Council member Lori Zapf wants to ban electric scooters from the Mission Beach Boardwalk in Mission and Pacific Beach and is working with the Mayors Office on bringing an emergency ordinance to council on May 22. Bird and Lime electric dockless share scooters would not be allowed on the boardwalk between Crystal Pier and South Mission Jetty.
The emergency action comes a series of accidents, one that involved two people riding one scooter. Scooter riders are often seeing speeding on the BoardWalk and engaging in unsafe behavior, endangering pedestrians especially. Police have given out 182 citations for riding over the 8mph speed limit and unsafe use of the scooters on the BoardWalk.
Residents have complained about the scooters, majority citing that scooters are a public nuisance.
The Bird scooter company responded with a statement saying that scooters are being singled out. Read more, click the stories below:
San Diego working to ban electric scooters from Mission Beach
Councilwoman wants to ban electric scooters on boardwalk
Bird’s electric scooters continue to ruffle feathers
Emergency ordinance to ban motorized scooters on boardwalk
Bird Scooter company responds to scooter ban on the BoardWalk:
“SINCE BIRD LAUNCHED HERE IN JANUARY, THE PEOPLE SAN DIEGO HAVE TRULY EMBRACED US AS A CONVENIENT, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WAY TO GET AROUND. IN OUR PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY, WE ALL AGREE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY FROM ALL VEHICLES — CARS, BIKES, AND BIRDS. WE ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH SAN DIEGO OFFICIALS TO BUILD A FRAMEWORK THAT PERMITS MORE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS THAT HELP THE CITY MEET ITS AMBITIOUS GOALS TO REDUCE ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT BY 40 PERCENT BY 2030.
TO BEGIN ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS RAISED BY CITY OFFICIALS, BIRD IS IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING SAFETY AMBASSADORS TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT PROPER RIDING AND PARKING HABITS.
AS WE CONTINUE THIS DIALOGUE WITH THE CITY, WE AT BIRD WILL CONTINUE TO ABIDE BY OUR SAVE OUR SIDEWALKS PLEDGE, WHICH INCLUDES COLLECTING ALL VEHICLES EACH EVENING, GROWING RESPONSIBLY, AND REMITTING $1 PER VEHICLE PER DAY TO CITY GOVERNMENTS SO THEY CAN BUILD MORE BIKE LANES, PROMOTE SAFE RIDING, AND MAINTAIN OUR SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE.”
So what do you think? Should scooters be banned on the boardwalk? Leave your comments below.
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