Council ponders greater control over e-scooters

Remember when skateboards came to Dunedin? After much steam-powered cogitation the ruling came forth - they were wheeled means of transport therefore they belonged on streets, not footpaths where they were proving a nuisance and potential danger to pedestrians. 

Another thing, local people operating businesses on the streets or parked beside them are hit with costs, permits - the usual blend of money+control councils use, often wisely and fairly. Food vendors in vans, cafes with tables on the footpath.

Lime scooters though? 

Before they arrived in Dunedin there were problems in Auckland that even I in my cardboard box on't side of dead-end road was aware of. Accidents to riders and pedestrians, annoyance about these overseas-owned pests not even contributing to the city's finances. 

So what did the DCC do? Baa-baa-b-uggerall to indicate ability to learn from what happened up north. "Yes come on in, welcome to Dunedin!"

Lynley Hood has done her best to point out the danger to people with imperfect sight. Ignored.

I'd like to see Dunedin become an (excuse me, slogan alert) Inclusive City. Te Reo names for e.g. Settlers Museum, yes, got that. Now how about noticing the deaf and blind and wheelchair users, and those like Lynley who don't make the cut for "legally blind" but are disadvantaged not to mention endangered when their need for safety on the footpaths is disregarded, disrespected?

And parking, how about noticing the number of elderly and others who have physical conditions that do not disable them, but combined with low income prevent their ability to get around in this cycle/walk/bus city that is the green planet-savers' vision? Cycles aren't cheap, certainly not for a whole family. Walking long distances is not an option for people with worn-out hips and dodgy tickers. Buses aren't cheap and hardly practical if you need to take a kid to the doctor, or keep up valuable social contacts through visiting friends, belonging to a club.

Cars are a fact, parking is a necessity. Cycle lanes have reduced parking spaces, e-scooters have reduced safety on the footpaths. 

At the very least how about cycle lanes being for other wheeled transport: e-scooters, skateboards. They go fast and unpredictably compared with mobility scooters and wheelchairs which really need to be on the footpath.

Monday, 29 July 2019

Bylaw may change Lime rules

By Chris Morris

 

......The move comes after the Dunedin City Council voted in March to start an early review of its mobile trading bylaw, not scheduled until 2024, to give it greater control over e-scooters. Councillors at the time asked for a report on mechanisms available to control e-scooters on footpaths in busy pedestrian areas such as George St.
Since Lime's service launched in Dunedin earlier this year, the company has been able to operate without a licence, permit or payment, although it did sign a memorandum of understanding with the council.
In Auckland, the company was required to have a licence from the council and had to pay a fee.....

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/bylaw-may-change-lime-rules