August, 2013:

It’s about time that someone pushed this issue up a flagpole!

I don’t always agree with Councillor Clark, but the issue of scooters on city streets should at the very least be studied by city staff and recommendations put forward. There is going to be a tragedy one of these days and it would be a shame if the City simply sat on their collective hands until one happens.

Yes, I get that scooters are a great thing for residents with mobility problems. Without these mortised devices, many would be shut in their homes and completely reliant on family and social services to get around.

And I also understand that some City sidewalks are in pretty dire need of repairs and the scooter-ability of said slabs of concrete is somewhat difficult.

But…

These devices are not suited to street use from a safety perspective. Pure and simple. I am a frequent user of St. Laurent Blvd. around the Elmvale Mall area. The sidewalks are wide and in good repair. Yet, it is not at all unusual to see a scooter or three pumping right down the street. And, for those of you who are not familiar with the area, St. Laurent is a very busy 4 lane divided main north/south artery.

One older gentleman has an annoying habit of powering his scooter right down the middle of one lane and giving the finger to anyone who honks at him!

Look, these things don’t have lights, move at a very slow speed and are difficult to spot at times.

Should the City be looking at those sidewalks in need of repairs and upgrades? Of course. But they also have to do the responsible thing and look at either regulating or banning scooters – at least in high traffic areas. Someone is going to get killed and a vehicle driver is going to have to live with that for the rest of their lives.
responsibility

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