The City of Bloomington is cracking down on scooter use and scooter companies after nearly two months of electric scooter presence in the city.
In response to recent scooter-related injuries and inappropriate usage and parking of scooters, Bloomington is implementing and enforcing scooter guidelines, according to a press release Monday.
Mayor John Hamilton said the city wants to find a balance between safe usage and enjoyment of electric scooters.
“Electric scooters represent another innovation that pushes the way we think about transportation beyond cars,” Hamilton said in the press release. “Our streets, paths, and sidewalks continue to increase in options for travel; with these options can come added complexity and potential for conflict.”
The scooter guidelines were issued and posted to the city’s website Oct. 26 and include many of the same rules that apply to bicycles and skateboards. The rules emphasize following traffic rules when scooters are used on streets and only using scooters on sidewalks that are uncrowded and outside of the city center.
Parking enforcement staff and police will be stopping scooter riders who use sidewalks in “dismount zones” in the center of the city. These zones are currently marked by sidewalk stencils, but the city is considering adding more signage at eye level.
All current measures being put into place will serve as temporary guidelines until new city council legislation is passed in the coming months, according to the press release.
The city is also negotiating temporary operating agreements with scooter companies Bird and Lime to set operating fees, assign liability and outline responsibilities to educate the public on scooter safety and share usage data with the city.
The deadline for the city and the companies to reach agreements is Friday.The release did not specify what would happen if the deadline isn’t met.
Lime announced in a press release Monday it will be starting a company-wide “Respect the Ride” safety campaign. According to the release, local Lime ambassadors will be having “safety fairs” to educate communities on scooter safety. Lime will give free helmets to the first 25,000 riders who sign the “Respect the Ride” pledge.
