> But these Bird scooters look like they're around $500? If you're using the thing like 2 or 3 times a day, it won't take long at $5 / ride before it makes more sense to just buy one for yourself.
Theft. I live in a city where you can expect any portable form of transportation to get stolen, from inside your house's garage at that.
Renting offloads the risk of theft to someone else.
Most people who have scooters around me use it for part or entirety of their commute. They just carry it in buses, trains or trams and have them stashed under their desk at the office. They are at no point left unattended.
Theft. I live in a city where you can expect any portable form of transportation to get stolen, from inside your house's garage at that.
Renting offloads the risk of theft to someone else.