Topic: Bird Bikes

Uber announces a new policy to deactivate riders with low ratings, which the hosts liken to a social credit score. In Austin, a host's sister was fined $20 by an e-scooter company for failing to park a Bird bike in a designated upright position.

The introduction of e-scooters in Hoboken and Austin has led to safety concerns and traffic violations. Predictions suggest that portions of downtown Austin may eventually be closed to cars in favor of electric "dockless mobility" options like scooters and monowheels.

The sustainability of dockless scooter and bike companies like Bird and Lime is questioned, as major investors like Uber and Lyft continue to lose billions of dollars quarterly. Similar business models in China have already collapsed, leaving "mountains" of abandoned bicycles in their wake. The industry is described as a Ponzi-like scheme that relies on constant rounds of venture capital rather than profitable operations.

The rapid proliferation of electric rental scooters like Bird bikes raises concerns about the safety of large lithium-ion batteries. Speculation is made regarding the potential for these devices to malfunction or be used as improvised hazards due to their high-impact vulnerability.

The artwork for episode 1044, created by Darren O'Neill, featured a classic vinyl record design. The title "Free Scooter" was intended to refer to electric rental bikes, though some listeners misinterpreted it as a reference to Donald Trump's pardon of Scooter Libby.

San Jose is following San Francisco's lead in regulating motorized rental scooters due to concerns over sidewalk safety and improper parking. The discussion extends to the poor implementation of bike paths in American cities, which are often built without the necessary century-long cultural integration seen in Europe. A bike safety officer's criticism of the show's stance on urban mobility is also addressed.

A technical guide explains how to disable the GPS and alarm systems on Bird rental scooters by drilling into the main control box. By installing a $50 bypass board available on eBay, an individual can effectively convert a rental unit into a private electric scooter. The hosts provide this information as a theoretical "post-collapse" survival skill rather than an endorsement of theft.

Elon Musk has delayed plans for SpaceX's first private moon tourists until at least late 2019. The hosts also discuss the "plague" of electric scooters and Bird bikes in urban areas, criticizing the behavior of millennials in traffic. They suggest a "thumbs-down" gesture as a more effective and confusing alternative to flipping off other drivers.