Scooter Stupidity In San Diego

When the scooters first came to San Diego, I was really pretty happy. Get my bike out my house, not use the car for some chores…. It was good until it was bad. You realize how utterly rude and inconsiderate people are. Worse. our city council has done nothing to regulate scooters, which have taken over the streets and boardwalks. Limited Police resources cannot control, so there is little or  no law enforcement, small amount of tickets and yet the lawsuits, deaths and injuries are ramping up.

• March: San Diego Union Tribune: San Diego Preparing Defense against Four Scooter Injury Lawsuits.
• Woman Injured by Parked Scooter Files Liability Claim Against City

In fact our City Council voted scooter regulations down last May despite being supported by the Mayor and by other departments, including the San Diego Police Department, the Lifeguard Services of the Fire-Rescue Department, and the Transportation and Storm Water Department. However, the ordinance was voted down by the City Council on a 6 -3 vote in May 2018.

San Diego City Council members Chris Ward, Myrtle Cole, Scott Sherman, Chris Cate, David Alvarez and Georgette Gomez all turned thumbs down on the proposal. They argued either that they weren’t convinced of its necessity, or they felt the issue hadn’t yet been properly vetted. Sherman from District 7 said the problem was more about irresponsible people riding, than about the vehicles being ridden. (San Diego Community News) 

While our mayor Faulconer recommended restrictions: Faulconer did not propose to limit the number of scooters or scooter companies that can operate within San Diego city limits and or eliminate scooter rides in the most heavily trafficked area, which is where most of the accidents occur.

While I agree that the riders are irresponsible, but no amount of education will make them responsible.

• In January, a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association found scooters are more dangerous than riding a bike or walking.
• On Feb. 3, San Diego Union-Tribune, Laura Schroeder reported on the huge jump in scooter-related citations issued by the city in 2018 from the previous 3 years
• According to a doctor at Scripps Mercy, the hospital is seeing one to two injured scooter riders each week. He said the injuries range from minor to severe, like brain injuries that have left patients in the ICU for weeks.

Last week, one of our neighbors sat for 50 minutes on the boardwalk and counted 50 scooter riders of which NONE were obeying the law. Double riding, under 16 years old riding, under 16 riding without helmets, speeding and using cell phone.

We have had 2 deaths this year due to scooter and 2 weeks ago… marked the third serious-injury crash involving an electric scooter within four days on Mission Beach boardwalks.

• 53 year old dies after hitting a tree downtown. NOT wearing a helmet.
• 39 year old hits falls and hits his head on Ocean Front Walk. NOT wearing a helmet.
• 62 year old falls and breaks his neck. NOT wearing a helmet.
• 55 year old breaks his back. Riding on the WRONG side of the boardwalk.

For the record: The legislation to abolish helmet requirements for adults was written and proposed by Assemblyman Heath Flora, R-Ripon, CA, sponsored by Bird Scooters and approved by Gov Jerry Brown. https://amp.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article217302190.html.

From the blogs

• A baby stroller which had been struck by a scooter being driven by a middle aged lady. She just could not get a handle on the scooter, for whatever reason.
• Today on my bike ride to Ralphs…numerous parents with young children riding double on the scooters.
• Lady was walking 2 small dogs on leashes. A scooter went through them on the sidewalk pulling the collar and leash off one dog and the dog runs right onto Garnet Ave. Luckily someone grabbed the dog before it got killed or caused an accident.
• I was walking my dog and by El Carmel on the boardwalk the police were roping off an area… according to my neighbor waiting for hazmat to come clean the blood… (Wasting police resources and our taxpayer dollars)
• Last night over 75 of these were dropped off at the end of Fanuel st. The guys dropping them off acknowledged that they are a nuisance and danger to pedestrians but responded by saying “hey at least we are making money off of them”. These things are much heavier than bird scooters and go up to 20mph. As one guy said, at least they have thicker tires than the scooters, so it won’t hurt as bad if you get hit by one. They said there are hundreds more in their way for spring break. Thanks city of San Diego.
• met a man last weekend who hit a pothole on one and broke both, yes both, of his arms. I was impressed by the irony of the double issue – the danger of the scooter AND the potholes. Yikes!!
• It’s impossible to enjoy your self on a walk down the boardwalk now.
• I was nearly run over by one Sunday waking on Boardwalk had to quickly move out of the way and then nearly hit again
• Every day I witness Children using these Toys Speeding up and down what they consider their Playground(Boardwalk) !….Our City Leaders have Delayed Safety Regulation Proposals long enough.
• think about the handicapped people who may not be able to get around the scooters.
• But they can’t be lined up on the boardwalk. It’s not fair to businesses that have to pay rent on Mission Blvd.Even though it’s fun to go fast on the boardwalk it’s not fair that they get to go 15mph.
• When I see someone on a scooter riding on the boardwalk I think to myself, now there is a person that loves the environment, exercise, fitness and health. God Bless the scooter folks. My dreams of a better tomorrow have been fulfilled by their outstanding vision.
• With so many scooter riders on the boardwalk, it’s becoming a freeway and dangerous for pedestrians and especially families with children. It takes away much of the enjoyment for those who walk for exercise. Pedestrians now have the added fear of being hit by them, which they didn’t have 15 months ago.
• have had three “bird nests” set up on my families private property on mission blvd. It took 8 calls for me to finally getting them to STOP setting them up on our property and multiple confrontations with the terrible independent contractors that they work with…
• These ass hats are all competing for market share. They would move your cars out of your driveway and use it for Scooter storage if they could get away with it. They Don’t give a crap about you or your neighborhood.
• Almost every morning 100+ scooters are dropped off at Belmont Park, using valuable space, blocking access

The problem is about 4 companies dropped off some 2,000+++ electric scooters and bikes in San Diego. Download the free app and in many cases the first 15 minutes were free. It is said that Bird has 25,000 scooters in San Diego alone.

What happened: 

1. People started riding scooters on boardwalks and sidewalks (Illegal)  SDPD issued citations to 54 people for riding on the concrete walk-ways. 18 citations went to riders with a passenger, and one went to an inebriated rider. Scooter tickets go up to $250. (Union Tribune)
2. People started riding e-bikes in the middle of the road. (illegal)
3. People started speeding in restricted zones (illegal)
4. Kids under 16 are riding without helmets; Helmet use on motorized scooters (AB 2989, Flora): Bicycle helmets are no longer required for riders of motorized scooters who are age 18 or older. Motorized scooters may operate within a Class IV bikeway as well as a Class II bikeway and on highways with speed limits up to 25 miles per hour. Local jurisdictions may pass ordinances to allow motorized scooters on highways with speed limits up to 35 miles per hour. It is still illegal to operate a motorized scooter on a sidewalk.
   

5. People started ‘doubling’ on scooters (illegal) People can be cited for lying the scooter down on a sidewalk to impede traffic or riding scooter with a passenger. Total number of citations for a variety of reasons, such as double-riding and  underage – were 1,774. (SDPD) as of October 2018.
   

6. People started leaving scooters and bikes everywhere, in people’s yard, blocking driveways, in the middle of roads in front of ramps. (Illegal dumping)
   

7. Drinking and ‘Scootering” DUI laws still apply to scooter users and riders must have a valid driver’s license or permit. Doctors judged 5 percent of the people with scooter injuries to be drunk, or to have blood alcohol content above 0.05 percent. (OB Rag). Nearly half of injured riders were found to have had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit, while 52 percent tested positive for an illegal substance.  Separate data collected from the Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas found that it had recorded 66 severe trauma injuries related to scooters, of which 19 were head injuries, 38 were orthopedic injuries and 13 were facial injuries.
   Almost HALF of patients injured on electric scooters in the last year were drunk at the time and 98% weren’t wearing helmets, report finds (CDC) 
8. Riding in the middle of the road: It also forbids riding a motorized scooter on highways with a speed limit greater than 25 mph and roads with a speed limit greater than 35 mph, unless there is a marked bikeway.
9. Lack of hand signals as required by law.
10. People started leaving blocking access in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (lawsuits filed)

Scooters are unregulated. Meaning there are really no safety standards. They are not easy to stop. There is no way to ID them.

They stop the beach screeners from doing their job

They block car doors.

They are parked in Red Zones. Again, someone will not be able to get out of their car. We receive tickets if we park in the red zone or next to a fire hydrant. The same should be given to each scooter. Oh wait, there is NO WAY To Ticket a Scooter! No identification, no vehicle number..

How safe is this?

Who do you think picks up this trash? How do you dispose of all the broken scooters? Who is going to pay for this? Everyday there are broken scooter and e-bikes littering the sand and the streets… Taxpayer dollars again

Broken Bikes all over.

Then you have a Vespa riding on the boardwalk

How scenic is this?

Let’s talk about the legality of someone setting up a business on the sidewalk in residential neighborhoods? Brick and Mortar stores paid thousands of dollars to conduct their business. Yet Bird, Lime, Uber, Lyft can park their e-bikes anywhere, in front of businesses, in RED Zones, in people front yard, in their back yard. FOR FREE! How is that fair to the small business owner? How is San Diego supporting them?

You cannot have a sandwich board sign advertising your business no matter how small on the sidewalk on Mission Boulevard without risking a fine from the city, but you can dump 1000’s of scooters and e-bikes with your name plastered all over them them on every street corner in town. How corrupt is our city council? It is obvious they must be getting money from them to risk residents ire and votes. 

While all of the business pay taxes, currently the city receives zero revenue from the scooter companies.

Nobody invited Bird, Lime, Uber (JUMP), Lyft, Razr to San Diego. They just came and took advantage of a weak town council.

All of that said, I believe in the e-bike-scooters and firmly think this concept of shared transportation is the future. But they have to be regulated and they have to pay taxes and the have to pay for their litter and trash.

1. Limit the total number scooters allowed in the city.
2. Charge City Operational Fees for scooters and charge taxes annually.
3. Scooters and -E-bikes have to submit annual report of number of bikes, ridership.
4. Scooter and e-bikes should pay a fee for every scooter and e-bike yearly.
5. Put licenses on scooters so irresponsible riders can be reported.
6. Set up ‘Safe Scooter Parking’. Set up designated areas that scooters can be parked.
7. Post Scooter and e-bikes laws.
8. Do not allow on crowded areas such as boardwalks and other like areas.
9. Apply Geo-Fencing for speed.
10. Bill and collect fees for illegal dumping of broken scooters.
11. Set speed limits
12. Enforce the laws.

Videos

Electric scooter collides with trolley in San Diego

Mission Beach man fed up with unsafe scooter-riding catches crashes on camera

KUSI: Crash Victim Speaks Out 

ilson

Lifeguard


Good one, cusses

More Information

Bird and Lime each have claimed just over 10 million rides to date. Bird has raised over $400M in funding to date and now is trying to raise $300M more. Lime is now up to $800M in funding.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer, whose charity fund One San Diego recently received a $12,299 contribution from Neutron Holdings, the San Mateo-based parent of LimeBike, has been particularly slow among big-city mayors to address the controversy, unforthcoming with inside information and content to wait for the city council to further address the problemin the new year. (Source San Diego Reader) 

With a fresh $310 million in Series D funding for Lime, announced

Bird has 25000 scooters alone in SD- Rumor.

Lime, Scoot, Skip and Jump. Scooters are serious business: Jump is part of ride-hailing service Uber. And automaker Ford just paid more than $40 million to buy scooter startup Spin.

Consumer Reports 

Consumer Reports: Electric Scooter Injuries Increase as Riders Go Without Helmets

Inhabitat: We love Scooters but is the Bird Trend Actually Bad For the Environment?