Regarding the Parking of Dockless Motorized Foot Scooters
A2019-03: Regarding the Parking of Dockless Motorized Foot Scooters
Adopted In : 2019
Topics : Dockless scooters
WHEREAS, dockless motorized foot scooters have become an increasingly popular mode of transportation in many cities in Minnesota and around the country; and
WHEREAS, the appeal of these scooters is that they may be retrieved from and left anywhere because they need not be parked at a docking station or rack; and
WHEREAS, sometimes, users leave these scooters in locations that block curb cuts, obstruct sidewalks, block bus stops and stoops, and generally disrupt the flow of pedestrian traffic; and
Whereas, Minnesota Statutes Chapter 169.225 states that "no person may operate a motorized foot scooter upon a sidewalk, except when necessary to enter or leave adjacent property ...", but the statute does not regulate the parking of these scooters; and
WHEREAS, some city ordinances do place restrictions on scooter parking, but these ordinances are inconsistent from city to city; and
WHEREAS, the public is, in most cases, encouraged to contact the various scooter companies directly to report scooter misuse, request that a scooter be moved, or report an injury or other concern by calling the company, visiting the website, or making a report using the app; and
WHEREAS, blind people cannot identify the scooter companies’ names, phone numbers, or websites because the information on the scooter is available only in print; and
WHEREAS, the blind are further denied the opportunity to make reports or issue complaints, since scooter websites and apps are generally not accessible using screen reader technology: Now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota in Convention assembled this 27th day of October, 2019, in the city of St. Cloud, Minnesota, that this organization call upon the Minnesota Legislature to work with the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota to enact legislation for consistent regulation of the parking of dockless motorized foot scooters to keep pedestrian walkways safe and free of obstacles for all citizens; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that all dockless scooter companies place their company name, scooter identification number, and contact information on each scooter in a format that is, upon consultation with the National Federation of the Blind, determined to be accessible and easily detectible by the blind; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that these companies develop accessible websites and mobile applications so that blind pedestrians can easily communicate reports of misuse or injury.