The days of riding e-scooters at top speeds throughout the BeltLine are officially over---at 6 p.m. tonight, that is.
The City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Police Department's Path Force Unit are cracking down on speed and other uses of dockless scooters and bikes on the Atlanta BeltLine after complaints of unsafe behavior from users, according to a news release.
At 6 p.m. tonight, the city will enforce a reduced speed zone using geo-fencing on the Eastside Trail of the BeltLine between Monroe Drive and DeKalb Avenue. The new law will affect all dockless companies currently operating more than 12,000 vehicles in the city.
The e-scooters will top out at 8 MPH when they're within this zone; typically, most brands can reach up to 15 MPH.
The zone will be enforced on weekday evenings (Monday through Thursday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.), weekends (Friday at 6 p.m. through Monday at 6 a.m.) and state holidays (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.). The new rule will be enforced on this upcoming Fourth of July. Users will be allowed to ride at higher speeds during non-congested times on the BeltLine during the weekdays.
All three organizations said this new order is a collaborative effort to make riding dockless vehicles safer along the BeltLine and encourage better rider etiquette. The decision came after several complaints from passersby on the BeltLine about the use of dockless e-scooters and bikes, as well as other unsafe riding behavior.
"As a result, several measures will be implemented during this initial phase to regulate dockless use, address reckless, dangerous, and inconsiderate behavior, and reduce clutter on the trails," the press release states. "We are still meeting to determine solutions to managing other forms of speed and dangerous behaviors along the corridor."
In addition to the reduced speed zone, the city has recommended scooter companies to create a Transition Zone 150 feet from the trail so users can ease into the Reduced Speed Zone. The City will also enforce specefic parking zones for dockless vehicles on the Eastside and Westside Trails to "reduce clutter and allow for accessibility at entrances to the trails."
Meaning, riders won't be able to park anywhere on or along the BeltLine except at the designated parking areas. The city said it is working with e-scooter companies to update their apps to restrict parking and locking the scooters along the BeltLine's unauthorized zones.
The BeltLine is also working to limit the number of dockless devices each company is allowed to deploy along the trail at a time. The city and Atlanta PD will start handing out flyers on the new laws to people on the BeltLine and running an Awareness Day from 4 to 6 p.m. tonight on the Eastside Trail by Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark.
BeltLine officials encourage those on the trail to call 311 to report any unsafe dockless behavior. To report parking issues, walkers are encouraged to contact the dockless companies and, of course, all accidents and injuries should involve a call to 911.
The news comes just a week after the city announced it was entertaining imposing a fine of up to $1,000 to users who rode the dockless devices on the sidewalk, which is illegal.
Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore even told Fox 5 a temporary ban on all scooters might be ordered so that city leaders can manage the scooter chaos.
Several smaller municipalities around the Atlanta metro have made steps to ban the scooters outright from coming to their city.
The City of Alpharetta, Marietta and Smyrna have all banned dockless companies from operating within their city limits. Athens, home to the University of Georgia, voted in December to ban the scooters for a year while city officials try to find a solution.
As of June 3, there are outstanding permits for 2,000 dockless devices in the city for Bird, Jump, Lime, Lyft and Spin, 1,000 e-scooters for Bolt and Wheels and 500 e-scooters for Gotcha, according to the City of Atlanta's website.
