Residents of the French capital, Paris, have taken a unique action. Electric bike rentals will no longer be allowed in Paris, which will be a setback for the industry and a victory for those who advocate for traffic safety.
According to official results, almost 90% of votes cast on Sunday were in support of banning the battery-operated devices. The referendum was called as a result of an increase in the number of accidents and fatalities involving e-scooters in the French city.
Over 103,000 of the 1.38 million individuals on the city’s electoral register actually participated, according to official statistics. Over 91,300 of them decided against scooters. One of the first places to use electric vehicles was Paris, but opponents claim they were more harmful than helpful.
Concerns over e-scooters
As some scooter drivers weaved through traffic, avoided pedestrians on sidewalks, and reached speeds of 17 mph (27 km/h), there was increasing concern. Children as young as 12 could lawfully rent the electric scooters, and riders frequently did not wear helmets.
The fact that groups of parked e-scooters clogged the sidewalk was another point of contention. A 31-year-old Italian lady was killed in 2021 after being struck by an e-scooter with a rider and a pillion. She had a cardiac attack after falling and hitting her head on the ground.
The three major operators—Lime, Dott, and Tier—used social media to urge people to support them in the election out of concern that their primarily young customer base would not cast ballots. On Sunday, they provided free transportation all day long, just to lure them to cast a vote.
Fines under new laws
A fine of $146 and up to €1,630 were assessed for exceeding the speed limit under new laws that went into effect in 2019, which included requirements for wearing high visibility clothing and riding with the flow of traffic.
In the meantime, abandoned bikes were also a major issue in Paris, with many of them being discovered in the city’s parks and plazas. Despite the threat of a fine, the prohibition against parking dockless scooters on sidewalks was widely disregarded.
