Bird Scooters Have Landed

[KCPowercat]

I've had pretty good luck up a small grade (main bridge to River market) but not tried anything like a hospital hill.

I would warn against big downhills for sure.

[WoodDraw]

I was trying to stay on really quiet streets so I went up the east side from river market. It was...a mistake.

[earthling]

We are downtown and don't see a scooter anywhere. Checked map. Only 2 left at 7:15. Need more Bird, Lime is approaching.

[DaveKCMO]

I was trying to stay on really quiet streets so I went up the east side from river market. It was...a mistake.

You need a Lime!

[gfenn11]

To finish off this story no one cares about...scanned it...it was reported lost....hauled to curb.

Garage by Johns Big Deck?

[shinatoo]

These are all over downtown San Antonio. Sidewalks were packed this weekend and everyone was riding on the sidewalks (streets are very narrow around the Alamo). Didn't seem to be a big deal having them on the sidewalk, couldn't go very fast anyway with all the people. Everyone using them seemed very happy.

*I think they do all the charging in the basement of the Alamo. Easy location to deploy from.

[KCPowercat]

Scooter count is over 100 this morning.

[earthling]

^None in Midtown today, more in QH/Garment District.

[DaveKCMO]

https://twitter.com/KCMOManager/status/ ... 8907167744

.@KCMO has reached agreement with @BirdRide on an interim operating agreement allowing up to 500 scooters in the City.

[earthling]

If Lime also gets 500 that's pretty good coverage depending on how spread out the two operators go in KCMO city proper. Thousands might be a nuisance as Dallas experienced, but more might be acceptable if they also place Nests S of Waldo or KC North.

[beautyfromashes]

The success depends on the chargers. It seems they are doing a good job now keeping them charged and picking up lost ones. If they don’t maintain that standard and scooters are abandoned everywhere or left uncharged, it will soon be a negative for the city.

[earthling]

^Agree. BTW, have installed the Lime app and when zoomed out it shows KC as a Lime city on map but nothing deployed yet. Will be interesting to see if bikes and scooters or scooters only. They look to be scooter only in Austin (they have Bcycle) while STL now has both.

[DaveKCMO]

^Agree. BTW, have installed the Lime app and when zoomed out it shows KC as a Lime city on map but nothing deployed yet. Will be interesting to see if bikes and scooters or scooters only. They look to be scooter only in Austin (they have Bcycle) while STL now has both.

Lime has told me they're launching scooters first, then e-bikes if things go well. Lime STL launched with pedal bikes first, then just added scooters.

[snigglefritz]

^Agree. BTW, have installed the Lime app and when zoomed out it shows KC as a Lime city on map but nothing deployed yet. Will be interesting to see if bikes and scooters or scooters only. They look to be scooter only in Austin (they have Bcycle) while STL now has both.

Lime has told me they're launching scooters first, then e-bikes if things go well. Lime STL launched with pedal bikes first, then just added scooters.

Any idea on their launch timeline? Or is that still in flux?

[smh]

What's thinking on capping the number of scooters?

Will we shortly be introducing a cap on the number of automobiles allowed?

If so, disregard my first question.

[earthling]

Perhaps because there are designated places for auto parking, there are not designated places for scooter parking?

[DaveKCMO]

Caps are dumb and we don't apply that policy to anything else except traditional taxi cabs (whose price is also regulated by KCMO, but no others in the region) or liquor licenses (the "density" requirement -- aka a localized cap). It started because of botched roll-outs in some of the early dockless cities and gets carried forward by cities looking to predecessors for policy guidance.

[KCPowercat]

I'm sure if bird wants more and it's well executed the city will have no problem increasing that number.

[bspecht]

"The City has signed an interim operating agreement with @BirdRide, a company that rents electric scooters. People should follow bicycle rules while riding these scooters. Ride in the streets, or in bike lanes where available. Do not ride on sidewalks."
https://twitter.com/KCMO/status/1024381681640321024

http://kcmo.gov/scooters/

[flyingember]

"The City has signed an interim operating agreement with @BirdRide, a company that rents electric scooters. People should follow bicycle rules while riding these scooters. Ride in the streets, or in bike lanes where available. Do not ride on sidewalks."
https://twitter.com/KCMO/status/1024381681640321024

http://kcmo.gov/scooters/

Which is funny, because city code lets bikes ride on the sidewalk. It’s a really bad 70s/80s ordinance but it does exist.

Code 70-253