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Jessica Vasquez ran her rented electric scooter into the pedestrian stream on the sidewalks one morning, heading to downtown San Antonio Hospital, nearby, for a work run.
The 39-year-old medical laboratory specialist did not hesitate to negotiate an urban obstacle course: trees, benches, garbage cans, pillars and, above all, many people.
She said that the ease and convenience of using the scooter made the nervousness she could feel.
"This trip took me an hour in my car, with traffic and parking, versus eight minutes on a scooter," she said. "And the race cost me only $ 1.20."
At the beginning of the summer, as scooters began to appear in the city overnight, the debate over how to drive them, the streets or sidewalks, pitted driver freedom against pedestrian concerns.
Since July, there have been 22 scooter-related injuries, most involving only riders, according to the records provided by the city.
In Dallas, a 24-year-old man died of a brutal wound following a fall on a scooter on September 1, the Dallas County Medical Examiner's office told The Washington Post on Thursday. He is probably the first person to die from scooter-related injuries.
Battery powered devices – essentially motorized skateboards with two wheels and handlebars – can reach 15 to 20 mph. Their speed and the cavalier conduct that some runners behave on sidewalks have worried types of bipeds.
"These things scare me off," said Bonnie Stimson, 60, who works part-time at the Majestic Theater on Houston Street and walks around with a cane. "I do not always walk in a straight line. Scooters zoomed out and I said, "Oh my God! Where are you from? & # 39; "
Stimson is concerned that scooters collide with young children or with people with disabilities or wheelchairs.
"And these riders are supposed to wear a helmet, but they never do," she said.
On the opposite side of the street – literally and figuratively – is Stephanie Rubi, 40, who said that concerns about electronic scooters threatening walkers were exaggerated.
"I do not worry at all," she said, stopping her scooter to be interviewed. "I want to be aware of my environment. And the scooters are safe. They have brakes that work. And you can not use your cell phone while driving, so you are not distracted.
While visiting Claremont, California, Rubi used an hour-long delay in his return flight to ride a scooter and tool around the downtown sights with his nephew, 17-year-old Jarrett Korson.
"I have not read it," said Korson, questioned about the use contract that advocates such hairstyles.
The bustle of e-scooters is raging on neighborhood networking sites like Nextdoor, during public comment sessions at City Hall and in the streets and sidewalks. Rumors of abuse of e-scooters, detractors throwing eggs at parked vehicles or sprinkling them with engine oil
In San Antonio, as in other cities across the country, the proliferation of electronic scooters has surprised municipal leaders. The ranks of the riders have increased in the absence of specific regulations, although the two main scooter companies – Bird and Lime – propose safety rules that they invite to respect.
Now City Council members are working on a new ordinance that aims to tame the current environment of the Wild West scooter, including a six-month pilot program to test the different rules.
The council will vote on October 11 on the new decree and the pilot program, which, according to a spokesman for the city, strives to strike a balance between the benefits of new technology and the safety of citizens .
The proposed rules advise riders to use bike lanes wherever possible and prohibit them from driving on streets where the speed limit is greater than 35 mph. Scooters are allowed on sidewalks, but riders must give way to pedestrians and stand at least 2 feet from them.
Even a scooter enthusiast like Vasquez, the hospital worker, makes fun of this last requirement.
"It's going to be impossible," she said, listing all the other urban elements that clutter the sidewalks. "How are you always staying at 2 feet? It is not easy to judge the distance. And how will they enforce that?
Between Bird and Lime, two Californian companies, there are now more than 2,000 scooters in the streets of the city. A third company, the local startup Blue Duck, has recently introduced its own range of scooters. Users are charged $ 1 to unlock a scooter and then 15 cents per minute of use.
The scooters are rented via a smartphone application, then left where the user is finished. They are "without a dock," which means they do not have to be parked in pre-arranged locations.
Fans say they are safe and reduce congestion and carbon emissions. They provide a quick and easy way to get around without the hassle or cost of a car, bus or ride service. They are the ideal solution for a destination too far to walk but too short for a drive.
They represent an innovative technology that cities should adopt, say promoters, especially to attract young workers.
Enemies say that allowing scooters on sidewalks is a recipe for disaster, not just for the risks they pose while moving, but for the travel factor they present when they are parked in the corners and in the passage areas.
Vasquez is not comfortable riding a scooter in the streets, she says, because she does not trust motorists. The bike paths are correct, but they are not enough. Despite these shortcomings, she will continue to scan her credit card and get on board.
"At first, I was scared, but driving a scooter is so easy," she said.
Bunch of wounds
Easy maybe. But safe?
Emergency departments in downtown hospitals have seen an increase in scooter-related injuries, said a fire chief. The list of 22 wounds reveals a litany of lacerations, bruises and fractured bones, most on the ankles, wrists and knees, but also injuries to the head, face and teeth.
The reasons? The rider fell off the scooter and was hit by a car. The runner collided with another runner on the sidewalk. The rider pierced the hole and fell. The rider hit the post. Rider hit the sidewalk. The rider had been drinking.
"These injuries can be serious," said Dr. David A. Miramontes, medical director of the fire department and assistant clinical professor at UT Health San Antonio.
He said most runners lack protective gear such as helmets and knee pads and wrists. They often wear work clothes or casual clothes, such as flip-flops. Most lack scooter experience. Sidewalks are not smooth, the view is often obstructed.
What about pedestrians? Miramontes used its own weight to calculate the damage caused by a 20 mph impact.
"It would be like being hit with a sandbag of 238 pounds," he said. "If I hit you, you'll hurt yourself."
There are actually three collisions, he said. One, when the pedestrian is touched. Two, when he or she impacts the ground. Third, when his internal organs, such as the brain, are jostled with force.
"That's how you suffer a concussion," Miramontes said.
He can not see the scooters. He prefers bicycles, which require that riders respect the same rules as motorists and are generally not seen on sidewalks. Cyclists tend to have more control over their vehicles. And they are moored, so pedestrians do not cross them on the sidewalk, he said.
He also noted the dangers of mixing alcohol and scooters and driving at night. Scooters have little lighting or reflectors, making them unintentional targets for cars.
The rules of the proposed ordinance forbid the under 16 years to circulate, limiting the parking of the scooters and imposing fees and penalties to the sellers. Users could be fined for being under the influence or imprudent.
According to current guidelines and the city code, scooters must be parked away from pedestrian traffic. Devices are also prohibited on River Walk, Alamo and Main, as well as on other public spaces and along trails and streams.
Deputy City Manager Lori Houston said the city was asking riders to "use discretion" in complying with the rules of the pilot program. Part of the pilot project will be a comprehensive education campaign to encourage safe behavior and safe driving practices.
"We really want to evaluate if and how scooters can coexist in a pedestrian environment," she said. "If they can not, we may need to readjust the regulations. We do not rule out a sidewalk ban. "
Houston said that Austin does not allow scooters on sidewalks, but other cities do. His office monitors injuries, violations and attendance rates and reports monthly to the board. It encourages those who can not see the behavior of scooters to call the respective companies or dial 311, the city's assistance number.
She said Bird and Lime cooperated enthusiastically with the city to develop the guidelines. Both companies sent emails from San Antonio Express-News extolling the benefits of scooters and noting existing security features, such as driver tutorials. They said their goal was to work with cities to make scooters as safe as possible.
Raft of lawsuits?
When accidents happen, scooter companies tell drivers that they can not sue them.
Bird's contract of use, for example – with the kind of legalese that only a lawyer might like – tells users that in case of injury they have to go through an arbitration, which is a way settle disputes outside of a hearing room. This may surprise most users.
"When a person uses the rental application on their phone, there is no way to read a 25-page document," said Jim Freeman, an Austin lawyer who suing on behalf of a resident of Austin who broke his leg in four. scooter rides in Washington, DC
Freeman, who has announced his services to customers with scooter accidents, said he has received half a dozen calls so far, although not serious enough to substantial damage, except for the broken leg.
Injured pedestrians represent "another Pandora's box," he said. Motorcyclists' auto insurance does not follow them when they ride on a device.
"The insurance companies will not start paying these debts," he said. "If the scooter driver does not have assets, even if you try to sue them, you will not get anything."
As the debate progressed, Debra Walker, a long-time resident of King William, who takes her dog on walks south of the River Walk, said that she saw motorcyclists there all the time, even though she was supposed to be banned. She is looking at older teens renting scooters for their much younger siblings.
"This morning, I saw (a scooter) come within inches of hitting a pedestrian," she said.
But for the tourists, Seth and Johanna Jamison, both 36 and Roanoke, Virginia, were able to drive scooters while there was a huge advantage. He used it to attend a conference at the Convention Center.
"I do not think San Antonio will have a problem with scooters," he said. "The people here are so nice."
Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje is a writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read it on our free website, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | [email protected] | Twitter: @ mstoeltje
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