Scooter craze sweep across SU campus

The campus of Southern University has been taken over by a plethora of students whizzing by on candy-colored electric and gasoline-powered scooters.
They are used as a way of transportation to and from classes or just to cruise in the mild fall weather.
“I like them (scooters) because they help you get around easier and plus I’m lazy,” said Kevin Cowan Jr., a junior majoring in civil engineering from Baton Rouge.
At Cortana Mall, electric scooters are sold at the New Orleans Scooter booth.
According to Martha Marchan, a New Orleans Scooters representative, scooters are sold for $299.00.
Most scooters being sold in the Baton Rouge area are mass-produced in China and sell from $159 to $800.
They can be found everywhere including roadsides, beauty supply stores and restaurants.
“I think there are a waste of money because they will be in this semester and out the next,” said Antonia Peake, a junior majoring in social work from Atlanta.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Jack Lyles, owner of Mardi Gras Motors in New Orleans, said state government should step in to regulate their use.
“I’d like to see some kind of learner’s permit or some type of training program,” said Lyles, who reports selling 80 to 100 scooters a month since adding them to his store over the summer.
Electric versions plug into a standard wall socket and take about four to six hours to recharge.
They can travel as far as 14 miles on a single charge, at top speeds of 13 to 18 mph depending on the weight of the rider. Weight capacities depend on the size of the scooter.
Larger scooters can handle as much as 350 pounds.
Many SU students enjoy the luxury of having an easier way to get around campus.
“I was tired of walking to class plus, I’d seen people at LSU with them, so I had to get one. I get to class a lot faster,” said Ron Stewart, a sophomore majoring in civil engineering from Vallejo, Calif.