IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SCOOTER SUBCOMMITTEE UPDATE:
- Mixed Signals for Scooter Riders
- New Education Efforts
- Next Steps
- Will Houston Ban Scooters?
- A New Menace Arrives in Denver
SCOOTER RIDERS ARE GETTING MIXED SIGNALS. With the proliferation of shared scooters and bicycles zooming by on the sidewalks of Downtown Denver, you’d be forgiven if you didn’t realize that it’s illegal – and has been illegal since shared mobility devices were first introduced five years ago. They’re supposed to be operated in the bike lane – and if there is no bike lane, then on the road. So why do so many riders disregard the law? They’re getting mixed signals from all quarters.
Inadequate Road Signage. Imagine riding a scooter for the first time and seeing a sign that says BIKES ONLY in the bike lane. You’re probably going to ride on the sidewalk like all the others on scooters. This is a problem that UpDoNA has asked Denver to address for the past two years, to no avail. Our efforts on that front continue.
Inadequate Scooter Signage. You’d need a magnifying glass to read the fine print on this scooter. Way towards the bottom of the list is the instruction to Yield to Pedestrians and Stay Off Sidewalks. It’s no wonder that so many people aren’t aware that riding shared scooters and bicycles on sidewalks is illegal in Denver. Among other things, UpDoNA has asked the city to require vendors to include a dedicated single-message popup warning before a ride begins: Do Not Ride On Sidewalks. We will see if our recommendation makes it into the upcoming contracts with the scooter companies.
Inadequate Enforcement. Another mixed signal to people riding illegally on the sidewalks of Downtown Denver is that there is no enforcement of the ban on sidewalk riding. Who are the likely candidates for enforcing the law? First, the police – but we haven’t heard of that occurring in Downtown Denver. Second, the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI). We’re hard-pressed to cite any instance of that happening. Instead, DOTI (and the City Council’s new ordinance) are relying on the scooter companies to implement technology that would detect when a scooter is riding on a sidewalk. Drivers would be warned and, for repeat offenders, possibly suspended or outrightly banned by the scooter company.
NEW EDUCATION EFFORTS.
It’s encouraging to see new public service announcements that were developed by DOTI being displayed on the kiosks up and down 16th Street (formerly, the Mall). These messages go hand-in-hand with pamphlets that DOTI is distributing to downtown hotels in an effort to get the message out to tourists and convention-goers.
NEXT STEPS. As you’ll recall, City Council passed a new law that will go into effect a year from now and apply to all scooter companies that are doing business in Denver. Which scooter companies specifically? Well, we don’t know quite yet. The next step in the process is for DOTI to cast a wide net and send requests for proposals (RFPs) to any scooter company that wants to be in Denver next year. How many will there be? Well, we don’t know quite yet. What we do know is that DOTI is putting the finishing touches on their RFP and will be sending those out soon. Then the scooter companies will make their pitches and then, hopefully in November 2025, Denver will award contracts to the winning bidders. UpDoNA has been working with DOTI for a couple of years by providing input on the matters that are most important to downtown residents, hoping that those will be reflected in the RPFs and the new vendor contracts. David Kurth recently addressed the DOTI Advisory Board to emphasize UpDoNA’s priorities. You can read all about those HERE. In a nutshell, they’re (1) no riding on sidewalks, (2) parking only in designated areas/corrals, (3) penalties for violations, and (4) additional resources for signage, bike lanes, etc.
HOUSTON’S PROPOSED SCOOTER BAN. The City of Houston is considering a proposal to join many other cities worldwide that ban scooters from their busy central business districts because they create ‘safety hazards’ and ‘public nuisances.’ Sound familiar?!?!? Watch the story HERE.
LIME INTRODUCES GLIDERS TO DOWNTOWN DENVER. The scooter company has proudly introduced their latest shared vehicle – an electric glider – a cross between a scooter and a bike and just one more nuisance I’ll find myself dodging on downtown’s sidewalks.
UPCOMING MEETING. The next meeting of UpDoNA’s Scooter Subcommittee will be held October 7, 2025 at Olive & Finch on 14th Street at the DCPA. Reach out to David Kurth if you want to be added to the mailing list. David_Kurth@msn.com
Attribution for thumbnail photo: David Kurth
