Thread by @fakehistoryhunt

As this question returns now and then, here a short thread on the story behind these fantastic photos.
Yes, they did have motorised scooters over a century ago, lots of them, they were kind of a craze, well, among those who could afford them of course.

🧵with many cool pics:

The motorized scooters first appeared around 1914, generally known as the autoped or motoped.
They had a little engine and could reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour but that was just for the daredevils.
Some also worked on batteries.

So let's deal with the most famous photo that's shared the most often on social media, is it real?
Yes, it is.
It is Lady Priscilla Norman, she was quite a woman, read more about her here;
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priscilla…

And if you don't believe me, here's her great-granddaughter confirming it;

The media loved the scooters but they of course loved a well known lady using one even more!

The Republic, Columbus, Indiana
27 Feb 1919
newspapers.com/clip/109816316…

Here's one of the earlier mentions of the new vehicle;
Mexico Ledger Mexico, Missouri
27 Oct 1914.
newspapers.com/clip/109815491…

Some people claim Lady Norman's autoped was "the first e-scooter" but she probably wasn't the first to own one and hers was not electric.
Yes it does have a battery but that's for the lights, mind you, fully electric ones were made not much later!

So now we've dealt with the story that goes around, let's look at a whole bunch of great old pictures of scooters!

“Look out for the Autoped girl”

New York Herald, New York, New York
08 Oct 1916
newspapers.com/clip/109814966…

Famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart seemed to like them as well, here she is in the mid 1930s als with her pupil, June Travis

Four special delivery postmen for the US Postal Service try out new scooters, c.1915.

Here they are in action;

They made it to Germany;

And the Netherlands!

And France...

There was a potential for romance...

Here's also a nice article about the subject;
smithsonianmag.com/history/motori…

And here's Miss Shirley Kellogg;

And here she is giving us a demonstration on film!

So, conclusion;
-No, Lady Norman did not drive the FIRST e-bike.
-Yes there were both petrol & electric mopeds/autopeds/motopeds in the early 20th century.
-Yes somehow as a kid I ended up with a stupid wooden one that was only powered by my foot.
SO UNFAIR.