Paris posts "Kickboard Taji Ma" referendum... Opposition to "Eco-friendly Transport"

Increase in Kickboard Deaths and Illegal Parking Troubles
April Kickboard Rental Service Ban Referendum

The city of Paris, France, is considering banning electric scooter rental services, and citizens are scheduled to vote for or against the measure in April.

According to AFP on the 15th (local time), Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, stated in the weekend edition of the daily newspaper Le Parisien that critics point out that electric scooter riders often do not follow road rules properly.

She said, "Opinions on this are extremely divided," and that in the vote scheduled for April 2, Paris residents will be asked a "very simple question": "Should the electric scooter rental service continue?"

The report noted that electric scooter users often violate road driving bans and park recklessly, with some users leaving scooters in parks or even throwing them into the Seine River.

Proponents of Scooters: "A Fast and Pollution-Free Alternative Public Transport"

Photo by Asia Economy DB

However, supporters argue that the 15,000 electric scooters operated by Lime, Dott, and Tier in Paris serve as a fast and pollution-free alternative public transportation option.

Mayor Hidalgo also said that although she personally supports banning electric scooter services, she will respect the results of the Paris citizens' vote, adding, "Privately owned scooters are not subject to this vote."

Earlier, in September last year, the city of Paris warned three electric scooter service providers that if they failed to curb reckless driving and other "misuse" by users, their licenses, which expire in March, would not be renewed.

Lime, Dott, and Tier, companies authorized to operate electric scooters in Paris, have emphasized that micro-mobility services contribute to achieving Paris's environmental and climate goals.

24 Deaths from Electric Scooters in France Last Year

Seoul City is also preparing comprehensive improvement measures, including setting return restriction zones to prevent illegal parking of shared electric scooters and reduce accidents.
[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

The main concern influencing the decision is the safety of micro-mobility. According to French government statistics, 24 people died last year in accidents involving personal electric vehicles, including electric scooters. This is an increase compared to 7 deaths in 2020 and 10 in 2019. According to Reuters, in addition to fatalities, there were 337 accidents involving micro-mobility vehicles in the eight months up to August 2021, up from 247 in the same period in 2020.

In response, scooter operators emphasize that the increase in accidents and deaths should be considered in light of higher usage rates. Nicolas Goss?, Chief Business Officer (CBO) of Dott, argued, "Considering the increased usage, safety has actually improved."

A spokesperson for Lime stated, "Between January 2020 and June 2022, safety incidents involving Lime scooters in Paris were below 0.01%," emphasizing that "Lime scooters had fewer fatal accidents per ride than bicycles, and far fewer than motorcycles or cars."

Electric Scooters Cause Problems Worldwide... Attention on Paris's Decision

Last May, a citizen was riding without wearing a helmet on a road near Gongdeok Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul.
Photo by Asia Economy DB

The decision made through the vote in Paris is very important as it could have a decisive impact on major cities worldwide. Recently, many cities around the world, including New York and Washington D.C., have been expanding electric scooter usage. However, there is also significant public opposition citing risks and safety concerns. Therefore, Paris's decision could influence policies in other major cities.

AFP reported that if the vote results in a ban on electric scooter services, Paris would be an exceptional major city to prohibit this service. In response, electric scooter companies introduced improvements last November, such as attaching license plates to scooters to make it easier to track traffic signal violations, but they could not prevent the vote.

David Belliard, Deputy Mayor in charge of urban transport, said, "Electric scooters block the streets and are dangerous, and cost-benefit analyses have not favored this service," adding, "I support banning electric scooter services for the sake of road peace."