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Beverly Hills bans Bird scooters, other dockless mobility devices for six months
FILE: Young women ride shared electric scooters in Santa Monica, California, on July 13, 2018. Cities across the U.S. are grappling with the growing trend of electric scooters, which users can unlock with a smartphone app.
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Beverly Hills bans Bird scooters, other dockless mobility devices for six months
Beverly Hills has banned Bird scooters and other dockless mobility devices for six months, until the city can formulate regulations for them. The city will begin cracking down on those who violate the ban immediately.
The Beverly Hills Police Department has announced a “zero tolerance” policy for the scooters. City spokesman Keith Sterling said the city isn't putting extra resources into enforcement, but if officers happen to catch someone riding a scooter or leaving it in Beverly Hills, they could impound it and impose a fine.
Sterling couldn’t say how much the fine would be for riders, but the device company will need to pay, too -- $172 for each scooter recovered from the street.
As in other cities, the scooters in Beverly Hills have proliferated, and residents have complained. They say riders disobey traffic laws, cause injuries to pedestrians and leave scooters in the middle of sidewalks.
Several cities like Santa Monica, and Los Angeles have already passed regulations to better control and limit the scooters.
The Beverly Hills ban will remain in effect while officials approve regulations aimed at keeping the devices from becoming a public nuisance.
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