bike, skateboard or scooter?

[RosieTR]

I'm going to be working at a place where the parking is a decent distance from the building (10 min walk). Also, I will have a commute long enough that biking directly from home will not be an option. I would like something faster than just walking, especially if I wind up being able to combine driving with some sort of public transportation option. So, what is your opinion on the following options: skateboard, scooter (like the little razor scooters) or foldable bike? I will at times have to deal with icy/snowy sidewalks as well.

[flowerseverywhere]

As a long distance biker I have seen a lot of foldable bikes and people seem to like them- but I have never tried one. A razor scooter would probably be the cheapest and easiest to store in the office. I don't think I would want to be on the icy and snowy sidewalks with a skateboard, but I guess I am a lot older than you.

Maybe you could start by borrowing a scooter from someone and see if the cheapest option works.

[Mrs-M]

I'd go for the bike. More stable and safe IMO.

[Gardenarian]

I have a foldable bike and it is very handy. I don't feel safe on skateboards or scooters.

[Spartana]

Razor scooter. Small, light weight, and it folds up into a cane-like stick that you can use to help you walk when you fall off :-)! Personally I would just walk - especially if on snowy or icy sidewalks. Just do it fast - think of it as a 5 to 10 mintue power walk to warm you up. A bike - even a folding one - is way to cumbersome for such a sort span of time. If it takes you 10 minutes to walk, it'll only take a few minutes to bike but maybe longer to unfold and refold the bike and lug it around with you. Too much hassle for such a short trip - especially if you are carrying other stuff.

[RosieTR]

Thanks for the advice. I had a scooter awhile back when I faced a similar dilemma, but wanted to ask in case I was missing something. As I recall, they are cheap compared to a foldable bike, so even if I decide later to change options it won't break the bank. I was a little worried with the bike option since it's harder to balance on ice. Scooters can just be swept up out of the way in favor of walking a few steps over an icy or snowy patch. OTOH, if foldable bikes were quite quick to fold up it might be useful if I wanted to do small errands or escape to a park for lunch or something, but the likelihood of that vs the inconvenience and cost of the bike makes that less of a good option. I suppose the only advantage to a skateboard is that I don't need to use my hands if it's really cold, but the fall potential is much greater with a board than a scooter.

[Selah]

If you use a skateboad, it puts you in a tricky area with regards to pedestrians. DH and I go walking every day around our neighborhood, and the sidewalk can really only deal with two people walking abreast. There are no bike lanes, so some bikers use the sidewalk and expect us to get out of their way so they don't have to go on the grass to get past us. Same with the skateboarders. But if we're talking and don't hear them approaching behind us, a skateboarder or biker can be quite startling. Bikers often have bells that they use to warn us of their approach, but I've never seen a skateboarder with a bell. We've had a number of near collisions with bikers and skateboarders who have suprised us by coming up quickly behind us and being unclear as to which way we should get out of their way. Some of the kids we see skateboarding are going VERY fast and we worry about them getting head injuries should they fall.