The West Hollywood City Council on July 9 voted to ban companies from leaving electric scooters for rent on city sidewalks and streets. Since then, residents report still seeing people (mostly young ones) riding scooters on city sidewalks and streets, usually without helmets.
However, a statement last night from Lt. Edward Ramirez of the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station to the city’s Public Safety Commission and a memo from Tara Worden, an assistant city planner, indicate that enforcement is underway.
Ramirez said that since January deputies have issued 31 citations to scooter riders, mainly for driving on sidewalks or on streets where the speed limit is greater than 25 miles per hour. It also has issued eight citations for riding motorized skateboards on the streets.
While those practices are illegal, the ordinance passed by the City Council in July does not totally ban the use of electric scooters. Those who rent them from companies such as Lime and Bird outside the city limits are allowed to ride them into West Hollywood, so long as they follow laws banning riding on sidewalks and requiring helmets and don’t leave them on city sidewalks when the ride is over.
In her memo, which will be presented to the city’s Transportation Commission Wednesday night, Worden said the city’s Code Enforcement Division has received 33 complaints since June 1 (largely about abandoned scooters on sidewalks). However, she said, “the frequency of the complaints has dropped to two per week in late July.”
Worden said the city has been meeting with representatives of Bird and Lime and that they “have been responsive in correcting issues cited in the complaints.”
“As a result of working directly with representatives from Bird and Lime, staff has noticed that the practice of placing devices in the public right-of-way has dramatically decreased,” Worden’s memo said. “The drop zones (the places where riders are supposed to leave the scooters) are outside of the city, and the devices that appear in West Hollywood do so as a result of users riding them into the city boundaries. Furthermore, minimal staff time has been required for the enforcement of this ban.”
Worden said the city has suggested that Bird and Lime address public safety concerns by “hosting free helmet give-away events, and/or conducting ‘how-to-ride; user safety classes for the public.” ASB Bank Online Banking LoginAsheville Savings Bank Online Banking LoginAssociated Bank Online Banking LoginAstoria Bank Online Banking LoginAstra Bank Online Banking LoginAthens State Bank Online Banking LoginAthol Savings Bank Online Banking LoginAtlantic Capital Bank Online Banking Login Online Banking strives to provide the most simple login tutorials for online banking across the USA. Some banks have their online banking login proces Atlantic Coast Bank Online Banking LoginAtlantic Community Bank Online Banking LoginAtlantic Stewardship Bank Online Banking LoginAuburn Banking Company Online Banking LoginAuburn State Bank Online Banking LoginAuburnBank Online Banking LoginAudubon Savings Bank Online Banking Login She said the city also has asked those companies, the largest electric scooter rental firms, to indicate West Hollywood’s boundaries on the mobile phone apps used to rent them and make it clear that parking them on the public right-of-way is against the law.”
Worden said that both companies were willing to do that but haven’t yet made the changes in their mobile apps.
Worden said that representatives from Bird and Lime also have followed up on a recommendation by City Councilmember Lindsey Horvath that they consider negotiating drop off zones at local businesses on their private property. She said the companies have been discussing the idea with the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, to discuss potential partnerships with local businesses.
Aspiring doctor, 24, dies in freak accident after he fell off of a rented electric scooter that broke in half
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6131245/Aspiring-doctor-24-dies-freak-accident-fell-rented-electric-scooter.html
Isn’t WeHo all inclusive???
That all depends on how “inclusive” is being defined. Like I don’t want to be included in the local cross burning bar-b-q lynching in conservative small town USA in the rest of Middle America, especially if I’m the main event. Feel free to discover that part of the country on an electric scooter in the middle of their coal roller monster trucks and, let us know just how “inclusive” they were! 🤣
If only, my defiant act of riding a scooter would result in empowering the oppressed masses to rise up against the capitalists! ☭
Now, What About Those Fossil Fuel Power Private Automobiles Causing the Real Problems? Why are we even considering a ban on electric scooters when they have an exceptionally low environmental impact in stark contrast to one of the greatest contributors to environmental degradation, the fossil fuel powered automobile? The electric scooters can easily be made even more environmentally friendly when powered by sustainable energy. ♻️ I have yet to see an article published about people on scooters overcome with urges to inflict unnecessary harm on others in celebration of their preferred method of transit. The narcissistic lovers of automobiles (especially… Read more »
It’s NOT about the me, it’s about the we! 🌍 Keep your fossil fuel powered vehicles as museum exhibits and, try Public Mass Transit if you are afraid of using a scooter or bicycle. You might find that all the people you are so afraid of, causing you to shelter yourself in a vehicle, turn out to be your friends! 🙂
Another unsafe operator tactic I’ve recently noticed is using bike lanes IN THE WRONG DIRECTION for the side of the street they’re traveling on: The bike lanes—where the scooters are SUPPOSED to be relegated to operating—are ONE WAY: going the SAME direction as auto traffic. And yet I’ve recently noticed a number of scooter operators using the designated bike lanes going the wrong way for the side of the street that they’re traveling on. If they encounter a cyclist or another scooter operator going the CORRECT direction for the lane, this forces one of them out into auto traffic, creating… Read more »
EXACTLY!
My question. Is and always has been:
Who is responsible for insurance on a motorized scooter on the road and why are they not easily identifiable with some sort of license or tag number on them?
If they cause an accident, damage property or hurt someone, who is held accountable to pay for the hospital bills or repairs? They can’t be traced.
Any car on the road must have comp and collision coverage. Why do these not have to have that?
If they sideswipe our car, do we sue The scooter company?
Get them off the road!
Also, “your mother,” to answer your questions, these things are tracked on GPS. If and when there is an accident, the scooter company will know who rented it and where it was used. In the case of a hit and run, they might not be able to know, but that’s no different than any case of a hit and run using any type of vehicle, be it an automobile, bicycle, etc.. Using your logic, should all bicycles have license plates, also (they do, in Japan)? Once again, odds are that the person on the scooter is going to be injured… Read more »
Wait a second. Are you saying that if a Sheriff’s officer cites someone on a scooter for disobeying the law, including not stopping at a stop sign, riding in the wrong direction in a bike lane, not wearing a helmet, or riding on the sidewalk, that they get off free? No, I don’t think so. It is a requirement that you have a driver’s license when operating a scooter, rented or not. I’m not sure what more you expect Lime and Bird to do about this, as they do tell every person renting a scooter the following, upon first use:… Read more »
It’s still unbelievable to me that the City will supposedly remove a scooter within a few hours but a mattress sometimes takes 3 days to remove from my street. Really?!?
The libby’s complain about pollution from automobiles but yet they condemn electric vehicles.Smh
Encountering them randomly strewn across the sidewalk is annoying. However, about a week ago, I experienced how dangerous this “fad” can be. Walking near Target, I was sideswiped by a guy who was going way too fast on the sidewalk. Fortunately, I’m a decent sized, younger person. Had I been smaller in stature, a child, or elderly, the collision could have resulted in a serious injury. As it was, I had the wind knocked out of me. Hardly surprising, the guy just kept going and didn’t even acknowledge me. It’s just a matter of time before someone is hurt badly… Read more »
I hated the scooters at first, but then I rode one and they are fun. In order for the scooters to work the scooter companies are going to have to partner with tons of business to be scooter drop off zones with racks for the scooters so they are not left everywhere. Then they could program the app to not allow the rider to end their ride on the scooters on the streets where racks are located. Also, they need to find a way to attach a helmet to the scooter that locks to the scooter when not in use… Read more »
I think for the first time, I have seen the city cave to a bully business. Scooters are nothing but a blight to our neighborhoods. Companies use the city grounds for free parking and storage of their product. I have seen 3 people with helmets in the street as opposed to hundreds doing circus stunts around pedestrians on the sidewalk. When I see them parked on the sidewalk on my block or on the lawn of where I pay rent, I kick them into the street. If I continue to see them on my buildings lawn, I will put them… Read more »
Accidents waiting to happen…The City Council seems
to be weakening ….31 citations is a joke !
Always on sidewalks
Never wear helmets
I now see two on a single scooter
We must really start giving citations…Ban these awful scooters !!!!!!!
Add two on a scooter towing dog. Yikes!!!
The city will have countless lawsuits resulting from irresponsible scooter riders that exercise no common sense.
Completely agree with you.
Of all of the “anti-scooter” comments I’ve seen, this one is definitely the most absurd, and the most heartless. You think this is “poor people’s” revenge? Really? Guess what? Some of those “poor” people are bussing your tables, cleaning your hotel rooms, cleaning your house, tending to your garden, etc.. No, not all of those people are using scooters for transportation, but it is pretty gross to condemn those who can’t afford a car, especially when we live in the least affordable metropolitan area in the entire country. This is not a “class war.” It is a new method of… Read more »
Ok, I’ll amend it to poor people and hippies.