With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Santa Monica E-Scooters Now Blocked From Some Places By A Virtual Fence
A man and woman ride a shared dockless electric scooter along Venice Beach on Aug. 13, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Under Santa Monica rules, only one rider is allowed per a scooter. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
()
The scooters get to stay in Santa Monica for now, but under conditions set out by officials flooded by complaints about the shared mobility devices.
Santa Monica officially kicked off its shared mobility program Monday with this photo op.
And they’re off! Company leaders at Lyft, Jump, Bird, Lime and Breeze take their ride-sharing devices for their first spin under the new 16-month pilot program to Santa Monica Pier. pic.twitter.com/aU5At2PJVk
— Caleigh Wells (@cgrey307) September 17, 2018
Bird, Lime, JUMP and Lyft are the four companies that will be part of the 16-month program. Each will get to operate 750 vehicles, and a newly-formed community advisory group will give feedback to each of the companies about how the pilot is going.
Support for LAist comes from
The first order of business is user education. That comes in the form of more notifications in the device apps and signs around Santa Monica with rules for riding. Those rules include:
JUMP shared bicycles are lined up as Santa Monica launches its mobility devices pilot program.
()
- wearing a helmet (Bird has given away more than 50,000 helmets as part of the new user education plan.)
- carrying a driver's license
- one person per scooter
- riding in bike lanes and in the streets rather than on the sidewalks
- and storing them properly when riders are finished
The other condition is geofencing. That's a fancy way of saying that the shared device will know where it is in town and slow down or stop when it enters a place it's not allowed to go. Then the user will receive a notification telling them to turn around.
While some of the rules aren't new, city officials say police will issue citations for violations. They've issued over 1,000 so far, and the fines run around $200.
News happens every day. Here at LAist, our goal is to cover the stories that matter to you and the community you live in. Now that we're part of KPCC, those stories (including this one you're on right now!) are made possible by generous people like you. Independent, local journalism isn't cheap, but with your support we can keep delivering it. Donate now.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Heavy rain from the early-season storm could trigger debris flows. Snow is also possible above 7,000 feet. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership announces that 11% of the workforce is being cut. -
The rock legend joins LAist for a lookback on his career — and the next chapter of his music. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care.
Best of LAist