The San Diego City Council voted against a proposed temporary motorized scooter ban on the boardwalks of Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, and La Jolla Shores Tuesday.
“These things are addicting,” a member of Tiger Jaw, a band from Pennsylvania, told NBC 7. “You get on them and you realize just how fun and simple it is.”
Scooter usage has increased with the introduction of dockless bikes and scooters earlier this year.
“It just kind of popped up out of nowhere and people just kind of ran with it,” another band member said.
The emergency ban was proposed by Councilwoman Lori Zapf because of complaints that the scooters have caused collisions and injuries. Lifeguards say more than a dozen people have been hurt.
Zapf sent a memo on April 20th asking for assistance from Mayor Kevin Faulconer regarding motorized scooters prior to the start of summer.
The speed limit of Mission Beach’s boardwalk is eight mph, and pedestrians often have to dodge scooters as they walk.
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“I didn't have anybody run into me yet but they've come close,” Mission Beach resident Joseph Carnuccio told NBC 7. He walks on the boardwalk every day and finds them a constant nuisance.
“I'm totally against it,” he said. “I wish they'd do away with them.”
San Diego Police said they have cited more than 200 people for speeding or safety infractions since February.
The members of Tiger Jaw disagree. “I can understand people's concerns with it, but I think a full-on ban might not be the way to go,” one member said.
The ban was opposed by Circulate San Diego, a nonprofit “dedicated to advancing mobility.”
They said the ban, “would have set a dangerous precedent for piecemeal banning of bike and scooter share throughout San Diego, and it would have discouraged San Diegans from using these new options as a form of transportation.”
The council also voted to send the issue back to a subcommittee for further discussion.
