After getting a sneak preview earlier this week, Decatur’s commission will vote on an electric scooter ordinance during its next meeting on September 16. City Manager Andrea Arnold believes four other Georgia cities have already adopted scooter ordinances, including Atlanta in January.
Since January Decatur has had an interim agreement with Lime, the only scooter company currently operating within city limits. That agreement serves as a foundation for the ordinance that was given a public airing on Sept. 3 by Ash Kumar, Decatur’s Local Government Management Fellow. Some of its regulations include:
*Maximum number of scooters per company is 75
*Operating hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., at least in spring and summer. These hours may shrink during seasons with less daylight.
*Rider age is 18 and older.
*Can’t ride on sidewalks.
*Helmets are not required but encouraged.
*Parking must be upright on hard surfaces without obstructing pedestrians or cars.
*There will be data sharing between individual companies and the city regarding number of scooters, number of uses, frequency of use and records of every trip. The companies, however, won’t share the names of riders with the city unless, as Arnold said, it’s a “unique circumstance.”
*Speed is 15 mph.
*It’s preferred riders use dedicated bicycle lanes where they exist, and otherwise stay on the roadway.
According to an August 28 AJC article written by Stephen Deere, metro Atlanta leads the nation in scooter-related fatalities with four.
Bird was the first e-scooter company to launch, deploying in Santa Monica in September 2017, coming to Decatur exactly one year later. Lime quickly followed, with Bird subsequently departing late last year. It’s estimated there are only 55 to 70 Lime scooters currently in Decatur.
Arnold said she doesn’t anticipate hiring additional police for enforcing the ordinance.
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