The problem with e-scooters

·1 hr 4 min·5 clips

Johnny Smith explains why he told his son no to an e-scooter, calling riders lazy and dangerous.

The episode opens with Johnny Smith explaining why he refused his son's request for an e-scooter, citing laziness and safety concerns. This leads to a comparison with bicycles, prompting Richard Porter to research bicycle history, revealing that the safety bicycle wasn't invented until 1885 by John Kemp Starley. The hosts discuss early bicycles like the penny-farthing and dandy horse, noting their lack of brakes. A listener email describes a customer burning out a clutch in a manual Kia Picanto because they only drove automatics. Johnny talks about spending £2000 on suspension for his £2000 Porsche Boxster, arguing it's worth it for improved driving enjoyment. They consider buying a cheap Ford Focus Mark 1 now, before prices rise, referencing Chris Harris's endorsement. Another listener tip reveals that Fish, the lead singer of Marillion, is selling his house in East Lothian, with photos showing portraits of himself and a Skoda Superb Estate outside. The hosts speculate on Fish's retirement plans to a croft in the Outer Hebrides. The conversation shifts to music, with Johnny describing the frantic theme tune of Street Hawk and a Glastonbury performance by Chic singer Naomi Rogers. They critique dashboard oddities, like a Bluetooth speaker blocking visibility and a shoebox placed on a dashboard. The episode closes with promotions for Johnny's YouTube projects and a fact about Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill being the best-selling debut album ever.

As heard by us

An e-scooter dispute drifts into bike tricks, suspension care, and an overbuilt Mark 1 Focus daydream.

Smith and Sniff starts with Johnny Smith weighing his son's wish for an e-scooter against his own case for a bicycle: bigger wheels, fewer pavement worries, no dead battery, and less of the texting-and-vaping aura he associates with scooters.

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Why you'd press play

You get an e-scooter argument, a bicycle defence, and a cheap Mark 1 Focus daydream with suspension TLC attached.

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