Residents Do Not Appreciate
As The Los Angeles Times reports locals are getting quite frustrated with the rental scooter industry in many seaside California cities.
Having visited Venice Beach a few weeks back I couldn't help but notice how omnipresent these two wheeled scoots have become. From having to dodge getting run over by them on the sidewalk to having to avoid running them over in the street, I can sympathize with the locals and their disdain for these unregulated vehicles. I can also see that they're quite useful and practical for tourists and sightseers to employ.
Notwithstanding their practicality, they do have a tendency to annoy. They are also not without liability. The scooters can travel at upwards of 15 mph and with very few people donning helmets or other safety gear prior to setting off, injuries are mounting.
This tendency to annoy the populace is beginning to elicit destructive behavior against the scooters with scores of the offending Birds being vandalized openly and without repercussion. There is even an Instagram account, BirdGraveYard which tracks the destruction on social media. According to a moderator their site receives literally hundreds of submissions a day of Bird related vandalism and destruction. They only publish a select few, however.
Bird has already settled one lawsuit against them from the City of Santa Monica relating to vendor permits and business licenses. Given the ubiquitous nature of these scooters I suspect that we will begin to see more regulation and control being exerted by city forces in trying to make the situation workable for the frustrated communities and the riders alike.
This intrusion will likely make the scooters less convenient and more expensive which may, in turn, reduce their numbers to a level that everyone can deal with. And that's how City Hall will "solve" the problem, make them less convenient yet more expensive.
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