Discomfort in pedestrian-electric scooter interactions during frontal approaches

Background

As urban landscapes rapidly integrate e-scooters into their transportation ecosystems, understanding pedestrian-e-scooter interactions becomes paramount for safety and planning. This study investigates pedestrian discomfort levels and avoidance strategies when encountering an e-scooter approaching from the front.

Methods

25 participants were exposed to e-scooters approaching at three different speeds and lateral distances. Avoidance paths were plotted, and subjective discomfort levels were recorded and analysed.

Results

Our findings underscored two key behaviours: 1) As the speed of the e-scooter increased, participants initiated avoidance manoeuvres from a further distance ahead, suggesting a heightened perception of risk. 2) Regardless of the e-scooter's speed, the lateral distance maintained during passing remained fairly constant. However, when the e-scooter's initial lateral position was closer to participants, both the initiation distance for avoidance and the reported discomfort level increased noticeably.

Conclusion

The findings underscore the critical influence of lateral distance and e-scooter speed on pedestrian comfort and avoidance behaviour. These insights can guide urban planners and policymakers in designing safer and more efficient shared spaces.