Less than two-weeks later, Miami rolls back its ban on shared electric scooters

[Cal Jeffrey]

TL;DR: Whether residents love them or hate them, Miami has decided that scooter sharing is coming to the city one way or the other. So instead of banning the alternative transport, the city commission will adopt new rules to govern the service.

On November 19, the Miami City Commission voted 4-1 to cancel its Lyft electric scooter pilot program citing safety concerns. At the time, the ride-sharing company had until the end of the business day to remove the scooters from Miami streets or have their property impounded. Now, less than two weeks later, commissioners have changed their minds.

On Monday, the Miami City Commission voted to rescind its ban on electric scooters. In a 3-1 vote, commissioners agreed to continue the Lyft scooter-sharing pilot. However, riders and Lyft (or other companies) will have to abide by new rules.

Before making its decision, Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla encouraged fellow seatholders to hear from businesses that profit from the scooter-sharing service. The testimony was convincing enough to change the governing body's mind. However, the Commission called for new safety rules.

Local 10 (WPLG) notes the new scooter regulations include speed limits and helmet requirements. It also restricted the service to two vehicles per city block. Miami's parking authority will handle drafting the new ordinances, and the Commission has floated the idea of hiring additional police officers to enforce the rules.

Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla sees alternative transportation as an inevitability and that the city should regulate it to ensure safety.

"Change is coming; it's going to happen anyway. Regulate it," Diaz de la Portilla said.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/92420-less-than-two-weeks-later-miami-rolls-back.html

 

[psycros]

The only way regulation will work is if cops have something faster than those scooters that can follow them through crowds and narrow paths . I'd suggest armored warhorses.

 

[yRaz]

I see these things all over Pittsburgh and they're an eye sore. You see them laying on sidewalks or in the street. Unless they can "regulate" a way of not having these things litter the streets like literal garbage then I don't want them around.

 

[Dennis83]

The only way regulation will work is if cops have something faster than those scooters that can follow them through crowds and narrow paths . I'd suggest armored warhorses.

I concur, I am all for warhorses, too.
Since these devices are probably connected they just need to send a disable/stop command.

 

[DrSuess]

I see these things all over Pittsburgh and they're an eye sore. You see them laying on sidewalks or in the street. Unless they can "regulate" a way of not having these things litter the streets like literal garbage then I don't want them around.

Just charge people fees for not returning them to their proper place, they will get tired of $10 or $15 fees every time they just decide to dump them anywhere.

 

[dangh]

I seen them in a few European cities and it is an excellent alternative for public transport. If city have already well maintained bike paths then scooters not going to be a bother.

 

[Aryassen]

Just charge people fees for not returning them to their proper place, they will get tired of $10 or $15 fees every time they just decide to dump them anywhere.

My opinion exactly. I can't fathom why it hasn't been done already. It's how bicycle rent works in many-many cities already (in fact, if you don't park them on time, you get a penalty), why not following the same approach for electric scooters?

 

[Puiu]

Not sure how they'll manage to add helmets to this.

 

[Shadowboxer]

So E scooters are everywhere and making them illegal doesn’t work as people still use them. So make them legal but regulated. Sounds like firearms in the USA.

But the more I read about Florida the less the “Florida man” stereotype seems to fit. Maybe I should pay it a visit at somepoint. It seems a lot more reasonable out there than the garbage we’ve seen going on in New York and Cali over the last few years.

 

[Edster]

My opinion exactly. I can't fathom why it hasn't been done already. It's how bicycle rent works in many-many cities already (in fact, if you don't park them on time, you get a penalty), why not following the same approach for electric scooters?

In my city, at the very least, for a couple of the companies I tried you need to take a photo of where you parked your scooter, there is like a $20 USD penalty for not parking it properly. How strictly they police it, that's another matter. The photo is likely to safeguard you from the fine (like if some drunk threw it in the middle of the road you aren't going to get pinged for antisocial parking).

At the very least, it makes you think about where you park it

 

[mbk34]

I bought myself an electric unicycle a few years back (one of those wheels with footplates on either side) as I wanted to avoid using the car on local journeys. It has a range of about 50 miles (80km), costs about $0.20 to fill up with electricity and can easily keep up with city traffic. I don't even have to lock it up outside as it's small enough to take into stores and coffee shops which also means it doesn't get stolen. It really did feel like the future ... until they were made illegal in the UK. Go figure.

 

[Dennis83]

I bought myself an electric unicycle a few years back (one of those wheels with footplates on either side) as I wanted to avoid using the car on local journeys. It has a range of about 50 miles (80km), costs about $0.20 to fill up with electricity and can easily keep up with city traffic. I don't even have to lock it up outside as it's small enough to take into stores and coffee shops which also means it doesn't get stolen. It really did feel like the future ... until they were made illegal in the UK. Go figure.

interesting..
so I found this about the ban in UK:

Currently, there isn't a specific law for e-scooters so they are recognised as "powered transporters" - falling under the same laws and regulations as motor vehicles. They are subject to all the same legal requirements - MOT, tax, licensing and specific construction.

And so, because e-scooters don't always have visible rear red lights, number plates or signalling ability, that's why they can't be used legally on roads.

Sooo, instead of providing rules for these devices they get banned.
Of course they can be rented for a fee. Quite ridiculous. If this does not change it is intended and the lobby has won again.

 

[mbk34]

so I found this about the ban in UK:

Yep, politicians talk about going green but with escooters etc they have a solution staring them in the face (for short distance commuting) and they ban it immediately. They tell us it's because we don't have insurance but, because they're illegal, no company will offer insurance. It's catch 22. Politicians these days don't seem to have the vision to deal with the worlds problems these days.