When I asked around my office to see if I could have anyone's old Razor scooter, I did not expect to become a Scooter. Not a literal scooter, but "one who scoots". My only goal at that point was to hasten my commute by reducing a ten-minute walk into a three-minute scoot. The scooter I graciously received is a "large" Razor scooter, though it is without a doubt meant for a kid. But, it's perfect: it folds up for easy carrying on a train or bus, it's light, and it fits perfectly into the entry of my apartment. Now, six months later, I don't think I'll ever go back to walking anywhere without my scooter.

Why? Because it's ridiculous, fun, and fast. Surprisingly, I can go quite fast on a scooter. On a flat stretch of pavement, I go as fast as a moderately-paced biker, about 4x faster than walking. Consequently, scooting is significantly more fun than walking or running, especially when listening to good music. My best scooting experience, however, was riding in the afternoon and passing a young boy riding his own admittedly much smaller Razor scooter.

"You have one too?" he said, wide-eyed. "Yep!" I laughed. "Keep up the good scooting."

I had another similar experience today scooting along the mixed-use path. A bearded man, helmeted and excited, was scooting in the opposite direction. As I approached him, he slowed down and stuck his hand up in the air towards me. The next thing I knew, I was sticking my hand out too. Our hands met in a crisp high five, and we nodded to each other and continued on our scoot commute without saying a word.

Scooting with friends, on the other hand, is only fun if the friends also have scooters. Scooting next to walkers is frustrating for everyone involved. Julia will attest to this.

I have thought about upgrading to an electric "adult" scooter, but it hasn't happened yet. The limiting factor at this point is the cost, but the more I think about it the more I don't want an electric scooter. I don't need one. Self-locomotion is good exercise, keeps me aware of my surroundings, and requires exactly zero electricity other than ATP. I should, however, upgrade from my starter Razor scooter to a scooter with bigger plastic or rubber wheels, which would better handle bumps and holes in the road or sidewalk.

If you are thinking about getting a scooter, do it. It's awesome. It will take a few days to get your balance and get over the confused and awed pedestrians who are otherwise going about their day and don't expect a rampant adult Scooter racing by. Don't let the teenagers' giggling stop you, nor the confused looks from your friends, parents or children when you tell them how you get to work. It's worth it. Just do it.

But when you do, and if you are at all unsure of your balance capabilities, invest in knee-pads. Those are worth it too.