Bridgewater, Va. – The Town of Bridgewater’s administration has recently been in contact with Bird, the company who furnishes communal electric scooters to cities and towns across the globe. 

 Bird extended an offer to Bridgewater, due to the company’s success in nearby Harrisonburg, Va. Bird scooters will make their debut on the streets of Bridgewater on Sept. 15, 2020 for a trial run. The company will provide 50 to 100 scooters for the trial.

Bridgewater student Lamont Jones was excited to hear about the arrival of Bird scooters to town. “Students who need to go into town will be able to do it quicker,” said Jones. 

The town foresees Bird scooters presenting opportunities to both Bridgewater residents and Bridgewater College students alike. Alex Wilmer, Assistant Town Manager for Administration, envisions the scooters being “beneficial to students and residents as another form of transportation to get around town.”

In addition, Bridgewater recognizes that the scooters have the potential to encourage  environmentally beneficial practices through a decrease in vehicular traffic and to promote local businesses through an increase in clientele traffic. 

However, experienced Harrionsonburg residents note that the scooters do come with a certain set of drawbacks. Namely, their place in the current traffic system. The scooters tend to “get knocked over off the sidewalk onto the roadway, hindering traffic,” they travel the “wrong way down the street,” and can be “dangerous on the sidewalk,” said Harrisonburg local Josiah Driver. 

The upcoming trial will give Bridgewater community members the opportunity to take the Bird scooters for a test run and determine if they will follow Harrisonburg’s lead or not.