Louisville Councilmember Bill Hollander recently Tweeted a photo of a scooter left in the center of a busy sidewalk. Mr. Hollander hopes his Tweet will encourage locals who use rental scooters to avoid parking them in dangerous locations.
This Tweet, which was sent out on September 19, 2018, called for “barrier-free sidewalks” to protect the city’s most vulnerable. Hollander sent this Tweet to scooter rental company Bird, which recently sent 100 scooters into the city.
Mr. Hollander, who represents District 9, said this issue troubled him because many people in his constituency are visually handicapped. In interviews with the press, Hollander said he was particularly worried for the safety of residents on Frankfort Avenue.
Although Mr. Hollander has concerns over Bird’s scooters, he is not seeking to ban the rental service in Louisville. On the contrary, Hollander believes scooters could be a positive for the city so long as people mind where they park them.
In response to Hollander’s Tweet, Bird said it has an exhaustive list of safety suggestions on both its mobile app and official webpage. According to Bird’s safety instructions, customers should never park their scooter in the public right of way.
A Bird spokesman also said that scooter users should only ride on sidewalks if their local government allows it. Instead of sidewalks, Bird recommends riding in bike-protected lanes or as close to the curb as possible.
Bird also highly recommends all scooter riders wear a DOT-approved helmet at all times. People who download Bird’s app can order a helmet from the company for a small shipping & handling fee.
For more information on Bird’s safety standards, check out this link to their official “Safety First” page.
Who is liable when you trip over a Bird Scooter?
This is a tough question with many different variables. Could Bird be liable? The previous rider could be liable for an improperly parked scooter if someone trips and falls over it and is seriously injured. Proving this could be difficult.
The answer is: it depends. If you sustained a serious injury after tripping over an electric scooter please feel free to call us for a free consultation.
