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By Mike Allen
November 9, 2021 (Santee) -- A few years ago, Santee and other cities in San Diego County were flooded by electric-bike businesses whose products were strewn about, creating sidewalk congestion and possible liability problems. In response, Santee and other cities enacted restrictions to the new bikes and scooters, requiring the businesses to enter into clearly defined contracts.
Bird, based in Santa Monica and one of the survivors of the new industry’s shake out, asked Santee last month for permission to provide its scooters to residents, promoting the service as good for the environment, a recreational alternative, and giving transit riders a mode for traversing the “last mile” of their trips.
While the Santee City Council took no vote on the issue which was presented in a workshop, the members were not impressed by the prospect of Bird making a nest here.
Councilman Ronn Hall said the scooters would create too many liability issues from errant riders hitting people or falling off and suing the city. “They’ll be running people over, breaking the speed limits,” Hall said. “Frankly I just don’t see this being worthwhile. The fact that they didn’t even show up, I don’t think they deserve the time of day.”
Councilwoman Laura Koval said she doubted Bird would be a positive in any way. The company failed to demonstrate how the scooters would reduce traffic and increase trolley ridership. And if people want to ride for recreation, they can buy one, she said.
Vice Mayor Rob McNelis noted many young people use the e-scooters particularly in San Diego’s denser neighborhoods. But he recalled all the problems the city had to deal with a few years ago when there were no laws against the e-bikes.
“It was horrible and I certainly don’t want to go back in time to that,” he said.
The city of San Diego faces litigation filed by disability rights advocates over scooters left by users blocking public access for people in wheelchairs and those who are visually impaired. San Diego last week filed a suit against Bird, Lyft and other electric scooter companies seeking to hold them liable for damages.
Mayor John Minto was also frustrated that Bird officials didn’t attend the Oct. 27 meeting to answer questions, one of which was, “Who’s going to responsible for cleaning up these things at the trolley stop?”
According to a staff report on the issue, both La Mesa and El Cajon approved laws regulating scooters and other electric vehicles in 2019. The state also has amended its vehicle code relating to the operation of e-bikes and scooters.
In the city’s report on the issue, the state’s intent was to promote the use of low gas emission vehicles while it acknowledged that the state has severe traffic congestion and air pollution problems.
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