We love Bird scooters because they have good brakes and are easy to steer. And because you can actually find one in downtown Tempe. According to Smithsonian Magazine, the concept of the scooter dates back to 1817, when Germans first used the handy mode of transportation. The super-portable vehicles have been controversial ever since (they've been long loathed by the cycling community), but perhaps no more so than when the electric scooter hit cities in the last few years. Thanks to technology, you can easily rent a scooter using a credit card, and no one but your mom cares if you wear a helmet as you zoom around town. In Tempe, electric scooters have become such a menace to pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers that the city has introduced pretty onerous rules regarding liability. Earlier this year, Lime pulled its scooters from Tempe, and Razor has threatened to do the same. But Bird signed up for another round, and it's Bird we patronize when we want to ditch the car and take a more enjoyable, and environmentally cleaner, romp around town. Sorry about the helmet thing, Mom.