An electric scooter rider in central Paris, October 24, 2024. FLORIAN THÉVENARD FOR LE MONDE
In his tiny Repair and Run shop near Paris's Gare de Lyon, where he repairs scooters and bicycles, Yassine Kaouane demonstrated the posture he uses when riding his electric scooter home to Argenteuil, on the outskirts of Paris. "One foot in front of the other, hands gripping the handlebars, body leaning slightly back. You don't drive a scooter; you pilot it," he said. "Every pothole causes a jolt. Your knees work, and your arms get stronger. It's quite sporty, but it's less stressful than taking the metro around Paris. It's a pleasure."
His machine, equipped with a wide footboard, looked built for speed. He acknowledged that the sight of a device carrying a man standing upright on the roadway might surprise drivers. "But I position myself in the middle of the road, I brake carefully, in a predictable way, just like on a motorcycle," the thirty-something said, specifying that on rainy days, he preferred to use his electric bicycle.
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