Some say there’s a growing safety risk and a new proposal to take them off the streets was discussed in Thursday’s City Council meeting.
HOUSTON — Electric scooters zipping around the city could soon be banned in midtown and downtown Houston.
Some say there’s a growing safety risk and a new proposal to take them off the streets was discussed in Thursday’s City Council meeting.
City officials said they’ve tried to regulate scooters, but the problem has only grown. Now they’re considering a full ban in several parts of the city where riders are causing safety concerns.
Back in 2021, the city passed rules to stop scooters from blocking sidewalks and gave authorities the power to seize them.
But since then, residents said riders have continued to zip through pedestrian spaces, sometimes even shooting guns on the scooters.
Just last year, data from the Texas Department of Transportation indicated that there were 21 scooter crashes and two related deaths in Houston.
Many people who live and work in downtown are calling for a complete ban, but others argue for more regulation instead.
“We strongly support the proposed changes to the scooter ordinance as is,” said Todd Holloman, the VP of venues and live events with Houston First. “Our experience extends beyond a simple nuisance or inconvenience. There is no regard to rules, regulations, and often in an attempt to create chaos, it causes harm.”
Resident Ed Pettitt was among those against a total ban.
“Instead of a blanket punishment, the city should be partnering with a proven responsible vendor,” Pettitt said. “Lime is one, there’s others. They can do geo fencing, speed caps, sidewalk detection, curfews.”
Scooter rental companies said they’d lose business if a ban were to go through. There were also questions about whether Houston police have the bandwidth to enforce such a ban.