BIRDSCOTERS

Transkript

1 BIRDSCOTERS (andotherscoter-sharecompanies) ByDavidD.Daget PersonalInjury CarAcidents Workers Compensation SocialSecurityDisability TheDagetShulerteamisdedicatedtorepresentingtherightsofindviduals injuredbythenegligentconductofothers,injuredatworkordisabled.

2 TableofContents Introduction: WhatAreThey?. 2 ChapterOne: HowDoTheyWork?. 3 ChapterTwo: WhatAreTheRisks&LiabilitiesSuroundingShareableScooters?.5 ChapterThree: TheQuestionofLegalLiability. 7 ChapterFour: HowToTryBirdSafely.8 ChapterFive: Winston-Salem CityRegulations.10 ChapterSix: Conclusion.12 DISCLAIMER:ThispublicationprovidesgeneralinformationregardingnewlegislationinNorthCarolinacoveringbaterypowered scootersandisnotintendedtobe,norisit,legaladvice.iflegaladviceorotherprofessionalassistanceisrequired,theservicesofa competentprofessionalpersonshouldbesought. Asthispublicationisnotintendedaslegaladvice,anyuseofthisinformationwilnotcreateanatorney-clientrelationship.Afteran initialconsultation,andbeforerepresentingyouonanyclaim,awritenatorney-clientagreementmustbesignedinordertocreate sucharelationship.

3 Introduction WhatAreThey? ThebirdshavelandedinWinston-Salem,NC, andwe renotreferingtothegeese!rather,we re referingtobirdscooters,theelectricshareable scootersthatseeminglyappearedovernightthis summerandhavebeengainingpopularity(and notoriety)eversince. Beforewejumpintotoomanyspecificsthough, let stakeacloserlookattheserentablescooters andhowtheywork. BasedoutofSantaMonica,Californiaandfounded inseptemberof2017,birdisascooter-share companythatoperateselectricscootersoutof100 citiesacrossnorthamerica,europeandasia.with thousandsofusersandthousandsofscooterson theroads,thecompanyreportsthatusershave takenover10milionscooterridesduringtheirfirst yearofoperationalone. Thecompany smission,accordingtotheirwebsite, istomakecitiesmorelivablebyreducingcarusage, trafic,andcarbonemissions. Whichsoundslike agoodthing,right?lesstraficisdefinitelyagood thing,asarefewercarbonemissions.butwhatabout thepotentialhazardstheypresentontheroadsand corespondingliabilities? Pagei2

4 Chapter1 HowDoTheyWork? Usingamobileappdownloadedontoasmartphone, userscanconnecttheircreditcard,scantheirlicense, unlockthescooter,andthenthey regoodtogo.the appchargesaflatratetostartthescooterandthen aper-milefee,whichendsupcostingabout$2for ahalf-miletrip. Beforestartingofthough,usersarerequiredto readalistofrulesandsignaterm ofservice-style documentthroughtheapp.theserulesarefairly standardanddesignedtokeepriderssafe.for example,ridersarerequiredtowearahelmet (thoughhelmetsarenotincludedwiththescooters), theymusthaveavaliddriver slicense,theymust rideinthestreet(notonsidewalks),andridersare encouragedtoavoidridinginparkingstructures. However,let stakeamomenttoconsiderhow efectivetheserulesareinensuringthesafetyof everyoneontheroad,includingthescooterdriver andthosearoundthem.first,themajorityof individualsridingthescootersdon tgooutlooking forthem.oneoftheperksoftheprogram isthat Pagei3

5 they reaconvenientwaytogetfrom pointato pointb.however,thismeansthatit salsohighly unlikelythattheaverageuserisgoingtohavea helmetwiththem atthetimeofuse. Second,whileitmightappeareasy,getingused todrivingoneofthesescooterstakesabitoftime andpractice,andtryingitoutforthefirsttimeon theroadwithcarsandotherdriversisprobably notthesafestsituation. Third,realisticaly,it sunlikelythatusersaregoing toreadalofthetermsofserviceandrulesbefore startingontheirride.thislackofknowledgemeans thatriderscaneasilybreakanyandaloftherules, withoutevenknowingthey redoingso. Whichleadstothefourthpoint:whoisincharge ofenforcingtheserules?thebirdcompanyhasno waytodoso.withtraficlaws,they restandardized acrossthenationandenforcedbylawenforcement. Andlawenforcementischargedwithpolicingcars, trucks,andothersimilartypesofvehicle.but wheredotheseshareablemotorizedscootersfal categoricaly? Thisleadstoadiscussionaroundliabilities,which we lcoverinthenextsection. Pagei4

6 Chapter2 WhatAreTheRisks&LiabilitiesSuroundingShareableScooters? Asdiscussedearlier,thereareasignificantnumber ofrisksandliabilitiessuroundingthesescooters. Initialy,andperhapsmostobviously,istheissue ofinexperiencedriders.ridingamotorizedscooter isunlikemostotherformsoftransportation even non-motorizedscooters.andotherdrive-ableor ride-ablevehicleslikecarsormopedsrequirealot ofpracticeandtrainingbeforedriversarealowed totakethem ontheroad.so,eventhoughtheapp requiresuserstoscantheirlicenseinbeforeriding ascooter,thatdoesn tnecessarilymakethem qualifiedtoorskiledatdrivingthem. Anothermajorliabilitythatthesescooterspresent isthepotentialforaccidentsduetolowvisibility. Whilethescootersthemselveshavelightsatthe frontandback(andmanyhavemulti-colored changinglightsunderneaththebase),it sunlikely thatriderswouldbewearinghighvisibilityclothing. Thistypeofclothingandequipmentisrequiredof otherriders,suchascyclists,buttherearecurently norulesorregulationsrequiringthisofscooter-riders. Pagei5

7 Therefore,eventhoughthescootersaremeantto bedrivenonroad,theirridersoftenaren tvery visibletocars,trucks,andothervehiclesonthe roads.similarly,thelightsonthescootersare designedmoretomakethescootersvisibleto othersandlessforroadvisibility,sothere san addeddangerhereinthatridersmaybeableto seeonlylitle,ifany,oftheroadinfrontofthem, includinganypotentialhazards individualstryingtousethesidewalktowalkorrun. Peoplemaytripoverthem ifthey reblockingnormal pathsofpedestriantrafic,andthereiseventhe possibilityofthescootersfalingoverinfrontofor evenontoapasserby. Moreover,scooterwrecksthemselvesareamajor liability.asmentionedabove,ridersarelikelynot wearingahelmetoranyotherprotectivegearto guardagainstroadrash,bumpsandbruises,or moreseriouscrash-relatedinjuries.similarly,itis notonlytheridersthemselveswhoareatriskhere. Otherpedestrianscanbehitbyscooters,aswel ascarsandothervehicles. Additionaly,anotherseriousliabilityispresented notbyriders,butbythescootersthemselves.while thetermsofservicerequirethatthey reriddenon theroad,whilethey renotinuse,thescootersare almostalwaysstationedonsidewalks,oftenin flocks oftwoormoreforusebygroups.aside from beingtheeyesorethatthepublicinsome citieshasdeemedthem,thismonopolizationof sidewalkrealestatealsomakesitdificultfor. Pagei6

8 Chapter3 TheQuestionofLegalLiability someonetripsoverit,oravehicledrivesoverit), whoisatfault?thetrickythinghereisthat,in manyways,theprecedentforhowthesecases arehandledlegalyhasnotbeenset.generaly, ifyouareinjuredwhileriding,theinsurancethat youcaryshouldkickin.insomeoftheother exampleslaidoutabove,wheretheliabilityfalsis lessclear.andonlytimewiltelhowthecourts andthelegalsystem wilrulehere. Anadditionaldificultypresentsitselfhereaswel whenthequestionofresponsibilityarises.ifa scooterhitsacar,oranotherperson,orsomehow damagessomeone sproperty,whoisresponsible? Ifariderisinanaccidentwhileridingascooter, whathappens?whoisliablefortheinjuriestothe rider,tothescooter,andtoanyoneelseinvolved? Ifascooterinjuressomeonewhilenotbeingridden (forexample,ifitfalsonsomeonewhileparked, Pagei7

9 Chapter4 HowToTryBirdSafely Uptothispoint,we veprimarilybeendiscussing thedangersandliabilitiesaroundshareable scooters.however,ifyou recuriousaboutthis newtechandinterestedintryingitout,thereare waystotrythem outsafely,solongasyoutake properprecautionsandpracticegoodsafety protocols. First,instalthescooterappaheadoftimeand familiarizeyourselfwithhowitworks.readup ontherulesandtermsofserviceandmakesure you refolowingthem duringuse.second,plan aheadforyourscootertrip,nomaterhowlong orshortitwilbe.bringahelmetforyourselfand ensureanyoneridingwithyouhasaproperly fiting,appropriatelysizedhelmettowearaswel. Wearbright,orifyouhaveit,highvisibilityclothing whileriding,especialyifyouplantorideatnight. Ifyouhaveanysafetygearforbikeormotorcycle riding,suchaswearableblinkinglightsoritemsof clothingorsafetygearwithreflectivepatchesor panels,it sagoodideatowearthoseaswel. Pagei8

10 BirdScooters(AndotherScoter-ShareCompanies) Additionaly,ensurethatyou reobservingal applicableroadlawswhileridingandonlyrideon roads,notonsidewalksorotherpedestrian thoroughfares.it salwaysagoodideatopractice beforehandinaparkinglottomakesureyou re familiarwiththewaythescooterworksand comfortablenavigatingandmaneuveringitamong othervehiclesandobstacles.. Andlastly,butcertainlynotleast,whileyou re ridingit simportanttobehyper-awareofboth yourselfandanyvehiclesaroundyou.cars,trucks, andbusseshaveblindspotsandmaynotbeable toseeyouonascooterormaysimplynotbe payingatention.therefore,intheinterestof keepingyourselfsafe,youmustbeextravigilant aboutmonitoringthevehiclesandotherhazards aroundyourselfasmuchasispossible. Pagei9

11 Chapter5 Winston-Salem CityRegulations Duringthesummerof2018,approximately100 electricscootersrathermysteriouslyshowedup onthestreetsofwinston-salem.theywere embracedbysomeanddisdainedbyothers. Inthemidstofwhatquicklybecameapolarizing dialoguearoundtown,citycouncilvotedtoenact atemporarybanofthescootersinordertoset forthregulations.beforethetemporarybanwent intoefectthenumbershadbaloonedfrom 100 toaround1000. AttheendofMarch2019,theWinston-Salem City Councilpassedscooterregulationsthatalowfor electricscootersonthestreetsofthecity.ifyou intendtorideanelectricscooteritisimportantto beawareofandabidebytheseregulations.they include: Anewpermitingprocess. Requirementtohavelightsonthesidetoimprove visibility,awhitefrontlightandarearreflector. Riderswilbeencouragedtowearhelmets,but wilnotberequiredtowearone. Pagei10

12 BirdScooters(AndotherScoter-ShareCompanies) Scooterswilhavetofolowaltraficlaws,andwil notbealowedonsidewalks. Theywilonlybealowedonroads,notonany ofthecity sgreenways. Theywilhavetoyieldtopedestrians. Ridershavetobeatleast16yearsofage(in coordinationwiththebicyclelawofrequiring anyoneundertheageof16towearahelmet looksliketheyaretryingtopositionscooters undermanyofthesamerulesforbikeriders) ScooterswilberequiredtohaveGPSinstaled forcontinuoustracking. Scootercompanieswilprovidea24hourphone numberforservice,havelocaly-basedstaffor maintenance,andwilberequiredtokeep recordsonaccidents,customercomplaintsand maintenance. Astrict9pm cut-oftimeforrentingascooterwil beinplace. Theseregulationsaredesignedtocoverother devicesthatmightcropup suchaselectric assistedbicycles,rentalbikes,andarealcovered undertheterm micromobilitydevices Companieswhowanttoprovidescootershave toposta$1,000applicationfee,inadditiontoa feeof$100perscooter. Permitholderswouldhavetoconductclasses andmakeotherefortstoeducateriders,post informationonsafetyandtraficlaws. Pagei1

13 Chapter6 Conclusion Obviously,shareablescootersareacontentious issuefacingmanycitiesaroundthecountry.they areextremelyconvenientandcancutdownon manyissueslikeparking,trafic,emissions,and more.however,theyalsopresentauniquesetof chalenges,risks,andliabilitiestoriders, pedestrians,otherdrivers,andthecityitself. Now,withseveraldiferentcompaniesrenting thescooters Bird,Lime,andevenUber theproblem seemstobeanescalatingonethat citiesandlegalsystemswilhavetobegin addressingsoonerratherthanlater.regardless ofwhereyoufalonthequestionoftheseshareable scooters,exerciseextracautionontheroad regardlessofwhatyou redrivingsothatwecan alstaysaferandhealthier. Pagei12

14 ContactInformation HaveQuestions?GetinTouch! AtDaggetShulerLaw,wearehappytoanswer questionsandaddressanyconcernsyoumight haveaboutscooterlawsinnorthcarolina. We reeasilyaccessibleonlinethrough at: andthroughourfacebookpage: (htps:/ Youcanalsogiveusacalat: ,DaggetShuler,AtorneysatLaw,Alrightsreserved. Pagei13