Latest news with #ChrisHinds
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
New rules for scooter riders coming to Denver after unanimous city council vote
DENVER (KDVR) — New rules are on the way for how to use scooters in Denver, including new technology to try and prevent rider injuries. The Denver City Council voted unanimously Monday night to crack down on sidewalk riding and leaving scooters anywhere in the city. Denver among first cities to launch Lime's newest vehicle option: LimeGlider 'Today we take a major step forward here in Denver for public safety, accessibility and transportation innovation,' said District 10 City Councilperson Chris Hinds. Hinds co-sponsored the proposal that passed unanimously with all 12 yes votes. Scooters will soon be required to have a sidewalk detection technology, shutting them off if the rider is not in the street or a bike lane. Denver Health said that in 2024, it saw nearly 2,000 scooter-related patient encounters come into the emergency department or urgent care centers, most commonly broken bones, cuts and concussions. Hinds says their goal is to cut into that number. 'This legislation is about more than scooters and bikes, it's about saving lives, ensuring dignity for all pedestrians and setting national standards for responsible micro mobility,' said Hinds. Denver's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said it has already started to test that detection technology, but has no results to share yet. The proposal also mandates that riders park scooters in designated zones, which DOTI has also been testing near Union Station. A quick compliance test for riders is also required before using a scooter for the first time. Search continues for missing 64-year-old man in Conejos County, last seen in April Councilperson Sarah Parady co-sponsored the proposal with Hinds and says residents hope it's only the first step in improving safety. 'I also have heard loud and clear from communities that probably the best thing we could do to improve the safety of these devices is just to continue to improve the safety of the actual streets, the bike lanes, the built-in environment,' said Parady. 'But in the absence of infinite money to do that, I think this bill will help a lot.' The new parking requirements aren't slated to go into effect until 2027, while the rest of the new rules will begin next year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
Denver gets stricter rules for scooters
New rules for scooters are coming to Denver. The big picture: The changes are meant to improve public safety and even save lives, Councilmember Chris Hinds said during a committee meeting this month when introducing the bill creating the new rules. He added that helping regulate micromobility options like scooters is key to helping limit single-occupancy vehicles. How it works: The tightened restrictions require scooters and e-bikes to have sidewalk detection technology — it's illegal to ride them on city sidewalks — and to be parked in approved zones or corrals in high-use neighborhoods, including downtown and parts of Five Points. Driving the news: Denver City Council voted unanimously Monday to approve the new rules for e-bikes and scooters, which have already logged 1 million trips during the first quarter of the year, per council documents. Threat level: Serious crashes involving scooters are increasing, turning deadly in some cases. Scooters are sometimes dumped randomly, turning into a public nuisance and creating unnecessary obstacles for people with disabilities. Between the lines: The additional rules will make it costlier for micromobility companies to operate in Denver, Hinds said during a recent committee meeting, though he didn't specify how much more the companies will have to pay. What they're saying: Lime and Bird, which are the only scooter operators in Denver, both support the new measures, per statements from the companies. Lime last week made Denver one of a few select cities globally to launch its newest vehicle, the LimeGlider, an electric bike that doesn't require pedaling, reflecting its commitment to the city, Zach Williams, senior director of government relations at Lime, said in a statement to Axios. The bottom line: Hinds tells us he wants his bill signed into law before the city's transportation department starts its bidding process for a new micromobility contract, which could be this summer.
