The nighttime ban went into force on Friday and will apply to company - deployed due east - iceboat and e - bikes in the region between the hours of 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. accord to a representative for the mayor ’s office , the nighttime rider confinement will apply to permitted equipment operated by Bird , Boaz , Bolt , Gotcha , Jump , Lime , Lyft , Spin , and Wheels in the Atlanta metro area . ( Two companies , Spin and Boaz , have permission but had not deploy devices in the metropolis at the meter the nighttime prohibition go into effect . )
According to the city manager ’s federal agency , all of the companies have been asked to handicap their devices during the designated hours .
“ It is manifest that immediate action at law is necessary to keep Atlanta ’s resident physician and visitors dependable , ” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in astatementlast week . “ Sadly , we have seen a pattern in the late and tragic fatalities involving scooter — they all come after sundown . Having a variety of mobility options is critical to any metropolis , but safety must be our top priority . This nighttime ban , while we go on to acquire further foresighted - term measures , will ensure the safe street conditions for scooter riders , automobilist , cyclists , those in wheelchair and pedestrians . ”
Pedestrians walk past electric scooters Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Atlanta.Photo: John Bazemore (AP)
Those measures include plan for “ safer , dedicated spaces ” for east - scooter and due east - motorcycle riders , the city said , as well as a “ revised choice process ” to limit the identification number of dockless ice yacht vendors partnering with the urban center , a procedure that ’s await to be completed by February of 2020 . The metropolis began supply license for the deployment of the devices earlier this twelvemonth .
Atlanta is hardly the first metropolis to institute acrackdown on the devicesfollowing account of abuse , injury , and dying — it ’s not even the first city to propose a nighttime ban in response . A billintroducedby D.C. Councilmember Mary M. Cheh in June aimed to establish a nighttime ban on electrical scoter and bike between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. , among other proposed rules .
The city ’s decision to implement the ban follows foure - water scooter - related deathsin the Atlanta metro surface area , all of which — as Bottoms noted — include collisions with motor vehicle , include acommercial gas truckand aCobbLinc transit bus . Still , the decision faced backlash from community member and mobility protesters who argue the forbiddance “ disproportionately affects third - shimmy and service industry workers , ” and who say that more should be done to mold the city ’s railcar . On Tuesday , protesters congregated outside of Atlanta City Hall to challenge the curfew .
“ By the city manager ’s own price of admission , Atlanta ’s road are dangerous . Yet , the nighttime sea scooter ban does n’t address the true causa of the dealings vehemence and lives lost on the street of Atlanta , ” aFacebook pagefor the protest read . “ In lieu of prioritise comprehensive speed reduction and protected base , the mayor peck on scooters and e - bikes as prosperous target and has create an inequity proceeds that disproportionately affects third - sack and service industry worker . ”
A spokesperson for the mayor ’s office told Gizmodo by phone that it ’s yet to be square off whether the ban will rest in blank space after extra safety measure have been taken , adding that there ’s “ a broader conversation to be had on bring retentive - terminal figure measures to address safety and equity in mobility . ”
Still , the Bachelor of Arts in Nursing does heighten questions about whether such a move could see wider acceptation in cities that are grapple with similar issue . For the time being , at least , scooter caller themselves look to be playing ball . A Bird spokesperson told Gizmodo in a financial statement by email that it is complying with the curfew and explore “ foresighted term result that more effectively meet the pauperization of all passage users — in particular , those who expect access to fare in the evening hour . ”
Meanwhile , Nima Daivari , Georgia Community Relations Manager at Lime , commended the move and said in a statement sent to Gizmodo by email that “ butt has certify monitory leadership on how to well allow for micromobility service to Atlanta ’s resident and visitors alike . ” ( The company , interestingly , characterized the proscription as “ temporary . ” While the city tell Gizmodo that the night prohibition “ is not needs lasting , ” Tim Keane , Atlanta ’s commissioner of urban center provision , has saidthe city hop “ that this ban is very temporary . ” )
“ This temporary pause on previous Nox horseback riding is a reasonable and deliberate approach as the City continues to ferment on its scooter policies , ” Daivari added . “ Lime will comply with the Mayor ’s executive orderliness and will continue to work closely with her governing body to ensure a good environs for all road users so Atlantans can continue to receive the benefits of a robust , humbled - cost , emanation - free transportation system . ”
Update : This station has been set to clarify that Lime characterize the ban as temporary , officials have made statements to that effect , and the city still has n’t made a decision on whether or not it will be permanent .
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