VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Speed limits and area regulations are just a few of the rules electric scooter riders will have to follow if they want to get around Virginia Beach this summer.
Scooter injuries last summer resulted in an Oceanfront ban. Now, Virginia Beach City Council hopes to ensure safer rides.
Assistant to the City Manager Brian Solis said this year scooters will be limited to 15 mph throughout the city. Riders will have to go 10 mph on shared bike paths like Atlantic Avenue. They will not be allowed on the boardwalk or on roads exceeding 25 mph. The scooters are equipped with geofences that will regulate this.
“Didn’t think there was a problem with them,” said community member Jonathan Kuntze. “I thought it was pretty cool.
People in Virginia Beach have mixed opinions on the return.
“I think e-scooters are great,” said resident Marc Micheals. “I think that this is not the appropriate place to have them.”
Micheals said he is worried about people riding while intoxicated. Others were concerned about the appearance.
“It seems like a fun thing to do at the oceanfront, so I don’t have anything against them,” said resident Lindsey Messer. “They kind of litter the ground.”
But, the city’s permits also means new rules for scooter companies themselves.
Solis said they want to cap the entire city at 1,000 scooters. The city only wants 400 of those at the Oceanfront. Council agreed they could raise the cap if they see a demand over the next year.
New one-time $5,000 fees from vendors will go towards building parking areas. Solis said they hope companies will offer some sort of incentive to get users to park their scooters there when they finish. The city is also requiring companies to provide education and safety plans.
Solis said the city already has five interested vendors. Two of them are Lime and Bryd that both provided services last year.
Permit applications will become available on January 13. Solis said vendors will have to answer how they will manage their scooter rentals. The city will approve permits based on companies that best meet their new criteria.