In the past year, the electric scooter became one of Atlanta’s most popular means of quick and inexpensive transportation. Now, if found riding one in the street, riders can face a ticket up to $1,000.
In the past week, the Atlanta Police Department is cracking down on scooter usage by introducing campaigns to keep scooter riders in order. The newest campaign effects the city’s BeltLine implementing reduced speed zones along the Eastside Trail.
Here’s the new Atlanta scooter law: 8 mph in some areas
The slower speed zones reduce the 15 miles per hour speed limit to 8 mph between 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Monday to Thursday and 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Friday to Monday.
The campaign aims to “regulate dockless use, address reckless, dangerous, and inconsiderate behavior, and reduce clutter on the trails.”
Earlier this year in January, the city council passed regulations that targeted scooter companies requiring an annual $12,000 permit to operate 500 scooters; each additional scooter is $50.
Under these regulations, companies that operate shareable dockless mobility devices banned scooters from sidewalks and pedestrians spaces restricting scooters to streets and bike lanes. In attempts to decrease the clutter of scooters strewn about the sidewalks and walkways, the only time a scooter is to be on a sidewalk is if it’s being parked in a bike rack.
The city is no longer only holding companies accountable for properly handling scooters, now riders as well. Those who fail to adhere to new regulations while operating scooters must abide by rules that include but not limited to:
- No riding on sidewalks
- No cellphone usage operating a scooter
- No multiple riders on one scooter
The APD wants to riders to comply with scooter regulations and stay off sidewalks but ride in the streets.
“If you’re using anything with wheels to get around Midtown or downtown Atlanta, we ask that you be in the street following the rules of the road and staying with the flow of traffic,” said APD Maj. Darin Schierbaum.
Atlanta is not the only Georgia city to lay down the law when it comes to the new scooter craze. Smyrna, Marietta, Norcross and Alpharetta banned the scooters within city limits.