Scooter realities

It has been several weeks since the Lime scooters returned to the streets of Spokane. New unenforceable (are they ordinances or laws or hopes and wishes?) scooter etiquette rules and regulations were roundly approved by City Council. Others in force during last year’s trial experiment were apparently a real downer. Apparently, passe safety regulations like helmets and prohibitions against motorized two-wheel cute scooters and bikes on the sidewalks really weren’t that important. Wear the helmet. Don’t wear the helmet. Use your judgment. Right. But we need gimmicks to bring people to Spokane.

Oh, and yes there is a prohibition against sidewalk scootering in the downtown core. Guess what? It ain’t working. Helmets? A joke. No scooters on sidewalks downtown? Another joke.

This is not Amsterdam. Some cities might be able to self-regulate. We don’t. And since there is absolutely no enforcement of any kind by any authority, it is, unfortunately, going to take a horrible accident before we rethink this marketing gimmick. And the liability??? Whew!

Jim Bickel

Spokane