I learned about Okinawa’s traffic congestion from the [LWIF video.](https://old.reddit.com/r/okinawa/comments/151sv2c/what_are_your_thoughts_on_this_video_about_car/) His [new video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpOQpwKeSnI&ab_channel=LifeWhereI%27mFrom) is about electric scooters with swappable batteries in Taipei. 2.7 million people and 1 million scooters are in Taipei according to this [2018 article](https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2018/10/31/cycling-mayor-raps-about-taipeis-liveability/?sh=6ab972d54ebd) about the rising popularity of bicycles there. Taiwan has 24 million people and 14 million scooters. A road lane fits two or three scooters side by side allowing more people to get around than a lane of cars with only one or two people per vehicle.
Although Okinawa’s best alternative to congestion is probably more train lines, could electric scooters with swappable batteries realistically become popular allowing existing roads to get more people to their destinations? If not, what differences between Taipei and Okinawa will prevent it?
by midflinx
