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Mayor’s Message continued

The city agreed last summer to allow four companies to Where scooters are left by their riders has also become a
offer dockless scooters and bicycles for rent. Scooters have significant concern.
become prevalent in many American cities in recent years,
Our rules say they must be left upright with four feet of
and our goal was to be proactive in establishing regulations clearance on the sidewalk. Also, they cannot be left on
based on national standards and best practices.
private property or block business entrances, fire hydrants or
The hope was that the scooters would provide some relief handicapped ramps. The reality too frequently is the opposite.
to the heavy traffic that drivers often face on our streets. City staff believes there are ways to better regulate the
Many of the users over the last couple months have used
scooters. I’d like to see them remain an alternate mode of
them for short trips downtown or along the beach. Those transportation, but the current situation is untenable. If
are trips that typically would have occurred by car.
solutions cannot be found, the City Commission will need
Unfortunately, our streets and sidewalks have become the to reconsider the program entirely.
Wild West. Public safety has suffered.
Sincerely,
Emergency room doctors and dentists report numerous
cases of people injured using scooters. Despite general Dean Trantalis
traffic regulations and the city’s rules regarding scooters, it Mayor, City of Fort Lauderdale
is not uncommon to see scooters swerve in and out of
traffic or multiple people using one scooter. People are
texting while riding scooters, and children and teens are
using scooters despite age restrictions.

12 The Landings & Bay Colony