San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced his new proposed regulations for dockless scooters, Thursday, October 18. They include a speed limit of 8 mph in certain areas, and along the boardwalks in Mission Beach, Pacific Beach and La Jolla.
Another element of the proposal is requiring that scooter companies share ridership data with the city and educate their riders about city and state vehicle and traffic codes (like not riding on sidewalks) including the cost of citations.
Their speeds would also be more limited in Mission Bay Park, Liberty Station NTC Park, Balboa Park, the promenades at the San Diego Convention Center and the Embarcadero area. Supposedly, geofencing technology would be utilized.
Each individual scooter will be required, under Faulconer’s proposals, to carry signage reading: “Riding on Sidewalk is Prohibited.” The scooter companies will be required to provide the city with monthly reports of where the scooters are, how often they are being used, fleet sizes of the scooters in the city, and the number of reported accidents. And each company will be required to indemnify the city from liability claims and carry a liability insurance policy.
These new proposed regulations don’t come soon enough. Beach and downtown residents have been complaining for months about the dangers and disruptions of the scooters. Reportedly, last month “public health officials at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego called the scooter trend a ‘public health disaster in the making,’ and announced it was spearheading an effort to track injuries related to the electric vehicles.” Those officials said that while exact numbers on injuries are not yet available, at least 30 scooter riders have required hospitalization since June, with scores more being treated in the emergency room.
However, Faulconer is not proposing to limit the size of the scooter fleets or the number of scooter companies that are allowed to operate within San Diego, unlike LA, Santa Monica and San Francisco. There is a proposed annual permit fee and additional operating fees for the use of city property, the costs of which are still being determined. According to the SD Union-Tribune, LA companies – for example – “pay as much as $20,000 a year for a permit to operate in the city and a $130 per-vehicle fee.”
Faulconer stated:
“The rapid evolution of this industry is evidence of the popularity of dockless mobility devices as great options for folks who would like to leave their car at home. As with many disruptive new technologies, there are issues that need to be addressed. First and foremost, public safety is our top priority and that will be reflected in these common-sense regulations.”
City councilmembers Barbara Bry and Lorie Zapf have been calling on the city since May to adopt rules governing the rental scooters, which can travel up to 15 miles per hour and are often improperly used on city sidewalks.
Reactions?
Councilwoman Barbara Bry said:
“While the mayor’s proposed framework is a good start, I’d like to see even more detail to ensure that the companies operate responsibly. Such detail should include a more robust fee structure, improved data-sharing requirements and a commitment to equity and education.”
Councilwoman Lorie Zapf said:
“I’m pleased to have worked with Mayor Faulconer to develop important safety standards for the protection of scooter riders and pedestrians. My goal has always been to slow down the speed of the scooters and address safety concerns. With this proposal I feel confident that we will see changes for the better.”
Andy Hanshaw, executive director of the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition said:
“With this sudden surge in popularity and ridership of scooters, it’s critical that we provide safe places for them to be riding instead of sidewalks.”
The issue will be taken up by the City Council’s Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee on Wednesday, October 24 at 9 a.m.
Sources:
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
when can we vote for a new mayor !?!
I don’t know how the current one can look himself in the mirror!
next he’s going to say the income from the scooters will fix our roads HAHAHAHAHA
Well, it’s a start, but not much of one. Lime Scooters already list rules on their scooters, including that riding on side walks is prohibited. Educating riders will have little to no impact without enforcement. I know the police are reportedly too busy to enforce so maybe the Parking Cops could lend a hand.
Haha, I totally agree! The parking enforcement cops have way too much time on their hands!! The minute your meter expires, they are on it!!
Ride my ebike everyday mosty in Hillcrest and Balboa Park. This two wheeled garbage that Silicon Valley is shoving in our face is just another corporate intrusion into public space.
I see Governor Brown just repealed the helmet law for scooters, has he ever ridden one?
Please list all the money that is being donated to our political leaders.
This product is used mostly by young males and guess what group of people are most inclined to disreguard rules?
Got to love the Mayor he says no limit to the amout of scooters that will be allowed.
Yesterday on 6th ave i saw at least twenty segways riding on the sidewalk, ten on each side of the street, a caravan of sidewalk bullies.
This is anachy and paid off politicians, and their ignorant peers are to blame.
Just the bullying tacits of these companies alone are infuriating.
This mob pushes their way into town spread some money around and proclaim they are saving society.
And bicycle riders get ready for more restrictions as they tighten rules because of citizen discontent.
We have enough Rules and Regs and the Pigs and Whiney fascist Nanny-Staters need to keep their hands off of Scooter Riders. Everything is just fine the way it is now. It is a shame that People cannot learn to mind their own business and leave everyone else alone.
This just in:
A 65-year-old woman crashed a Bird scooter Friday afternoon, fracturing her leg. The woman was riding an electric scooter with her family downtown, the San Diego Police Department said.
She lost control, overturned, and fell onto the asphalt on Kettner Boulevard at around 1:45 p.m. The 65-year-old sustained a fracture to her right femur, according to SDPD.
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/woman-fractures-femur-leg-bird-scooter-downtown-SDPD-498120091.html
This just in: 48-year-old man broke his arm Sunday evening after crashing the Bird scooter he was riding into another Bird scooter in downtown San Diego, police said.
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-scooter-crash-20181022-story.html
Vinnie on Voltaire, maybe you need to go live in a hunter gatherer tribe in the Amazon because society has to have rules. We will be paying for this scooter fiasco, be sure of that.
Electric scooters are basically a great idea, they get people round withminimum impact, the problem is the lack of responsibility on the parts of the companies ( raking in the dough) and the users, kind of “a free party”…. it would be nice to see a growing responsibility tag on everyone involved….where has the “beach etiquette” gone? Don’t shake your sandy towel in the face of others… as for accidents, rider beware, especially drunk or old /young riders
Ps. It is an ever danger riding in the streets with San diego’s drunk/stoned 4 ton truck population…suggest reducing /limiting the size of motor vehicles on the by-ways to allow more reasonable means of transportation…small, electric….wouldn’nt we Be a better example to the world (for once)