Erlanger may soon take its first steps toward regulating motorized scooters, as Councilmember Jennifer Jasper-Lucas called for a discussion on proposed safety guidelines at the city’s upcoming caucus meeting later this month.
Jasper-Lucas said during Tuesday’s council meeting concerns have come in over the past year from residents and business owners about users of the motorized scooters riding without helmets, driving them on streets and operating electronics while using said scooters.
“My goal in proposing legislation related to motorized scooters is not to stop them from being operated, but rather to have them operated safely within the city limits,” said Jasper-Lucas. “It’s also not my goal that we would necessarily be handing out citations to those who are not operating them safely, but rather that we would have some guidelines to rely on to instruct those who are operating scooters.”
For an example of a similar ordinance, you could look at the City of Edgewood’s legislation adopted last September related to motorized scooter usage in the city. Some guidelines within the ordinance include that riders are not to block pedestrian paths and must be 16 years old to drive the scooter on roads and bikelanes.
Erlanger currently has an ordinance regarding skateboard usage, and Jasper-Lucas said that it may also need to be updated.
The city’s next caucus meeting will be later this month on Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. at 505 Commonwealth Avenue.