You probably saw electric scooters on Portland streets last summer, as the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) had a short-term pilot program to get input from residents.
However, you should prepare yourself to see a lot more e-scooters over the next year (as many as 2,500 in the first few days of the program), as PBOT is set to launch a yearlong e-scooter pilot program tomorrow.
If e-scooter companies follow city regulations and help PBOT meet its goals for the program, there could be up to 9,000 e-scooters on Portland streets by next January.
PBOT’s goals for the program include:
- Preventing people from riding on sidewalks
- Preventing improper parking
- Increasing ridership in east Portland
Riders can receive fines of $50 for operating an e-scooter on the sidewalk and $15 for illegally parking a scooter.
PBOT spokesperson Dylan Rivera said the bureau will take steps to monitor high-traffic areas and inform scooter companies about riders who are breaking the rules. These companies will issue fines and warnings and may even suspend riders’ accounts when they break the rules, according to Rivera.
Portland will charge companies a 25-cent user fee and a right-of-way fee of somewhere between five and 20 cents. The money brought in through these fees will be used to make more areas for e-scooters to travel safely.
PBOT received input from thousands of residents after last summer’s program and made sure to take that feedback into account before launching this new program.
There were more than 1,600 complaints about people riding scooters on sidewalks during last summer’s program. This was more than 25 percent of all complaints received by the bureau. The other major concern from residents was riders parking scooters illegally.
People took e-scooters on more than 700,000 trips over the summer. E-scooters also caused fewer people to use their personal cars, taxis or ridesharing services – 34 percent of riders in Portland used an e-scooter instead of one of these options. PBOT also found that 71 percent of Portland residents used e-scooters simply to get somewhere, and not for recreation.
Dangers of Riding E-Scooters
E-scooters may be a more convenient way to get around in the city, but you should know many people have been hurt on e-scooters, including during the pilot program over the summer. You are sharing a bike lane with bicyclists and cars are flying by to your left.
You could also suffer an injury if the scooter you are riding malfunctions while you are on it. Falling off an e-scooter that is in motion can cause lasting injuries, no matter how fast you are going. You could even get hurt in a collision with a pedestrian.
It is crucial to act quickly if you suffer an injury in an e-scooter accident. Take pictures, talk to witnesses and go to the hospital for medical treatment. You can discuss the situation for free and with no obligation with our Portland personal injury lawyers.
We can determine if another party may be liable for your injuries and what your legal options are moving forward. We will not bill you for providing legal representation unless you are compensated.
