A roll down memory lane: Policy implications of nostalgic experiences in shared e-scooter consumption

Abstract

This ethnographic study leverages transit diaries, in-depth interviews, and participant observation to examine consumptive experiences of shared e-scooter use. Moving beyond functional and utilitarian motivations, this research draws on Consumer Culture Theory to uncover the affective dimensions that shape users’ experiences with e-scooters. Findings reveal nostalgia, underpinned by consumer feelings of freedom and social connectedness, are present in e-scooter experiences and implications for policy makers are discussed. By increasing awareness of consumptive experiences of e-scooters, this research contributes to an understudied area of transportation and mobility research, and holds potential to assist cities in understanding how to better implement first- and last-mile transit solutions as micromobility moves out of the periphery and into the core of transit systems.