*** Seattle may ban scooters on sidewalks, bike lanes ***

Seattle, Washington -- 07/06/2004
The Seattle City Council is expected to vote today to prohibit
the use of gas-powered foot scooters on sidewalks and in bike lanes,
a move that could force riders onto roads and shoulders.

But the proposal has been criticized by a scooter salesman as well
as an advocate for pedestrians. The City Council tabled it last week
to make changes.

Gas and electric-motorized foot scooters, which have gained
popularity in recent years especially among teens, have been
criticized for their noise and because of safety concerns.
Auburn and Issaquah already have restricted their use, and
Bellevue is eyeing similar legislation.

Motorized foot scooters, as defined by the bill, are different from
mopeds and motorcycles. They have handlebars, wheels 10 inches
in diameter or less and can be ridden standing or sitting down,
according to the bill.

The bill before Seattle's council would require gas-scooter riders
to be 16 or older, to have mufflers on the scooter and to obey most
of the same laws as bicyclists. Scooters would be required to have
brakes and specified lights for nighttime riding. An amendment would
prohibit passengers on scooters.

The bill also restricts operation of Segway vehicles, which are ridden
standing up and have a wheel on each side of a foot board. They
would be prohibited in bike lanes and on public paths as well, unless
a rider has a physical disability. Scooters and Segways also would be
prohibited on public-school playgrounds.

David Levinger, executive director of Feet First, a pedestrian-advocacy
group, said it is important to note that scooters are not in the same
category of vehicle as bicycles. He said scooters cannot be adequately
lighted at night because of their shape.

He also questioned why the legislation seemed to encourage the
use of electric foot scooters, which would be allowed on sidewalks,
over gas ones, which would not.

"One would expect Seattle to have the strictest, most
pedestrian-friendly,
safety-conscious and environmentally friendly legislation around,"
he said.

Because the Seattle law would allow electric foot scooters on
sidewalks and at night, "we consider the Seattle foot-scooter
legislation to be weaker than not only Portland, Vancouver and
San Francisco, but also to be, in many ways, behind the legislation
of its neighbors such as Auburn," Levinger said.

He said there is no provision in state law that requires local lawmakers

to accommodate motorized foot scooters. But several council members
said state laws complicated crafting of the legislation.

"State law doesn't allow us to prohibit any of those scooters," said
Councilman Richard Conlin, the bill's sponsor, "and it doesn't allow
us to require driver's licenses."

Council President Jan Drago, who is backing the no-passenger
amendment, described Conlin's bill as a "pilot," saying that it likely
will be evaluated and that the council will be open to changes in
the future.

Conlin, chairman of the council's Transportation Committee,
said he has asked the state Department of Health to draft a helmet
law for scooter riders, similar to one for bicyclists.

He said his bill aims to protect pedestrians
and to address noise and safety complaints.

"I think it has strong support," he said. "I think everybody
understands the concerns about these scooters."

Yale Wong, CEO of Galaxy Scooters in Seattle, questioned whether
the legislation would make it safer for scooter riders. He said the
vehicles are toys and should be kept off roads.

"You're actually asking for more accidents," Wong said. "They
should not be on the road. You're asking for more trouble.
They're not street legal."

Councilman Richard McIver said the question is, "Whose safety
are we looking out for? ... I think our first responsibility needs to
be to the pedestrian."

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