LETTERS -- Scooter, Bike Riders: Uninformed or Scofflaws?

February 1, 2019

Dear Editor,

Rental scooter and electric bike riders are causing serious danger to pedestrians and to a lesser degree drivers ("E-Scooter Injuries 'Common,' Sometimes 'Severe,' UCLA Study Finds," January 25, 2019) .

They silently come up behind walkers on sidewalks endangering pedestrians on a regular basis.

Have they not been told that it is illegal to ride on sidewalks or are they just scofflaws?

I spoke to a knowledgeable city official yesterday and while they decry scooter violations they don’t want to send sworn police officer after them.

Sworn officers are here to prevent crime and can’t take time from that duty to ticket these scofflaws, I was told.

I asked whether non-sworn officers such as traffic or code enforcement officers could issues citations for riding on the sidewalk the official didn’t know the answer and would “get back to me”.

It’s become dangerous to walk in Santa Monica, especially downtown in the tourist areas but the violations are everywhere.

I saw a scooter rider with a 5 or 6 year old child hanging on, ride the wrong way against traffic on Ocean Park Blvd. and cut through the center island at a pedestrian crossing at a 45 degree angle to ride against traffic on the other side. It barely missed the pedestrians in the crosswalk.

These scooter and electric bikes need to obey the rules of the road on the street and stay off the sidewalks.

Enforcement now, I say!

Patrick Regan
Santa Monica