Shared Scooters Occupying Indian Streets... Controversy Over 'Regulation Blind Spots'

Excluded from crackdown targets, not 'PM'
Fines cannot be imposed without a driver present

Recently, public dissatisfaction has been rising over shared scooters blatantly parked on sidewalks. Shared scooters do not fall under personal mobility devices (PM), so they are not subject to regulation, and since two-wheeled vehicles require the driver to be identified on the spot to impose fines, they are effectively in a regulatory blind spot.

At around 9 p.m. on the 10th, shared scooters and personal mobility devices were blocking pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk in Jongam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Seongah Sim]

According to the Safety Report under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 11th, reports of abandoned bicycles and two-wheeled vehicles and related inconveniences have been increasing: 1,005 cases in 2020, 25,785 cases in 2021, 30,743 cases in 2022, 39,437 cases in 2023, and 26,662 cases up to August 2024.

Lee (25), a university student, pointed out, “At some point, shared scooters started appearing one by one, and many are parked carelessly.” Kim Jeong-hoon (26) said, “Shared scooters look bigger and more dangerous, but it seems they are not properly regulated,” adding, “I just have to avoid them on my own, which is inconvenient.”

Under current law, parking and stopping of all vehicles are prohibited on intersections, crosswalks, railroad crossings, or sidewalks used by pedestrians. Seoul City established a reporting system for electric kickboard parking violations in 2021, but shared scooters remain unregulated.

A police official stated, “Based on the Road Traffic Act and the Police Officer’s Duty Execution Act, we can take measures to prevent danger, but there are limits to acting on all devices. Also, since they are quite heavy, moving them is difficult, and there is caution because improper handling could damage private property.”

Professor Choi Jae-won of the Korea Road Traffic Authority advised, “If shared scooters are abandoned on sidewalks, accidents such as pedestrians tripping can occur. First, companies should be encouraged to manage their devices voluntarily, and later discussions should be held on imposing fines and establishing parking infrastructure.”