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The electric scooter company Bird would lose half of its Raleigh fleet, according to city rules proposed Thursday.
The rules would limit companies to 500 scooters – Bird has about 1,100 in the city – and would prohibit scooters from being parked in areas without sidewalks or whose sidewalks are less than five feet wide, among others.
The proposed rules do not provide for a total ban, although this is one of four options that Raleigh's leaders will debate at 1 pm Tuesday. Raleigh staff recommends that Bird and Lime continue to operate, but in accordance with the new regulations. Lime has about 200 scooters in Raleigh.
"The city council will ultimately decide on the pros and cons of determining the value and the place of non-docked scooters in the overall transportation environment," said Michael Moore, the city's director of transportation, in a statement. memo.
Raleigh would also collect fees from the company for each scooter in order to "offset the costs of the program and setting up a scooter parking lot". The amount per scooter was not included in a rule summary or memo from Moore.
Other proposed rules include:
- Require that scooters not be mounted on the sidewalks physically on vehicles.
- Ask each company to provide a customer service phone number for complaints, security issues and questions. The customer service number for Bird is 1-866-205-2442 and the lime number is 888-546-3345.
- Prohibit scooters from parking in areas with no sidewalks, near public benches, garbage cans, walkways, crosswalks or bus stops. They could not block the sidewalks either.
- Remove the scooters before 22 hours. for a night of loading and return them, do not put them back earlier than 7 am.
- All riders must be at least 18 years old. There is no helmet requirement.
The memo also mentions placing 20% of the scooters in "underserved communities" to be determined by the city.
If the city's leaders let Bird and Lime stay, this will only guarantee their place until July 31, 2019, when any scooter company wishing to work in the city will have to apply and comply with the rules.
Efforts to reach both companies on Thursday were unsuccessful.
The arrival of electric scooters this summer immediately polarized their minds, considering them as an affordable and fun way to get around, while others feared that people running on sidewalks might run the risk of tripping. The companies did not ask for the city's blessing or cooperation to arrive in the area. City Council gave companies 60 days to comply with their rules once they were created.
Runners can unlock the scooters for $ 1 by using an app on their phone and pay 15 cents per minute extra. Riders are told to wear a helmet and stay clear of sidewalks, but few do.
The Raleigh Police Department responded to 16 scooter accidents, including a driver who fell after touching a pothole in the street.
A scooter driver was hospitalized after passing a vehicle on September 5th in the Hillsborough Street and Pullen Road roundabout. On August 29th, a scooter driver left the sidewalk to reach a pedestrian crossing on Fayetteville Street and was struck by a vehicle. Wake County EMS has been called 20 times.
David Jones, while trying to turn right on Wake Forest Road, hit a scooter whose driver was crossing the street. The scooter driver was not injured.
"I do not think they should be banned," he said. "It's another way of transportation that gives people more independence and is more efficient than the car. People have to be careful and probably wear a helmet.
He urged scooter drivers to be more aware of their environment.
Holly Eden had a habit of skating up to her work downtown, but began using scooters for some of her travels.
"If I can easily go rollerblading in town without being embarrassing, people should also be courteous with a scooter," she said. "I can see why people find them so frustrating. And I think it is sad that people are misusing them, which could imply their kidnapping, but also that their misuse would hurt them or someone else. "
An investigation of people living and working in the city center showed that scooters were compliant with regulations.
Reverend Robert Parrish, who is legally blind, does not bother them in the street.
"We have learned to live with certain things," he said. "I can hear the bikes. But I had some problems with the scooters. We need them off the sidewalks. It's one of those things where they are here, but we should not have to deal with them. "
And after
What: Raleigh City Council meeting
When: 13h Tuesday 16 October.
Where: Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 W. Hargett Street, Raleigh
Additional Information: If you park in a municipal garage, you can get a free parking voucher to attend the meeting.
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