Electric scooters are becoming increasingly popular in urban areas, and some places like Atlanta, San Diego, and Nashville have seen serious contention over the street takeovers. Some cities have also implemented pilot programs for shared e-scooters, despite heated community feedback. Let’s take a look at the e-scooter trend and how it’s shaking out across the country.
E-Scooter Pilot Programs and Public Concerns
Lexington, KY, introduced shared e-scooters in 2019 with a pilot program. This gave companies like Lime and Spin the ability to operate within city limits. The goal of this program was to improve urban mobility, especially around college campuses like the University of Kentucky. However, the e-scooter program quickly led to public concern with safety, parking, and sidewalk occupation.
This led the city to create regulations that prohibited sidewalk scooter use and encouraged riders to use bike lanes. Designated parking areas were also implemented for scooters to keep them from blocking paths for pedestrians. The struggles in Lexington, KY, continue as other cities are also figuring out how to deal with electric scooters.
Bans and Protests in San Diego, CA
Meanwhile, in San Diego, residents are frustrated over electric scooters taking over sidewalks and causing safety issues for pedestrians. In 2019, the San Diego City Council responded by banning electric scooters from many popular tourist spots, including Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, and La Jolla Shores Boardwalk. However, that didn’t stop all scooter use, and residents continue to demand stricter enforcement.
Fatalities in Nashville, TN, Prompt Action
Another city where e-scooters are meeting with public outcry is Nashville, TN. The reason stems from a 2019 accident where a man was hit and killed while riding an electric scooter. This caused the mayor to propose a ban on all e-scooters in the city. The Metro Council voted to allow a limited number of scooters with strict regulations, but public opinion remained contentious. Most of the public discourse involves safety and accessibility.
Atlanta’s Fatal Accidents Result in Bans
Similar to Nashville, Atlanta, GA, has seen multiple scooter accidents with fatal results. This led to the Atlanta mayor implementing a nighttime ban on scooters in 2019. The ban meant no scooter use between 9 PM and 4 AM. The decision was widely criticized by mobility advocates who said the ban didn’t do anything to address ongoing infrastructure issues. This led to various protests with activists forming human barriers on the sidewalk to highlight the need for safety and improved infrastructure for those who don’t commute by car.
Where Are Electric Scooters Banned?
Delaware, Idaho, and Pennsylvania are the states with the most comprehensive bans on e-scooters. IN these states, electric scooters are banned on all public roads. Many cities in the United States have enacted their own bans, including the ones mentioned above. Honolulu and New York City are other large cities with longstanding bans on electric scooters.
According to federal law, e-scooters are low-speed electric vehicles and are allowed on roads unless restricted by local laws. Around the world, electric scooters are also restricted or banned in several places. Paris, France, and Melbourne, Australia, have city bans, whereas the province of Saskatchewan in Canada has a full provincial ban.
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