Hollywood says no to electric scooters

HOLLYWOOD – Dockless scooters, those controversial devices critics say have turned Fort Lauderdale streets and sidewalks into a danger zone, are not welcome in Hollywood.

Commissioners moved quickly Wednesday to ban electric scooters from Hollywood’s sidewalks and public rights of way. The ban won’t be final until a second vote in March.

Vice Mayor Traci Callari, a nurse, said she was worried about keeping the city’s streets safe for

residents and visitors alike.

“We don’t want our tourists to come to Hollywood and get injured and never come back,” she said. “I think we’re doing the right thing. People don’t follow the rules. And injuries happen.”

City Attorney Doug Gonzales warned commissioners that if they don’t approve a ban now, they may not get the chance.

State legislators are considering a law that would forbid cities from regulating electric scooters, described by Gonzales as those things “you see flying around the streets” in Fort Lauderdale, where an estimated 4,000 people a week are riding scooters downtown and at the beach.

“I think it’s best we act on it before we are told what we can and cannot do,” Callari said. “It protects pedestrians from being injured and [also] the rider.”

Hollywood commissioners approved the ban 5-2, with Mayor Josh Levy and Commissioner Kevin Biederman dissenting.

“I can’t support this the way it’s written,” Biederman said of the proposal. “It goes a little too far. I’m concerned about creating another law that we’re not going to be able to enforce.”

Commissioner Caryl Shuham suggested a citywide ban two weeks ago.

“Fort Lauderdale has an experiment that doesn’t appear to be succeeding,” she said. “We should get ahead of this one.”

Rental e-scooters have been legal in Fort Lauderdale since Nov. 1, when the commission passed a law allowing them to be ridden on sidewalks.

Critics say the scooters, which can book along at 15 mph, put pedestrians and joggers at risk. And scooter riders who venture into the street are not only

breaking state law, but putting themselves at risk.

Riders use a smartphone app to activate the scooters.

People who rent an escooter are supposed to be 18 or older, but not everyone heeds that rule.

In just three months, fire-rescue crews have responded to 35 injuries in Fort Lauderdale — four of which were extremely serious. The age of the injured ranged from 14 to 62.

In one of the worst cases, Ashanti Jordan, 27, was hit by a car on Dec. 28 while riding a Lime scooter through downtown Fort Lauderdale.

She has not woken up since.

Today, she remains hospitalized in a vegetative state with a fractured skull, severe brain injury and multiple broken ribs. Her family is now trying to warn others of the dangers of riding an e-scooter.

Hollywood Commissioner Dick Blattner is certainly no fan.

His adult son was hurt two months ago while riding a dockless scooter in Fort Lauderdale.

“Most of the people riding these things are not adults,” Blattner said. “They are not riding safely and I can’t make them ride safely and no one can.”

Hollywood resident Dan Kennedy was happy to hear his city is saying no to the scooters.

“My wife and I went to Fort Lauderdale last Sunday and they were everywhere,” he said. “On the streets, the sidewalks, in bushes. If they allowed them here, we’d find them in our yards, on the beach and in the dunes.”

Resident Steven Curtis worries the city won’t enforce the ban.

“I would like a blanket ban because children can get hurt,” he said. “But a ban is only as good as the enforcement. Who’s going to stop you? Nobody.”