BAY HARBOR ISLANDS, Fla. — Officials in Bay Harbor Islands are looking at banning electric scooters for riders under 16.
It would follow nearby Sunny Isles Beach in doing so, which implemented its ban on Monday, the same day Bay Harbor Islands Town Council discussed a potential ban.
Sunny Isles Beach Mayor Larisa Svechin said she noticed an immediate difference on Monday, saying she saw “zero” scooters. She said she would see previously see hundreds daily.
Some question whether scooter bans are government overreach.
“I very much believe that the government should stay out of your private life,” Svechin said. “However, that’s like saying I don’t want to wear a seat belt.”
Bay Harbor Islands town officials met at 6 p.m. Monday to discuss.
“The purpose of tonight’s meeting is really to hear from the residents how they feel,” Bay Harbor Islands Councilman Eric Rappaport told Local 10 News.
According to Bay Harbor Islands Police Chief Luis Alvarez, they’ve recently seen nearly a dozen injury reports involving electric scooters.
“We’re not just issuing citations to the kids on the bikes, some of them really don’t know any better,” he said. “When the parents get there and receive a citation it really is an eye opener.”
This all comes as a new state law is set to take effect on July 1 requiring scooter riders to stay below 10 miles per hour when within 50 feet of a pedestrian.
There is no word on when Bay Harbor Islands will make a decision on any scooter regulations.
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