Just complaining about the Birò
Tuesday has arrived, so it seems to me the perfect moment for a dilemma. I would like to talk today about something that, in my opinion, is even worse than the electric cargo bike. Is a bell ringing yet? I'm of course talking about the Birò, or the flashy version of the mobility scooter, for which you can become a proud owner for around 15,000 euros.
A little further explanation about this luxury cart. The Birò is a mobility scooter (can have a maximum speed of 45 kilometers per hour) and has the appearance of a cross between a golf cart and a Canta. While the Canta was once intended as a vehicle for the disabled, the Birò is presented as the ideal urban transport. The convenience of a scooter with the comfort of a car, who wouldn't want that?
So why do I have such a dislike for this cart? Well, to begin with, because they are always in the way or driving in front of you. Nothing is worse than the moment when you're comfortably sitting in your car and suddenly a Birò darts onto the road right in front of you. Believe me: that 45 kilometers per hour generates quite a bit of aggression at such moments. And what do you think about the moment when you finally think you've found a parking spot, but there’s already one of those little cursed carts standing there as you approach the spot? Biròs now have to be parked in an official parking spot, because they used to be allowed to park on the sidewalk, which ultimately turned out to be not ideal either.
Well, by now the Birò (due to its low price) mainly serves as a status symbol among Old South mothers and real estate agents. Owners of this elite Canta also seem to think for some reason that they have the privilege to drive against traffic like an idiot and pick up the necessary curbs along the way. This also applies to the life-threatening electric cargo bike, but I find this vehicle a bit more acceptable because of its function. Parents use it to transport their children from A to B, so I can hardly get too angry about that. The Birò, on the other hand, really stirs something in me.
And do you know what irritates me the most about all this? That on rainy days I also long for a Birò. Because let's be honest: when you're soaking wet and cycling against the wind, you want nothing more than a Birò roof over your head, right?
