Jump to content

EUC regulation in USA


tata

Recommended Posts

I was riding today in the street of Seattle and while waiting for a red light, an old lady told me "these" are illegal on the sidewalk(where I think is the safest you can ride an EUC in city). I know 99.99% people are cool with it including the police, but still bring me to these questions, especially with the posts about other countries' law enforcement lately. 

Exactly what catagory is EUC when it comes to the law, is it still a "grey area"? I knew from this other post(EUC’s and rhe police . US laws and ordinances). that EUC is not segway since only has one wheel.

What is the government's attitude in the near future in US?

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In San Diego it is illegal for any wheeled vehicle to be on sidewalks with store fronts. Including highly populated areas like boardwalks. You can thank all the idiots on bird scooters for that law. The way I see it, if you are going faster than jogging speed, you should be on the street. Side walk is too narrow to maneuver if someone pops out from a blind corner. "But I'm too slow for the street" you say. I respond with get a faster wheel. BTW most bikers go 16 mph when on the street. Streets are made for fast things and sidewalks are made for walking. Not trying to be rude just trying to clear up the "grey" area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From here (Seattle law) I know you are not a bike but the principle is the same: use your own discretion and be courteous to those slower than you.

Section 11.44.120 RIDING ON A SIDEWALK OR PUBLIC PATH.

Every person operating a bicycle upon any sidewalk or public path shall operate the same in a careful and prudent manner and a rate of speed no greater than is reasonable and proper under the conditions existing at the point of operation, taking into account the amount and character of pedestrian traffic, grade and width of sidewalk or public path, and condition of surface, and shall obey all traffic control devices. Every person operating a bicycle upon a sidewalk or public path shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian thereon, and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing any pedestrian.

Edited by Flyboy10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It looks like the proliferation of e-scooters has both helped and hurt our cause. Alternate forms of transportation are both recognized and in the works to be managed more.

Around here, both in the city and suburbs (I live ~20 miles outside of Austin), EUC riding is accepted with few limitations. The hiking trails just got posted this year for "NO SCOOTERS", however there is almost no enforcement and on weekends you still see many people riding on the hiking trails on scooters.

Around the city, it's generally frowned upon to ride on the sidewalk, but most people (and officers) understand the common sense approach that riding a 2-wheel scooter in traffic makes no sense. There are a few bicycle lanes, but I would say about half the people I see riding scooters are on the sidewalks. I'm sure they will slam it to you if you get caught running into someone, and many people are starting to complain about the traffic. There are 100's if not 1000's of scooters downtown and on the weekends it's crazy how many people are riding them.

I am using the e-scooters as a barometer for EUC regulation, because it seems the laws world wide are lumping them both together.

So far, every officer I have spoken to or seen has not given me a problem. I've even run red lights on sidewalks before with an officer at the stop light, and did not get pulled over. Of course, I stop, look twice before crossing, and am wearing safety gear...so I don't really give him an excuse to stop me.

Ride safely!

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, tata said:

I was riding today in the street of Seattle and while waiting for a red light, an old lady told me "these" are illegal on the sidewalk(where I think is the safest you can ride an EUC in city). I know 99.99% people are cool with it including the police, but still bring me to these questions, especially with the posts about other countries' law enforcement lately. 

Exactly what catagory is EUC when it comes to the law, is it still a "grey area"? I knew from this other post(EUC’s and rhe police . US laws and ordinances). that EUC is not segway since only has one wheel.

What is the government's attitude in the near future in US?

 

I have been riding for a few months around Seattle and the only negatives from people have been scorn looks from some cyclists approaching me head on. I wave at the police when I pass them be it the sidewalk, bike path, road and they always just wave back. Most pedestrians I have come across think they are really cool and ask about them, I have even let a few try it out right there. :)

I actually have a inquiry open with SDOT right now trying to figure out what laws if any exist for EUC. I have seen others post about EPMAD but the State of Washington classifies these as 2 wheel, self-balancing devices. recap of WA laws on epmad. http://www.wsp.wa.gov/traveler/docs/equipmt/epmad.pdf

I recently registered the domain seattleeriders.com in hopes to put any information I find on the laws around EUC and other e-rides in Seattle. Also hoping to eventually embed the various groups calendars (mostly off facebook) around Seattle on the site for those who do not do social media (like myself) but would like to participate in group rides.

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, scubadragosan said:

I have to begin by saying some laws are good, some aren't. For the law to dictate where an EUC should be ridden (at this point, either this law doesn't exist, not specific enough or just too grey to understand by anyone) is a dangerous law. When road traffic is too fast, too heavy and lack of bike lanes, only my survival instincts can tell me where is the safest to go.  The natural law: "When traffic is crazy, I, the EUC rider will escape to the sidewalk or wherever I feel safe." When sidewalk is too crowded, I will weave in and out between road, driveways and sidewalks and perhaps stop completely. Thus, the natural laws gives me the power to "No one can or should dictate to me where it is safe for me. Only I can make that decision."  We all have one thing in common: our survival instincts, sometimes have to rise above the law, when the law is problematic!

Perfectly put in my perspective.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, tata said:

I was riding today in the street of Seattle and while waiting for a red light, an old lady told me "these" are illegal on the sidewalk(where I think is the safest you can ride an EUC in city). I know 99.99% people are cool with it including the police, but still bring me to these questions, especially with the posts about other countries' law enforcement lately. 

Exactly what catagory is EUC when it comes to the law, is it still a "grey area"? I knew from this other post(EUC’s and rhe police . US laws and ordinances). that EUC is not segway since only has one wheel.

What is the government's attitude in the near future in US?

 

I am also in Seattle. And it is my understanding that we are legal on sidewalks and roads with speed limits of 35 or less.   Supposedly we aren’t supposed to go on bike paths but that’s stupid and I’ve never had anyone other than a grumpy pedestrian say anything.  I am very respectful and don’t speed past people and always give walkers the right of way.  I also smile at everyone.  Cause hey. I’m on my wheel. I’m happy as it gets. Lol.  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Flyboy10 said:

BTW most bikers go 16 mph when on the street. Streets are made for fast things and sidewalks are made for walking.

That's what I was thinking as well. eWheels go bike speed, so bike lanes seems like a good fit. In Florida, currently I think that EUC's, e-scooters, e-skateboards  are only legal on the sidewalks. Makes no sense. Shrug.

Edited by erk1024
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see that since the law is still blur on EUC, it's mostly subjective opinion and everyone agrees that safety first. 

While speed is indeed the important factor, I choose to mostly ride on sidewalk based on two more reasons that I can think of at the moment.

The volume of which a person mount an EUC is no different than a pedestrian.

The protection level of EUC riders is no different than pedestrians. Let's assume EUC can go 50 mph and catch up with cars easily on the roads, will you do that? I sure won't because when things happens I am so dead and the car might have some scratch or pit. On the other hand, on the sidewalk, the rider and pedestrians takes the same level of risk which I think is most responsible choice for EUC rider and others. Not sure if I express the idea clear on this one, English is not my first language :).     

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel like a broken record repeating myself but...

...be mindful of sidewalks that aren't actually sidewalks. These fake sidewalks have driveways that legally allowed drivers to freely enter and exit sidewalks. It is for this reason alone that you should be most cautious when on the sidewalk as a pedestrian, EUC, or bicyclists.

Also, you should be cautious about using dedicated non-protected bicycle lanes because you're more likely to get hit by a driver who gives you less room, or by a driver opening his door into the dedicated bike lane.

I consider most sidewalks and dedicated non-protected bike lanes as bait; naively chow down on that rotten mass thinking it's good meat, and whoops you're either killed or injured.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was all over San Diego with no problem on my mini pro, ain't no speed demon like some of the folks here... Tell the old hag to stick to her walker, and stay out of the way....

And keep your music blasting so they know you are coming....

Edited by MetricUSA
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/5/2019 at 10:36 PM, tata said:

I was riding today in the street of Seattle and while waiting for a red light, an old lady told me "these" are illegal on the sidewalk

Always carry a dozen roses with you and kill them with kindness. ;)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

+1 on idiots on rental escooters.  Portland OR trialed them last year and we were flooded with them.  They recently came back in much smaller numbers and I'm already seeing the stupid behavior.  Riding like an a**h*l* on the sidewalk, going the wrong way in the bike lane, diddling with the unlock app while standing obliviously in the middle of the bike lane . . .

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had someone try and jump out in front me to cause an accident yesterday....I just quickly broke and swerved around them as they yelled something at me and laughed. There are a lot of broken jealous people in this world.

My best advice is to record everything. It's rare that something will happen, but when it does it will most likely be the other party's fault and it will be something illegal they do or try to do. Video evidence will make it clear they are lying.

 

I used to enjoy walking everywhere before I got my first wheel, but the amount of times people in cars never stop for the walking cross sign was staggering. Pretty much 80% in the turning lane look left for traffic do a rolling stop and punch the gas (I've been hit 2 times walking). And people with a green light but no green turning light? Forget about it, doesn't matter if you're a pregnant mom pushing a stroller with full right of way walk sign....they are going to plow through you as they text on their phone. And then really old people just flat out suck at driving they constantly break half the laws when they are driving, if I see an old person in a car I just assume they are going to run a stop sign or a red light, or just not give a crap about pedestrian crossings. Plus they stare while driving, and almost cause accidents in the process for not paying attention.

Here in Dayton there are very public and welcoming laws for bikes to share the roads with cars, but still cyclist will stick to sidewalks and only bike paths when necessary. Even though it's illegal in Ohio to ride on most sidewalks they have to do this because they know how dangerous and careless most drivers are....and most are so dumb they don;t know the laws and think running a cyclist off the road is a righteous thing to do. Most cops allow cyclist and e-users to ride wherever (within reason) because they know that motorists are terrible about paying attention and knowing bike laws.

I know in Columbus and Cincy have welcomed BIRD and Lime. Allowed them to be ridden on the sidewalk at first, but now say it's only legal on the street and cycle paths.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I usually ride in the bike lane if available. Unfortunately very few streets in my area have bike lanes. I frequently ride on sidewalks if few pedestrians are around. If I encounter pedestrians on the sidewalk, I go into the street. I often encounter bicyclists, joggers, walkers (often with dogs) on neighborhood streets without sidewalks. I slow down, give them plenty of room, and give a smile, wave, and greeting. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, LanghamP said:

eScooters are entirely banned in Nashville, Tennessee.

Briley's 30-day ultimatum came one week after an accident involving scooter rider Brady Gaulke, 26, who died from injuries sustained during the crash three days later.

"The death of Brady Gaulke, a 26-year-old Nashville resident who suffered a serious scooter accident last week, has further emphasized the dangers associated with urban scooter riding," Briley said in the May 23 press release. "The Nashville Fire Department responded to 43 scooter injury calls in the month of April alone. Something has to change."

In the US, there have been 8 fatalities involving eScooters, of which six were killed by drivers.

Meanwhile, over 1000 people were killed by drivers in Tennessee. Perhaps the mayor of Nashville will take his keen perception of risk to all vehicles, and then appropriately apply the same ban within his own city.

And most likely it was accident car vs scooter. So obvious logic is ban scooters :facepalm

next they will ban walking

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, LucasD said:

next they will ban walking

I got you covered!

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/23/business/honolulu-walking-and-texting-fine.html

Which bans distracted walking, despite distracted driving being the major cause of pedestrian deaths and injuries. You put huge screens and radios along with cell phones within cars and expect them not to be distracted. Cars have all become entertainment living rooms.

https://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/pedestrian-safety-shared-responsibility-so-dont-walk-while-old

However, the vast majority of pedestrian deaths are the very old and the very young.

 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if this wreck will result in the local mayor banning Doge 2500 trucks from the highways and byways. After all, this single crash killed three times as many people as eScooters have.

A tragic crash on a rural, two-lane highway in New Hampshire took the lives of at least seven motorcyclists and left three others injured Friday.

However, there is a strong possibility that this was caused by a self-driving pickup, because evidently the truck just drove itself into the motorcyclists...

State police said a 2016 Dodge 2500 pickup truck collided with the motorcyclists on U.S. 2 in Randolph. 

It bothers me that eScooter regulation (eBikes, eScooters, eSkateboards, EUCs), which is suppose to protect us, isn't applied to what is most likely to kill us (automobiles). A reasonable person looks at regulations as a form of mitigating harmful behavior, or am I mistaken?

Edited by LanghamP
  • Like 2
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...