Seattle may ban scooters on sidewalks, bike lanes

By Matthew Rodriguez
Seattle Times staff reporter

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But the proposal has been criticized by a scooter salesman as well as an advocate for pedestrians. The City Council tabled it last week to make changes.

Gas and electric-motorized foot scooters, which have gained popularity in recent years especially among teens, have been criticized for their noise and because of safety concerns. Auburn and Issaquah already have restricted their use, and Bellevue is eyeing similar legislation.

Motorized foot scooters, as defined by the bill, are different from mopeds and motorcycles. They have handlebars, wheels 10 inches in diameter or less and can be ridden standing or sitting down, according to the bill.

The bill before Seattle's council would require gas-scooter riders to be 16 or older, to have mufflers on the scooter and to obey most of the same laws as bicyclists. Scooters would be required to have brakes and specified lights for nighttime riding. An amendment would prohibit passengers on scooters.

The bill also restricts operation of Segway vehicles, which are ridden standing up and have a wheel on each side of a foot board. They would be prohibited in bike lanes and on public paths as well, unless a rider has a physical disability. Scooters and Segways also would be prohibited on public-school playgrounds.

David Levinger, executive director of Feet First, a pedestrian-advocacy group, said it is important to note that scooters are not in the same category of vehicle as bicycles. He said scooters cannot be adequately lighted at night because of their shape.

He also questioned why the legislation seemed to encourage the use of electric foot scooters, which would be allowed on sidewalks, over gas ones, which would not.

"One would expect Seattle to have the strictest, most pedestrian-friendly, safety-conscious and environmentally friendly legislation around," he said.

Because the Seattle law would allow electric foot scooters on sidewalks and at night, "we consider the Seattle foot-scooter legislation to be weaker than not only Portland, Vancouver and San Francisco, but also to be, in many ways, behind the legislation of its neighbors such as Auburn," Levinger said.

He said there is no provision in state law that requires local lawmakers to accommodate motorized foot scooters. But several council members said state laws complicated crafting of the legislation.
 
"State law doesn't allow us to prohibit any of those scooters," said Councilman Richard Conlin, the bill's sponsor, "and it doesn't allow us to require driver's licenses."

Council President Jan Drago, who is backing the no-passenger amendment, described Conlin's bill as a "pilot," saying that it likely will be evaluated and that the council will be open to changes in the future.

Conlin, chairman of the council's Transportation Committee, said he has asked the state Department of Health to draft a helmet law for scooter riders, similar to one for bicyclists.

He said his bill aims to protect pedestrians and to address noise and safety complaints.

"I think it has strong support," he said. "I think everybody understands the concerns about these scooters."

Yale Wong, CEO of Galaxy Scooters in Seattle, questioned whether the legislation would make it safer for scooter riders. He said the vehicles are toys and should be kept off roads.

"You're actually asking for more accidents," Wong said. "They should not be on the road. You're asking for more trouble. They're not street legal."

Councilman Richard McIver said the question is, "Whose safety are we looking out for? ... I think our first responsibility needs to be to the pedestrian."

Matthew Rodriguez: 206-464-3192 or mrodriguez@seattletimes.com