Deep Ellum’s Electric Scooter Crackdown, Ticketing Blitz Could Signal a Sea Change in Transportation Battle

Are electric scooters finally facing their demise? With all the cracking down on rules and regulations for these electric modes of transport, it could seem that they’re becoming more trouble than they’re worth.

In Deep Ellum, police have began ticketing for city scooter violations. These include riding on sidewalks, riding with an extra passenger, and running red lights. You’re also not allowed to ride on trails or in parks. I still see the occasional rebel speedster on Katy Trail.

On Tuesday evening, cops issued 11 citations just in Deep Ellum and this is only the beginning. The neighborhood is one of the restricted areas for riding on sidewalks and fines can reach as high as $200.

Also, riding scooters on a busy highway is a no no. Which you’d think is common sense, right? But last week, a Dallas man thought otherwise and tested it out, riding across five lanes on I-35.

I had thought Lyft and Bird graveyards were one of the craziest disadvantages of electric scooters in Dallas, littering the streets with slightly broken and picked apart devices. But, safety has definitely become the biggest issue.

These are the official rules for scooter riders that can result in a citation:

— Scooters may not be operated on the sidewalk within a central business district.

— Children under the age of 17 must wear a helmet.

— Scooters may not transport additional passengers. It’s one rider per scooter.

— Traffic laws apply such as traveling the correct direction on one-way streets, stopping at stop signs and lights, and yielding to pedestrians and vehicles when needed.

— Scooters may not be operated on multi-use trails or parks. (That means Katy Trail, you scoundrels!)

Happy scootering! Or should I say safe scootering, depending on how dare-devilish you like to ride your scooter.