Sometimes when writing a story, it’s best to experience the topic that you are chronicling.

For this particular newspaper story, the assignment was to report on the 1,000 orange and black Spin electric scooters that have been seen throughout the city of Pittsburgh.

So, I took a spin.

Having never been on a scooter or skateboard, this was a challenge. I have been on roller blades and roller skates, and I know how to ice skate and ride a bicycle … but a scooter was a new mode of transportation for me.

The first thing I had to do was download the Spin app on my mobile phone and supply it with a credit card number. The app also helps riders locate the scooters. A colleague, photographer Louis B. Ruediger, spotted several near Heinz Field on Pittsburgh’s North Shore.

For this initial ride we had to answer a few questions before setting out. The rules are made clear from the start: Riders must obey traffic laws. No riding on sidewalks. Only one person may be on the scooter at a time. Helmets are recommended and the use of headphones is discouraged. You must be 18 or older with a valid driver’s license.

To get started, we scanned a bar code on the scooter we wanted. The cost is $1 to start a trip with 39 cents charged per minute.

Riders receive a $1 credit if they park in a mobility hub – a place where scooters can be left and hooked up to charge.

I was ready to go, with some encouragement from Louis: “Jo, step on with your right foot, and just push off with your left foot and hit the green button.”

Off I went.

There is a definite learning curve. Riding a scooter requires balance and being able to navigate around bumps or uneven pavement.

We made our way onto Allegheny Avenue along the river to PNC Park and across the Roberto Clemente Bridge, where we rode in the bike lane.

I had two areas of concern – intersections and riding too close to parked cars where someone might open a car door and hit me with it. It is important to look out for other traffic. A few times I pushed the scooter across the street.

Once we reached the other end of the Clemente Bridge, an alarm sounded. We weren’t permitted to ride into Downtown at that spot because, according to Spin, there is a brief no-ride zone to protect the Allegheny Overlook pedestrian area there.

We didn’t realize that at the time, so we journeyed back to the North Shore. (Turns out that we could have walked the scooter through the zone.)

If you’ve never been on a scooter or skateboard, it takes some time to get used to balancing on the scooter. It glides over most bumps in the road. There is a hand brake and a bell that riders can ring to alert other people on the road.

After a few starts and stops, I was able to cruise along pretty smoothly. On this 90-degree day there was a nice breeze from riding on the scooter.

Altogether, riding the scooter is fun. It’s just important to be cautious. And the price for 78-minute ride was $33.62, with the receipt delivered via email.

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Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure held a launch with Move PGH for the scooters, touted as adding to the ways people can get around.

“In Pittsburgh, too many residents are one missed bus or one flat tire away from losing their job or missing a critical appointment,” Mayor Bill Peduto said in a statement. “Universal basic mobility, using the services of Move PGH, will demonstrate that when people have a readily available transportation back-up plan they are able to access more opportunities and climb the economic ladder.”

The city’s aims coincide with Spin’s mission, the company’s CEO, Ben Bear, said.

“As a Pittsburgh native, it’s been rewarding to be able to launch our pilot, and watch this project come to fruition giving residents a suite of options making it as easy to get around without a car as it is with a car,” he said in a statement. “What I’m most proud of is that the city is pioneering a universal basic mobility pilot that will give a group of low-income residents access to Move PGH. “

Spin was founded in San Francisco in 2017 and is owned by the Ford Motor Company.

Some of the other restrictions included not riding on freeways and roads with speed limits above 25 mph (which includes tunnels). Riding on private property is also prohibited, unless with the permission of the property owner.

Parks and cemeteries are also off-limits, as are dense pedestrian areas, such as East Carson Street. Steep hills and rough terrain should be avoided.

Spin also requires users to take a picture of their scooter after they park. There are policies in place to require a certain amount of scooters to be available in each zone every day. Similar to Healthy Ride and Scoobi, Spin will remove most of the vehicles over the winter months.

Spin Access also provides options for those who don’t have a smart phone or credit card. Information can be found here. Or by calling 1-888-262-5189.

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