WASHINGTON — With a proposal to increase the number of electric scooters in the District, scooter companies said they're setting out to make their riders more responsible.
"I think we’re forging a new, safe riding culture that will benefit all road users," Paul Steely White, director of safety for Bird, said.
The company is one of eight that’s operating 6,210 dockless, electric vehicles in the city. But residents -- even lawmakers -- have become critical of scooters, saying they’re too often left in sidewalks or driven over.
"I think the most important message to riders is to always respect pedestrians," White said.
Bird handed out helmets and bilking lights Monday to riders who are about to hit the streets on Halloween. The company is on a tour of 100 cities to "help make responsible riding simple and achievable," according to a company news release. The company does give out free helmets through its app. It also posts rules for safe riding on the side of the scooter.
"I think we all see bad behavior," White said. "But I think what I see happening here in Washington there’s now a critical mass of safe and responsible riders that are now setting the norm."
The District Department of Transportation is about to make scooters even more of the norm. It has proposed increasing the number of dockless scooters in the District to 10,000. An extended public comment period ends Wednesday.
Bird says it’s on a quest to "revolutionize urban transportation" while the city is still trying to find the best balance on two wheels.
"If micro-mobility is going to earn the respect of those out there on the road we have to police our own and show that we have to earn their respect," White said.
Next week, D.C. Council will hold a hearing about putting more restrictions on scooter companies. There are eight scooter companies in the District. The others are Bolt, Jump, Lime, Lyft, Razor, Skip and Spin.