Electric scooters have caused a big uproar over the past year. Last year, these two-wheeled electric vehicles were popularized by electric scooter sharing companies such as Bird, Lime, and Spin.
More and more cities are now becoming places of use for these devices. For some, this is an opportunity to both ride them recreationally for a low cost and use them as a means of transportation. Others, however, are less than thrilled about their sudden presence in their cities. So, what’s the big debate over electric scooters?
Bird and Lime Scooter Bans
These companies have been rapidly growing since their 2017 debut. Bird, now estimated at over $1 billion, began in Santa Monica and became popular as many used them to travel up and down the boardwalk. However, not all locals approved of their arrival.
Officials increased enforcement in this area and the City Council launched a program that would only allow a few scooter and bike companies to have their devices in the city. San Francisco also banned Bird and Lime devices seemingly overnight in June 2018 until the companies obtained permits by the city.
Beverly Hills also enacted an “emergency ordinance” of both Bird and Lime scooters for six months in July that included impounding the devices and giving out citations. Local officials cited this was done due to a lack of advanced planning by the scooter companies to incorporate the scooters into the city.
The Scooter Wars of 2018
So far, Bird is in 11 cities across the U.S., although they are not always in compliance with local ordinances. Same goes with Lime, which has scooters located in 85 cities. Many cities disallow them, while others have to go through the process of enacting local ordinances in order to keep riders safe.
One argument that some who disapprove of the vehicles use is that it can be difficult to determine liability and compensation in an electric scooter accident. Bird’s user agreement is 16 pages long, whereas Lime’s is 46 pages long. Many riders do not read these pages before riding, as it’s usually a spontaneous act.
Bicycle riders are required by law to wear helmets while cycling. However, neither Bird nor Lime provides helmets for riders, although the companies suggest that you wear one.
With Bird and Lime scooters making their way to Philly, it can be helpful to know the rules of the ride and your rights as a rider when you hop on one an electric scooter.
If you’ve been injured in any sort of electric scooter accident, you don’t have to go through the process alone. Our experienced personal injury attorneys have years of experience analyzing cases and litigating for injury victims. We fight and we win!
Contact our firm at (267) 457-5570 for a no-fee consultation.