Swimming against the tide here.
Photo: Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News
New Braunfels police on Wednesday issued a 90-day ban on commercial electric scooters in the city and will cite anyone caught using one with a Class C misdemeanor, city officials announced.
The temporary order was issued by Assistant Chief of Police Joe Vargas in an effort to address the scooter issue through “proper channels of city government,” according to a statement from David Ferguson, the communications coordinator for the City of New Braunfels.
“We understand it’s a national trend, but the reason behind this is getting something down on the books from city council and figuring out what the city wants to do about [the scooter companies] should they locate here,” Ferguson told mySA.com.
The ban applies to the commercial use of “electric motorized scooters on public streets, sidewalks and rights-of-way inside the incorporated city limits.”
“Under the temporary order, officers with the New Braunfels Police Department will be able to cite those using motorized scooters if they were acquired through a commercial business (shared mobility service) and if they are being used on public streets or sidewalks,” Ferguson said in a statement. “Each citation is the equivalent of a Class C Misdemeanor with a fine not to exceed $500.”
You can see the definitions of what’s allowed and not allowed here. I don’t know exactly where one would want to ride a scooter in New Braunfels – most of that town is either along a highway or in a residential area. Maybe near the Schlitterbahn or in the old-town-square district. Be that as it may, when Big Scooter comes to Austin to get a statewide law passed enabling their business, you’ll know where the first shot in that battle was fired.
” Be that as it may, when Big Scooter comes to Austin….”
“Big Scooter” I really did laugh out loud at that one. Nice!