Scooter crimes

[WoodDraw]

I don't want this to become a nextdoor thing, because I've lived downtown for years with few issues.

I was with my brother in law walking back from grinders, we went to cellar rats, and we were going back to Sheraton where they were staying.

They all drove to me on their scooters and slapped me as they went past and then circled back around. I asked them what they were doing and one of them stopped and picked up his scooter and threw it at me and hit me pretty hard in the back enough where I shattered all the stuff I was bringing home.

They drove away and a guy was nice enough to stop and say he would get it all cleaned up and we should just go home.

They then circled around, my bil was like I'm literally just trying to bring pizza home to my kids we're not looking for a fight.

I called the police obviously and I'm going to follow up with them tomorrow. The dumb fuck left his scooter so I could take a picture of it and I'll contact bird.

Just wondering if any of you have had problems with this? They were maybe 15?

[DaveKCMO]

Nothing like this for me, but scooter bro groups and scofflaw parking are a problem. The city refuses to do anything about it. They want the venture capital revenue.

[WoodDraw]

I've reached out to bird as well as the police department so hopefully they get it solved.

It was pretty scary. They kept surrounding us in scooters. He was holding pizzas and I was holding the stuff from cellar. My parents were going to the theater for the play and we were just holding food and drinks. There was no aggression.

[KCPowercat]

I've never heard of anything that extreme happening. usually just buzz by close calls. Sorry that happened to you. Those scooters seem really heavy to pick up and throw, I can't imagine being hit by one. Ouch.

Seems like with the scooter they checked out it would be pretty easy for PD to track them down with Bird's help, hopefully they do.

[taxi]

I was excited when the scooters came to town. Sure, people were riding them on the sidewalk and parking them in places that blocked the right of way, but I figured these issues would correct themselves as people figured it all out. We saw a big increase in traffic in Columbus Park from people I'm pretty sure would not have made their way here on foot. I recall reading about how folks in San Francisco hated the scooters and were sabotaging them, even taking a crap on them. I thought, that is so weird.
Now I have grown to hate them. I've seen these gangs terrorize pedestrians, as WoodDraw describes. I've seen cars chase them. I've seen people wipe out on them and collisions with pedestrians on sidewalks. And they are constantly blocking the right of way. Even the people who place them around town set them in the right of way. I kick them over and throw them when I see that. I've contemplated shitting on them, but I'm doubtful I could pull that off, logistically. They are a nuisance, at best.

[KCPowercat]

Isn't cars chasing them a knock on cars/drivers not the scooters?

I'm still pretty neutral on them. I don't use them much as I'm still not super confident on them and drivers respecting space. While there are so bad riders obviously we're reading here, it also brings people downtown to explore which I think is cool to see.

[taxi]

Isn't cars chasing them a knock on cars/drivers not the scooters?

I almost got hit on my bike by a pickup truck who was chasing a kid on a scooter. My guess is the kid did something to piss the guy off. During the chase, I saw the kid almost get hit twice, each time would have been his own fault. Then he hooked up with another kid on a scooter and took off. This all happened in less than 2 blocks. Riding through streets and sidewalks in the P&L area on a scooter is no match for a big pickup and, of course, he probably got away.
I could list more than a dozen reckless acts – and wrecks – I've witnessed that involved scooters. I'm a downtown advocate and cheerleader and I've seen their benefits, but I still wish they did not exist. Now get off my lawn.

[KCPowercat]

ahhh yeah in that context I get what you are saying. You are a tenured advocate/cheerleader, not doubting that at all.

[FangKC]

One is much more likely to be hit by a pickup or SUV than a passenger car, and the injuries will be more severe.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2022/03 ... 647539836/

[phuqueue]

I don't care for scooters myself but it would be good if we could avoid blaming road rage on someone other than the driver. Even if the kid on the scooter misbehaved in the first place, the truck driver made a decision to chase them. The kid on the scooter isn't the one who almost ran you over.

[WoodDraw]

I think if the companies and the police department aren’t willing or able to enforce rules, it’s time to end this experiment.

Thanks for the kind words. I got in touch with bird and they are supposed to respond within five days after they investigate. I need to go to the police and give evidence, but the woman that called me said they’re treating it as assault.

I’m guessing neither will tell me much for legal reasons, but I’ll update as I can.

Didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. Just wanted to see if other people have experienced problems and if it’s worth revisiting.

[maison rustique]

I'm honestly amazed there aren't more accidents/injuries. I don't spend a lot of time downtown, but when I've gone through, there is always at least one person on a scooter who doesn't obey traffic signals and pulls right out into traffic. They have them here in Liberty now. I haven't seen anyone on one, but I see them lying around all the time.

[normalthings]

I think if the companies and the police department aren’t willing or able to enforce rules, it’s time to end this experiment.

End cars too then

[WoodDraw]

I think if the companies and the police department aren’t willing or able to enforce rules, it’s time to end this experiment.

End cars too then

I tried to make it clear that I wasn’t trying to make a big deal out of this. We had issues this week with cars too. Lots of drunk people not respecting pedestrians.

I posted it only because I wanted to have a discussion.

I’m healthy, still living downtown, and will remain here.

It was just a scary situation, especially with people walking around, and I wonder if there were other people that had anything to add.

[longviewmo]

I’m not one of those “oh you need to carry a gun everywhere” type people but I know enough are that I’m still in awe when teens try to pull stupid stuff like this.

[WoodDraw]

I’m not one of those “oh you need to carry a gun everywhere” type people but I know enough are that I’m still in awe when teens try to pull stupid stuff like this.

I’m not a gun person, and will never be. My dad brought it up in the opposite way, that you never Know who has one

We didn't fight back. Just kept asking them to leave us alone after getting hit.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

I’m not one of those “oh you need to carry a gun everywhere” type people but I know enough are that I’m still in awe when teens try to pull stupid stuff like this.

I’m not a gun person, and will never be. My dad brought it up in the opposite way, that you never Know who has one

We didn't fight back. Just kept asking them to leave us alone after getting hit.

I get that. I carry most everywhere I go, and in a situation like that there’s not a chance in hell I’d draw. Outnumbered, and you have no idea if any of them has a firearm as well. Being as non-combatant as possible and breaking contact in the above situation is 100% the best course of action to pursue

[KCPowercat]

Man yeah a gun seems like a really really dumb solution to a scooter crime

[Anthony_Hugo98]

Man yeah a gun seems like a really really dumb solution to a scooter crime

Precisely. The people who carry because it makes them feel powerful are the exact people who shouldn’t be carrying.

[FlippantCitizen]

Just saw a guy blow through a 4 way stop at 40th and Wyoming while looking at his phone on a scooter. Like dude do you care about you life? Cars blow that stop all the time.