Columbus Mayor Andy Ginther says he will soon submit legislation to City Council regarding the use of ride-sharing scooters and bicycles.
Use of the dockless devices has increased over the past year in cities across the country, including Columbus. Ginther describes the proposal as common sense guidelines that balance the interest in mobility options with safety concerns.
For the most part, the code changes resemble current bicycle laws. The devices must be operated on the road, bike lanes, or shared use paths in the right-of-way. Riders should only use the sidewalk when parking or going to or from an adjacent property. Single person devices should not have a passenger, and no more than two scooters can ride side by side. Ginther says the city will enact some temporary emergency rules while Council considers the legislation.
Last week, the city announced new rules regarding companies that rent the devices, including where and how the devices can be parked and the number of devices each company can offer.
