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Thus far, the County has awarded scooter licenses to Lime, Bird, and Spin. Bird has also been <br /> awarded a license for e-bikes. There have been over 65,000 rides on these devices in just 1.5 <br /> months. <br /> At the conclusion of the presentation, Chairman Bullock clarified that the City is still in the <br /> learning phase and that no decisions will be made tonight. The Law Department will have <br /> legislation drafted to regulate existing scooters for the Committee's next meeting. <br /> Officer McNeeley and Captain Wilkins expressed some concerns about the potential for <br /> accidents and congestion. They also described situations where they were asked to respond to <br /> scooters being left at private properties. Property owners view them as a nuisance, especially if <br /> they have an alarm going off. LPD does not want to routinely be tasked with retrieving scooters. <br /> LPD also asked for improved responsiveness by the companies when they call about retrieved <br /> scooters. <br /> The Committee discussed "re-balancing" of the scooters. This is where company employees <br /> retrieve scooters throughout the day and return them to their places of origin. <br /> Committee members asked if Lakewood were to adopt a program (sign an MOU with the <br /> County) if it could: <br /> • Limit the amount of scooters <br /> • Restrict the time and location of rides <br /> It was determined that these are the types of details that would be determined in a contract/MOU. <br /> The Committee spoke about the overall trends in mobility and the advantages of scooters and <br /> bikes on the environment. Scooter representatives acknowledged that while scooters reduce the <br /> number of cars on the road,they do not do so on a one-to-one basis. Committee members <br /> speculated that the City's cycling community would consider scooters complimentary to cycling <br /> as they are both alternative modes of transportation. <br /> Chairman Bullock expressed concern about the legal liability of individuals who may be <br /> involved in scooter accidents. It is becoming commonplace for auto insurance to not cover <br /> scooter use. Director Foley confirmed that there is no legal liability to the City. Mr. Bullock <br /> advocated for regular safety training as part of a potential operator agreement with a scooter <br /> company. <br /> The Committee agreed that regardless of whether the City adopts scooters that it must update its <br /> traffic laws to address those that will be on the road. <br /> Director Foley remarked that he would welcome Lakewood making a decision by springtime. <br /> The Committee discussed scooter use in inclement weather. They handle well in the rain but not <br /> the snow. <br /> 2 <br />