Question for my fellow British escapists..

[Sean Hollyman]

So lately in Wales, I'm seeing Kids riding scooters around everywhere. Seriously. Wherever I go.

No bikes, no skateboards, no rollerblades, just scooters. Is this happening anywhere else in Britain, or is it just in Wales where there's a scooter invasion?

 

[Hoplon]

Yeah in the Midlands I see it a lot too.

 

[Sigma Castell]

Dear god It happens in Bucks as well ._.

 

[Da Orky Man]

I live in mid-Wales, and I've seen practically no scooters. Sure it isn't just limited to your town?

 

[teqrevisited]

Cambridgeshire is clean, aside from the infestation of chavs.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Scooters are back?

12 years ago, nearly every kid had a scooter

I didn't because I was cool, and edgy, and it had nothing to do with me spending all my birthday money on video games instead.

 

[The Maddest March Hare]

Mid-Wales appears fairly clean of them, actually. Mostly people in my area just go around in tracksuits and write various poorly spelled insults on the bus shelter wall. Ancient humans had cave paintings, we have "kely iz a slag" in sharpie.

However, my cousin's child has been begging for a 'trick' scooter. I'm not sure how you discern it from normal ones, perhaps it sits if you offer it a treat? Either way, that's in Northern England where apparently scooters are a big thing in schools.

 

[Total LOLige]

I've seen the odd scooter knocking about in central Scotland.

 

[DJjaffacake]

There's a bloody infestation of them up here in Yorkshire.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Mid-Wales appears fairly clean of them, actually. Mostly people in my area just go around in tracksuits and write various poorly spelled insults on the bus shelter wall. Ancient humans had cave paintings, we have "kely iz a slag" in sharpie.

However, my cousin's child has been begging for a 'trick' scooter. I'm not sure how you discern it from normal ones, perhaps it sits if you offer it a treat? Either way, that's in Northern England where apparently scooters are a big thing in schools.

I'm guessing he means one of <spoiler=these>http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H2QcTP9zNuM/R1YAIbSnuEI/AAAAAAAAB0U/3aCXPyuFccc/s400/trick+scooter.jpg

as opposed to one of

Spoiler: these

The first style was in fashion in the U.S. about 12 years ago, same time as Daystar said they were in the UK. The second kind I don't think has been "in" since at least the 80's. Which is a shame, because they're a lot more fun to ride, unless you're lucky enough to live near a skatepark and good enough at it not to kill yourself.

OT: I'm American, I know nothing.

 

[Faulty Turmoil]

A few people I knew in school have gotten scooters. There do seem to be a lot about...

Wiltshire, by the way.

EDIT: Wait, you mean the kid's toy thing? I thought you meant one of these.

 

[Dags90]

Scooters are back?

12 years ago, nearly every kid had a scooter

I didn't because I was cool, and edgy, and it had nothing to do with me spending all my birthday money on video games instead.

I wonder if that means yo-yos and Skip-It are going to make a similar comeback. Here's hoping.

I had a Razor scooter at one point, those things are ridiculously dangerous on any pavement that's less than perfect.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Scooters are back?

12 years ago, nearly every kid had a scooter

I didn't because I was cool, and edgy, and it had nothing to do with me spending all my birthday money on video games instead.

I wonder if that means yo-yos and Skip-It are going to make a similar comeback. Here's hoping.

I had a Razor scooter at one point, those things are ridiculously dangerous on any pavement that's less than perfect.

What?

You mean plastic wheels with no give are terrible on any surface that isn't perfectly flat?

 

[Dags90]

What?

You mean plastic wheels with no give are terrible on any surface that isn't perfectly flat?

Not just plastic wheels. Plastic wheels the size of my pre-teen aged fist. My Pow-Pow-Power Wheels had way smoother rides.

 

[Zantos]

Scooters are back?

12 years ago, nearly every kid had a scooter

I didn't because I was cool, and edgy, and it had nothing to do with me spending all my birthday money on video games instead.

Oooooh weren't you the cool kid. Though I think I did roughly the same thing.

Do you think the Welsh chappy in the other thread would get annoyed if someone were to inform him of this proof that Wales is about a decade behind us?

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Scooters are back?

12 years ago, nearly every kid had a scooter

I didn't because I was cool, and edgy, and it had nothing to do with me spending all my birthday money on video games instead.

I wonder if that means yo-yos and Skip-It are going to make a similar comeback. Here's hoping.

I had a Razor scooter at one point, those things are ridiculously dangerous on any pavement that's less than perfect.

Yo-yos actually came back for a while a few years back. I observed some middle school classes for an education degree in 2010 or 2011, and yo-yos were everywhere. I don't think they'll ever really go away, there have been cyclical fads surrounding the things since at least the 50's.

Also, yes, Razor scooters suck on anything but perfect pavement. Even certain types of roads[footnote]specifically the kind that has gravel sticking well out of the asphalt, which apparently helps with drainage[/footnote] are too rough for them. You need sidewalks. That's why I posted that picture of one with bicycle-like wheels. My great aunt had one at her house when I was a kid, and it was awesome. I don't know why those things have been so completely supplanted by the Razor-style ones. They're just so much better unless you use them for tricks.

 

[Dags90]

Also, yes, Razor scooters suck on anything but perfect pavement. Even certain types of roads[footnote]specifically the kind that has gravel sticking well out of the asphalt, which apparently helps with drainage[/footnote] are too rough for them. You need sidewalks. That's why I posted that picture of one with bicycle-like wheels. My great aunt had one at her house when I was a kid, and it was awesome. I don't know why those things have been so completely supplanted by the Razor-style ones. They're just so much better unless you use them for tricks.

My grandma had the rubber tire ones at her shore house. It was kind of funny, when Razors were a fad we would bring them with us down the shore and then spend the weekend using the rubber wheeled ones.

I don't know about where you live, but by me the sidewalks can get pretty janky due to tree roots.

 

[hazabaza1]

Lots of scooters over here in Northampton, yeah.