400 electric mopeds ready to take over DC

The short version:

•  This weekend Revel will release 400 electric mopeds for rent in Washington D.C.
•  These will be similar to renting a scooter or bicycle.
•  It’s a growing industry. Last year 84 million people took trips on bikes or scooters.
•  Some feel the mopeds will be much more dangerous for riders.
•  Each rental includes a helmet and requires a valid drivers license.
•  Revel has already released mopeds in New York City, where 300,000 rides have a 99.99% incident-free record. 

I can see the concerns over safety. A scooter is a vehicle and supposed to be ridden in the flow of traffic. Technically so is a bicycle, but somehow that feels different. Either way, I like the idea. The easier we make it for people to not own a commuter car the better.