Bird Electric Scooter Sharing

[CloudDeckMedia]

The Birds are all in position this morning.

I think the successful scooter-sharing program in OKC will work with the City to write ordinances that enhance our transportation system, not disrupt it. Now two weeks after their arrival, Bird representatives should be communicating directly with City leaders and the media, describing how their system can benefit Oklahoma City. But they apparently aren’t speaking with anyone. Their cover-of-darkness carpet-bombing of a city with scooters - and laying low afterwards - hasn’t endeared them to any city yet. Tomorrow’s City Council meeting will be interesting.

[CCOKC]

I have not used the scooters even though I live and work downtown. I just prefer walking. That said I really don't have an opinion for or against right now. Except for one thing. I was driving north on Classen Blvd on Saturday and saw a scooter parked right in the middle of the sidewalk. I watched as an older person on a motorized wheelchair had to go into the grass to get around it. I just wish that whoever put the scooter there then and in the future realize that some of our citizens don't have the ability to move a scooter that may be in the way and rely upon our sidewalks to get around.

[Ross MacLochness]

The Birds are all in position this morning.

I think the successful scooter-sharing program in OKC will work with the City to write ordinances that enhance our transportation system, not disrupt it. Now two weeks after their arrival, Bird representatives should be communicating directly with City leaders and the media, describing how their system can benefit Oklahoma City. But they apparently aren’t speaking with anyone. Their cover-of-darkness carpet-bombing of a city with scooters - and laying low afterwards - hasn’t endeared them to any city yet. Tomorrow’s City Council meeting will be interesting.

Not true - they are speaking with some city leaders.

[Jersey Boss]

Last Friday the scooters appeared on Cleveland sidewalks. Within 24 hours the city informed Bird that unattended commercial property on public sidewalks is prohibited w/o a permit. Unattended scooters would be impounded the next day.
https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and...ny-to-get-lost

"Please be aware that Bird Rides, its agents, or customers, are not permitted to place property on the sidewalks of the City without obtaining a permit," Cleveland law director Barbara Langhenry wrote in her letter to Bird. "We believe that you would agree that the placement of unattended, commercial, electric scooters on City sidewalks raises important safety issues that need to be fully explored and properly addressed with the City. Please remove any scooters from the public rights of way, which includes streets and sidewalks, and other public property tonight."

The letter also asked that the scooters, which are charged overnight, not be reintroduced Saturday. (Throughout the day Saturday, scooters were visible on the Bird app, concentrated downtown.) Langhenry concluded her letter with the warning that unattended scooters on city sidewalks would be subject to removal and impoundment.

[David]

This article sums it up perfectly: https://www.theatlantic.com/technolo...tation/561440/

That article is hilarious.

[CloudDeckMedia]

Within the past hour Mayor Holt tweeted several messages in a string. These are four that I selected:

"OKC has been working on an ordinance for some time, in consultation with a vendor who had approached us. Meanwhile, a different vendor came in w/o notice and in violation of ordinances written to protect all who use our sidewalks (pedestrians, disabled, etc)"

"I know of at least one vendor that is on the ground today attempting to navigate this legal process. Other vendors may follow suit. The City will consider all applications as they are received. But I have every reason to believe we will have legal scooters soon."

"Tomorrow the Council will consider futher (sic) enforcement mechanisms to address vendors who choose not to pursue the legal methods at their disposal. If you are a scooter enthusiast, I don’t blame you, they look fun, but I also ask your patience as we do this the right way."

"Use is ultimately the liability of the user, though I think a responsible vendor would include relevant laws in the explanations they provide users.

So - the City is having conversations with those willing to define & follow a regulatory path, but Bird hasn't yet been one of them. The scooters aren't "legal," and the individual rider will be held responsible for knowing laws on where to drive and park.

[Urbanized]

...So - the City is having conversations with those willing to define & follow a regulatory path, but Bird hasn't yet been one of them. The scooters aren't "legal," and the individual rider will be held responsible for knowing laws on where to drive and park.

Well, he did say "I know of at least one," which leaves the door open to believe that Bird itself is possibly also now in talks with the City, as Ross indicated upthread.

Personally, I don't mind being responsible for knowing the laws and where I can and cannot ride because it's the same spaces where bicycles are allowed/disallowed. But based on the (mis)use I have seen of Spokies and other bikes for years, I figure I am in the minority, so I definitely support a legal framework (and a public education campaign).

I just don't want to see OKC be too reactionary in its approach and get some of the negative media we have seen on this topic coming out of other cities. I'm becoming a big believer in dockless scooter sharing and other micro transportation.

[BoulderSooner]

Hopefully the city in the short term addresses these on a complaint basis. Not a we are going to drive around and impound them all basis

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^^^^^^
Exactly. Also would hope they expedite revocable permits for nests on a temporary basis assuming Bird engages (or has engaged) with the City.

[Ross MacLochness]

I was really pleased with the attitudes of Mayor Holt, City Manager Couch, and the city council today. They were all in agreement that they want scooter share in the city and want to be seen as and actually be progressive when it comes to new technology and transport options. They passed the emergency ordinance but voted to delay enforcement till Monday as Bird is working with city staff to become properly permitted.

[Ross MacLochness]

These things just keep getting more and more popular. I saw over a dozen people riding downtown in the past 15 min. Not all were young hipsterish people either. Lots of folks young and old wearing business attire going to lunch.

[aDark]

I was really pleased with the attitudes of Mayor Holt, City Manager Couch, and the city council today. They were all in agreement that they want scooter share in the city and want to be seen as and actually be progressive when it comes to new technology and transport options. They passed the emergency ordinance but voted to delay enforcement till Monday as Bird is working with city staff to become properly permitted.

I would be more pleased if they had delayed enforcement for a month or two. A week is hardly enough time to work out permits, especially when the City doesn't even know what that looks like.

People like the scooters. It increasing mobility in a downtown and midtown which is quite spread out. I know the City wants in on profits. A week delay is silly. When young professionals come to our city I want them to see people out and about, zipping around.

[ultimatesooner]

I was really pleased with the attitudes of Mayor Holt, City Manager Couch, and the city council today. They were all in agreement that they want scooter share in the city and want to be seen as and actually be progressive when it comes to new technology and transport options. They passed the emergency ordinance but voted to delay enforcement till Monday as Bird is working with city staff to become properly permitted.

thats awesome, i work for a fortune 200 company that has 100s of layers of management and chit is constantly rolling downhill because of bureaucratic red tape, its kinda fun watching a smaller startupish company busting through it like this and forcing action instead of letting all gov't employees control everything.

[CloudDeckMedia]

I would be more pleased if they had delayed enforcement for a month or two. A week is hardly enough time to work out permits, especially when the City doesn't even know what that looks like.

The City would have been more pleased if Bird worked with them to write an ordinance before opening for business. Bird was granted a one-week reprieve, not an immediate impounding of their inventory which has happened elsewhere.

[BoulderSooner]

The City would have been more pleased if Bird worked with them to write an ordinance before opening for business. Bird was granted a one-week reprieve, not an immediate impounding of their inventory which has happened elsewhere.

How long would you want them to wait? Years because the ordianance you are referring to has already taken 6 months and who knows when it will be ready. (By guess is that birds actions have accelerated the process)

Also from watching the council meeting I don’t think the city has any plans to proactively go around and inpound scooters. With or with bird getting the revokeable permits (which really have very little to do with there business model

[onthestrip]

Other than youre not supposed to drive them on sidewalks (which is driver's responsibility), I still dont know what Bird did wrong or what ordinance they violated.

And it seems the city had to create a new ordinance to be able to say Bird was in the wrong. If these were bicycles and not scooters, we wouldnt even be having this conversation and everyone would cheer how we've become a progressive bike city.

[CloudDeckMedia]

My only complaint is that Bird makes no attempt to work with city leaders to create an ordinance. Whenever they decide to enter a market they just drop their scooters - unannounced - on city streets. The result is that city leaders & staff must then drop other business and deal with Bird. In the meantime, users don't know where to ride or park them, property owners don't know what their rights are, and police don't know if laws are being broken.

[BoulderSooner]

Disruptive technology causes issues and questions everywhere be in dockless scooters and bike. Ride sharing like uber. Or making money using drones. The regulatory frame work can’t deal with things it doesn’t know about

[Jersey Boss]

Other than youre not supposed to drive them on sidewalks (which is driver's responsibility), I still dont know what Bird did wrong or what ordinance they violated.

And it seems the city had to create a new ordinance to be able to say Bird was in the wrong. If these were bicycles and not scooters, we wouldnt even be having this conversation and everyone would cheer how we've become a progressive bike city.

Parking private commercial property on a public right-of-way(sidewalks) .

[baralheia]

Parking private commercial property on a public right-of-way(sidewalks) .

^^^
This. And Bird would still be in violation of this ordinance even if they had dropped bicycles, Segways, or some other form of dockless commercial transit equipment.

[Urbanized]

^^^^
You're correct.

But not if they are able to get revocable permit for such a use. Which the the workaround that the City is recommending. But currently it would specify locations by address and if a scooter was left elsewhere it would be in violation, which is why Bird says it is the wrong approach. They are right about that of course, but it is the best the City can offer until the framework is created which would allow such businesses in TYPES of locations rather than SPECIFIC locations, which is what they City is working on.

[LocoAko]

Should be springing up at OU this morning: http://www.normantranscript.com/news...465995821.html

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^^
I’m sure that was a planned location, but wonder if they are using Norman as a strategic fallback for existing OKC metro inventory if they aren’t able to get revocable worked out in advance of the deadline.

[benjico]

First day of class should be next week. What's our over/under on number of students who get hit by one of these while walking on the south oval?

[Ross MacLochness]

First day of class should be next week. What's our over/under on number of students who get hit by one of these while walking on the south oval?

people already bike, skate, scooter on the south oval... I can't see these being any more dangerous that what already takes place.