CA Law: "An operator of a motorized scooter must be at least 16 years old, possess a valid drivers license or instruction permit, and wear a helmet.
A motorized scooter may be operated on a bicycle path, trail or bikeway, but not on a sidewalk. On the roadway, it must be operated in the bicycle lane, if there is one. On roads without bicycle lanes, motorized scooters may operate where the speed limit is 25 mph or less, and shall be ridden as close to the right hand curb as possible, except to pass or turn left."
If someone rents a car and then parks it on the sidewalk, the renter (not the rental company) gets the ticket.
Why should scooters be different? If scooters start getting tickets for being parked in stupid places, then those tickets will get passed on to the riders, and they will stop it. If riders get tickets for riding on the sidewalk, they will stop it. Etc.
The existing laws are sufficient to cover this situation, they just need to be enforced.
CODE TEXT
VEHICLE CODE - VEH
DIVISION 11. RULES OF THE ROAD [21000 - 23336] ( Division 11 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )
CHAPTER 1. Obedience to and Effect of Traffic Laws [21000 - 21296] ( Chapter 1 enacted by Stats.
1959, Ch. 3. )
ARTICLE 4. Operation of Bicycles [21200 - 21213] ( Article 4 added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 479. )
21202.
(a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of
traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride as close as practicable to the
right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:
(1) When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
(2) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
(3) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions (including, but not limited to, fixed or moving
objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes)
that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge, subject to the provisions of
Section 21656. For purposes of this section, a “substandard width lane” is a lane that is too
narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.
(4) When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.
(b) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway of a highway, which highway carries traffic in
one direction only and has two or more marked traffic lanes, may ride as near the left-hand curb
or edge of that roadway as practicable.
(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 674, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 1997.)
A motorized scooter is a two-wheeled device that has handlebars, a floorboard designed to be
stood upon when riding, and is powered by a motor.
The Vehicle Code (VC) does not require registration, license plates to be displayed or the
scooter to be insured. Local authorities can regulate the registration for these scooters
pursuant to VC §21225.
Even though insurance is not required, owners of these scooters should contact their insurance
company to determine if coverage is available.
An operator of a motorized scooter must be at least 16 years old, possess a valid drivers
license or instruction permit, and wear a helmet.
A motorized scooter may be operated on a bicycle path, trail or bikeway, but not on a sidewalk.
On the roadway, it must be operated in the bicycle lane, if there is one. On roads without
bicycle lanes, motorized scooters may operate where the speed limit is 25 mph or less, and shall
be ridden as close to the right hand curb as possible, except to pass or turn left. VC § 21226
(D) prohibits alteration of motorized scooters.Why don't we have similar helmet laws for drivers and pedestrians?
They could easily take half the cars off the road and transform downtown.
They're more convenient and a fraction of the cost of an uber, and they're fun to ride.
People should not be riding them on the sidewalks, i'm expecting that to change quickly.
They are indeed fun to ride but with the Uber's subsidized price, Uber still ends up being cheaper for a commute within the city. Especially with pool.
Everyone is looking down at their phones. If they aren't, it seems like a large amount of SF residents don't know how to walk on sidewalks appropriately (stick to one side of the road when someone is coming the other way, don't walk 6 abreast, etc.).
I have seen so many people bump into each other and get into accidents simply walking. I wouldn't mind scooters on the sidewalk because then people will actually be forced to be aware, instead of walking around like mindless zombies staring at their phone and bumping into poles
"Petextrians" bumping into each other isn't anywhere near as dangerous as motorists with easy access to heavy vehicles driving near sidewalks.
I've seen quite a few riders ride them on the sidewalks and 1 person even ran into a dude on a wheelchair who was trying to get onto the sidewalk after crossing the road on his wheelchair.
The last safe place for Pedestrians and disabled persons -- the Sidewalk -- is under attack.
The startups that have created this nuisance also park these scooters on the sidewalk, and it routinely blocks disabled people on wheelchairs from travelling safely on the sidewalk.