BLOOMINGTON — This week, the City of Bloomington announced hour restrictions on scooters, citing a tragic scooter death caused by a suspected drunk driver and many other less serious injuries.
From 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., you will not be able to ride the scooters. The restriction will be in place through the winter months with the city planning to reevaluate their stance once it warms back up.
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Bloomington officials say there were presented with information from IU Health and the IU Student Health Center that led them to this decision. An IU spokesperson says there have been hundreds of scooter-related injuries since 2018. For the most part, students WRTV talked to understood and agreed with the decision.
"I think it would be smart because then there's not dumb kids on them late at night or when it's dark out and cars can't see them," Finn Dexheimer, an IU Freshman, said.
"The possibility of a drunk driver or a crazy driver is probably more at night, so I think this is a good idea," Artikayara Yunidard, an IU Graduate student, said.
Morgan Clark, another IU Freshman, goes a step further and thinks the lights need to be brighter on the scooters before they are allowed back out at night.
"It's really hard to see if it's really late at night and you're driving past one of them," Clark said. "I've been driving and I've seen scooters and it's right when I get up to them."
Christian Eckel, another freshman, has a different take on the restrictions.
"It takes a lot of convenience away. If I'm trying to get somewhere late at night, I'm not trying to walk," Eckel said.
However, aware of everything that's happened, Eckel concedes that something needs to be done. If the restriction is lifted in a few months, he's hopeful people will try to be safer when riding them.
"I understand why, they have good reason to do it. I understand but at the same time, it's someone's responsibility to take care of themselves," Eckel said.
Lime, Bird, and all other scooter companies encourage their users to wear helmets, only have one person on a scooter and obey all traffic laws. A more detailed list is below for the two companies.
BIRD
- Bird encourages all riders to wear a helmet when riding.
- You must be 18+ years old to Bird.
- Only one rider per vehicle.
- Follow all traffic rules including street signs and stop signs.
- Use caution at crosswalks
- No one-handed rides. Put down the phone and coffee cup.
- No headphones – listen to what’s around you.
- Don’t ride if you’ve been drinking alcohol.
LIME
- Wear a helmet
- Check the brakes before riding
- Abide by all traffic laws
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Have a valid driver’s license or ID
- One rider per Lime (no passengers)
- Do not drink alcohol and ride
- Use caution and take your time when riding at night
- Never text/call and ride
- Be aware of cars, bikes, and pedestrians at all times
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