Letter: Why do we allow Lime Scooters in our town?

It is certainly the best business model I have ever seen. Pure Genius.

All over South Shore we see these cute little lime green scooters. We see them at bus stops. We see them at street corners. We see them in parking lots. All set up in little rows waiting for tourists to wave their phones at them and off they go.

So, what is the problem with that?

Well………there are quite a few problems with that.

First being they are incredibly unsafe. Since no one actually talks to those renting them, they are basically on their own to know what the rules and dangers are. So, people being people they pretty much do what they want. On many occasions I have seen 3 people on one scooter, including very small children. Couples are often are on just one either sharing for intimacy or they are just saving money. I really don’t know which. I’ve seen adults carrying babies while on them. I’ve seen them on the road right next to the highway. I’ve seen them on side walks scaring the hell out of people walking. I’ve seen them challenge bicycles on bike paths. I’ve seen them cutting through parking lots going faster then any other vehicles. I’ve seen them cross intersections without ever looking at traffic situations.

And after these conscientious renters are done, they just leave them. Pretty much wherever they feel like it, or where ever their battery died. They leave them laying down on sidewalks, on the road, in parking lots, on lawns, in parking spaces, in fields, on beaches and on piers, at people’s houses, even in the lake.

And I’ve seen a lot of them on the ground with their driver next to them tending to road rash and bruises on their elbows and knees and hands and elsewhere. Lots of them. Rumor has it that Barton is opening a new wing just for Lime Scooter injuries. Good to see at least one other business is benefiting from them!

So why a genius business? Because they apparently aren’t liable for any of these injuries or of anything else. They store them on public and private property all over town so they don’t have to pay for a store. That could easily be 30 different locations that they use as a store and don’t pay for. I understand for some of the public lands they have a deal with the city. But on private property no such deals have been made. They use private property all the time as their drop off point, their storage area and their point of sale for the next customer. And yet they have not asked permission from the private owners and don’t compensate them at all.

Why is that OK?

I discovered that trying to get ahold of their staff is close to impossible. Then I picked up three of these abandoned vehicles that were left on my beach and stuck them in a storage unit. That’s when a very belligerent guy shows up and tells my staff we have no right to do that. We don’t own them. Why not? If I find junk left on my property then it is mine. I’m sure I have the right to do with it whatever I want.

After a lengthy conversation making him understand that we don’t want them on our property he finally told us that he could set us up as a red zone in their computer program. REALLY? That’s possible?? Amazing how they really don’t want anyone to know that. This would mean that if they are driven onto my property, their computer would only allow them to go at one mile per hour till they left the zone. I wonder how many businesses would take that option if they knew about it?

Pure Genius. Don’t have to care about public safety. Not liable. Use every property around town to drop off, store and then sell their product at no cost to them. And they get away with that.

What’s next? Maybe lime jet skis parked in little rows on public and private beaches? Lime Rental cars in parking lots all over town? Just wave your phone at them and off you go. No need to worry about laws that pertain to them because the police don’t have the manpower to try to enforce those laws. This is a problem all over the country. Many places have already banned them for all the reasons I’ve mentioned.

Maybe the City Council could do something about this.

And don’t get me started on the 4 wheeled rental carriages that take up the entire bike path……….

- Patrick Ronan
Tahoe business owner for 21 years