No Grounds for Towing Even if Left Abandoned
Disposal and Collection Difficult Due to Company Ownership
#A sidewalk near Munjeong Station in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Two shared electric bicycles were blocking the middle of Beomwon-ro, which stretches in a straight line. Pedestrians walking by turned their bodies outside the sidewalk to avoid the bicycles. A dizzying situation also occurred when a pedestrian looking at their smartphone almost tripped over a bicycle wheel.
The streets of downtown Seoul are suffering from shared electric bicycles left unattended. Unlike electric kickboards, there is no legal basis for local governments to tow electric bicycles, highlighting the urgent need for countermeasures.
On the 22nd, shared electric bicycles were left unattended in the middle of Beopwon-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Lee Ji-eun]
According to Seoul City on the 26th, from January to July, the total number of electric kickboards towed by Seoul City was 44,701. During the same period, complaints received through the 'Seoul City Electric Kickboard Illegal Parking Reporting System' amounted to 94,928.
In 2021, Seoul City revised an ordinance specifying local government authority over towing and imposes towing fees on illegally parked electric kickboards. Shared companies must pay a towing fee of 40,000 KRW per kickboard and a storage fee (700 KRW per 30 minutes) to retrieve towed kickboards.
On the other hand, electric bicycles are not towed even if left unattended. This is because the current 'Bicycle Use Promotion Act' does not specify that bicycles can be towed when left unattended. The Bicycle Act only includes provisions allowing local governments to move, store, or sell bicycles if they obstruct traffic.
On the 22nd, an illegally parked shared electric bicycle is blocking the path on Beomwon-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul. Photo by Lee Ji-eun
Local governments say that since most unattended electric bicycles are owned by companies rather than individuals, it is difficult to sell or dispose of them instead of towing.
A representative from Seoul City's Pedestrian and Bicycle Division said, "Most unattended shared electric bicycles are company-owned, so forced collection under the Bicycle Act is difficult. It is the responsibility of shared companies to tow or handle them, so currently, we are not focusing on collecting electric bicycles."
The Seoul Metropolitan Council has also initiated an ordinance amendment to solve the problem, but it has been pending for several months. The 'Partial Amendment to the Ordinance on Towing of Vehicles Violating Parking and Stopping Rules,' jointly proposed by Council members Yoo Jeong-in and Shin Dong-won, includes provisions allowing local governments to tow illegally parked electric bicycles.
Experts emphasize that electric bicycles need to be managed at the same level as electric kickboards for pedestrian safety.
Professor Choi Jae-won of the Korea Road Traffic Authority said, "Not only electric kickboards but also electric bicycles pose a risk of pedestrians tripping while walking. Since pedestrian safety should be prioritized, electric bicycles should be managed with towing measures equivalent to those for electric kickboards."
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