New regulations for dockless electric scooters will get the attention of Austin City Council next week.
The scooters are setting usage records all over the place but with reports of injuries and other incidents, governing them has been slow to catch up. Jason Redfern with the city’s Transportation Department says part of the new regs would not only give cops the right to cite someone going too fast but where scooters can even go. “The engineer will determine if we should have scooters, or micro-mobility devices mixed in with pedestrians or should we designate it as a pedestrian-only zone and ask people to use the streets.” Redfern says they’ll also look at things like dismount zones and parking for micro-mobility devices, including bikes, scooters and the like.
Under the proposed regs, Redfern says cops will be able to cite scooter riders who go too fast. “Then it will be up to a judge…if what they determine was good or should the citation be dismissed.” Redfern admits they can’t have sidewalk speed limits per se, however, “Officers will have ‘reasonable and prudent judgement’ when they see people who are using these devices in a manner that is they’re deeming unsafe.”
PHOTO NEWSRADIO KLBJ
