Critical injury reignites rental scooter debate
It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. That is the maxim that critics are applying to Fort Lauderdale’s fledgling escooter rental program.
A hit-and-run that left a 14-year-old scooter-riding boy in critical condition over the weekend has reignited the lovehate, pro-con debate about the fleet of electric rentals that swooped into town Nov. 1.
Some say the scooters are hazards, a menace and a danger as they recklessly zigzag through traffic and speed along sidewalks. Others say they’re awesome, a great idea, affordable and environmentally friendly.
Riders are supposed to be 18 or older but that clearly wasn’t the case with the weekend crash victim.
However, city officials say they want to give the new program some time before revisiting regulations early next year.
Scooters are rented via a smartphone app. With a Lime-S scooter, the cost is $1 to unlock it
and 15 cents for each minute of use. A half-hour ride costs about $7.50. They go up to 15 mph and run on a 250-watt motor.
“Not only accident waiting to happen. It is lawsuit against the city waiting to happen,” Jim Morlock, of Fort Lauderdale, warned city officials in an email sent Monday.
The injured boy was riding a rented Lime scooter near downtown on Federal Highway when he was hit by a car, possibly a maroon Acura, that left the scene early Saturday authorities said.
The hit-and-run was reported at 3:28 a.m. Saturday. The boy was in critical condition with “multiple fractures and a head injury” when he was taken to the hospital where he remained Wednesday, said Battalion Chief Stephen Gollan spokesman for Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue.
“No updates to report,” a Fort Lauderdale police spokeswoman said Wednesday.
Lime, Bird and Bolt are the three companies that began one-year agreements with the city on Nov. 1.
“The City Commission plans to evaluate the dockless mobility permit program in greater detail in February,” said Chaz Adams, spokesman for the city. “In the meantime, we continue to work with the permitted operators to further educate and inform riders about proper rules and regulations.”
The laundry list of complaints is lengthy: Riders don’t follow rules or wear helmets, they’re riding on sidewalks and going too fast. Children are operating them, some riders are clearly intoxicated and two people have been seen riding the same scooter.
In its first month, Lime’s fleet of 500 scooters logged 90,000 miles in Fort Lauderdale with 23,500 individual trips, according to the company.
Local critics and champions have been lighting up social media since the “scooter invasion” hit. Here’s a sampling:
“The sidewalks along A1A have become a skate park.”
“I used the Lime scooters to get to and from the boat show, they are awesome!”
“I almost ran over 2 kids … They went right through the stop sign. These are a menace.”
“I see a lot of these around being abused and ridden recklessly by under 18 year olds.”
“TRULY are a danger to everyone! Every day I see at least two people fall on to A1A. Some are drunk, not paying attention and two adults riding on one!”
“The craziness of swerving between moving cars … will get them injured and killed. Then who will be blamed? Will it be us the motorists?”
“Not only accident waiting to happen. It is lawsuit against the city waiting to happen.”
—Jim Morlock, of Fort Lauderdale, in an email to city officials about rental scooters
“I saw two Limes on I-95 between Davie and Broward northbound. Is this allowed?”
One man said he hit a pole while riding a rented scooter, flipped and fractured his elbow and injured both wrists.
Another rider said he rented scooters, rather than drive his car, to take 22 trips in the last two weeks to go to Publix, Fresh Market, the hardware store, out to dinner and the beach. “These scooters are definitely replacing car trips, reducing car congestion and pollution and making it safer and more pleasant to live in downtown Fort Lauderdale,” he wrote.
When finished riding, scooters can be parked and left anywhere. Hopefully without blocking sidewalks, storefronts or driveways. That courtesy is not always adhered to.
“They are everywhere!! I saw a pile of them strewn on the ground like garbage,” a social media post said.
Adams, the city spokesman, said traffic violations are for the police to enforce and the scooter companies are responsible for ensuring that riders’ rules and regulations are followed.
As for the 18-or-older rule — it’s basically on the honor system. When a rider signs a user agreement they are confirming that they are old enough to rent the vehicles, a Lime spokesman said.
The scooters were a topic at a Tuesday afternoon Fort Lauderdale City Commission meeting.
Commissioner Steve Glassman said he’s hearing from people who walk on the brick pavers along the wave wall at the beach on State Road A1A.
“They’re nervous now. They don’t know how to walk. They feel the scooters are all over them,” he said.
The city could consider pedestrian-only zones where scooters aren’t allowed, he said. The city could be more aggressive about enforcement, collecting fines, he added.
Commissioners said they’ll look at how other cities regulate and enforce use of the scooters.
Miami officials voted in midOctober to give scooters a one-year trial run. San Francisco had banned the scooters but recently decided to give them another try. New York and Washington, D.C. are also considering pilot programs.
“I don’t really think we should ban them,” Mayor Dean Trantalis said. “People like them.”
“We’ll find a balance,” Glassman said.
“And that’s what we’re going to do for the February meeting,” City Manager Lee Feldman said. “So we’ll have a couple months’ experience, because we only have 30 days [experience so far].”
Meanwhile, the hit-and-run driver remains at large and the car, possibly driven by a woman with short brown curly hair, was last seen turning into Holiday Park near Federal Highway and Sunrise Boulevard, police said.
The maroon sedan likely has windshield and front-end damage.
“Our thoughts are with the rider involved in this tragic incident in Fort Lauderdale and we wish him a speedy recovery,” said Taylor Bennett, a spokesman for Lime scooters. “We have also reached out to the local authorities to assist in any way we can.”
Staff reporter Brittany Wallman contributed to this report.