comfortable with your e-scooter, you may intensify your exercise by altering or prolonging your route, using a new route, or even climbing a few minor hills. Since these are somewhat bigger challenges, you may find your rides to be a bit more tiring.
Of course, this can only be considered a mild workout at best. It’s nowhere near a full-on gym or cardio session.
But it’s still much, much better than nothing.
Can you lose weight riding a scooter?
Riding an electric scooter is a way to burn some calories. Riding for an hour at slower speeds will still help you burn around 300 calories, which is pretty much the same as walking.
That means that you can burn about 750 calories in five days just by riding your e-scooter if you utilize it five days a week for a total roundtrip duration of only 30 minutes each day. That’s more than enough to keep that extra weight away, and maybe even to lose some weight in some cases.
Is a scooter better than walking?
The average person can only walk at 3 to 4 mph (4.8 to 5.4 kmh), whereas the average electric scooter can go at least 15 mph / 25 kmh.
Walking is a great type of exercise, and occasionally taking a stroll along the river or a beach is pleasant.
But, riding an electric scooter will be significantly more effective for getting from point A to point B if time is of the essence. Plus, it burns almost the same amount of calories as walking!
Are there any drawbacks to electric scooters?
As we mentioned previously, electric scooters require more involvement than most other modes of transport, and thus we can’t really say that they are making people lazier.
However, there are a few other drawbacks that you should be aware of if you’re considering buying an electric scooter, mainly the (small but existent) potential risks of back pain, carpal tunnel, finger fatigue, etc. See my complete articles on electric scooter health risks to learn more.
Conclusion
It’s true that riding an e-scooter is easier than walking. It’s more convenient and requires less effort. It’s also true that electric scooters are substituting more active means of transportation like biking or walking.
However, it doesn’t make people lazy.
Quite the contrary – it encourages activity and, with time, it can actually supplement your workout routine. In fact, if you replace a more passive form of transport such as a car or a bus with an electric scooter, you will be getting a lot more exercise!
Don’t get me wrong – you can’t expect to start losing weight after a few scooter rides. But other aspects of your health and fitness, like core development, balance, and coordination, will certainly benefit.
