Some Things You Should Know Before Renting An E-Scooter

TAMPA BAY, FL — As Tampa heads into the third month of its one-year pilot e-scooter program and St. Petersburg considers implementing its own program, residents are debating whether the risks are worth the benefits.

Tampa launched Tampa Bay's first pilot e-scooter program on May 24 with four national scooter companies providing about 900 e-scooters for rent.

Proponents tout e-scooters as an economical and environmentally friendly way to help tourists and residents get around downtown areas. They say e-scooters will take cars off the roads and help relieve traffic congestion in downtown areas.

At the same time, critics say e-scooters pose a hazard.

Those fears were realized when John Michael Edgerton, 33, died June 26 at Tampa General Hospital from injuries he sustained six days earlier when he veered his e-scooter into the path of a tanker truck on South 20th Street in Tampa. Edgerton was riding an e-scooter rented from Lime e-scooters, one of the providers for Tampa's pilot program. He was not wearing a helmet.

Tampa personal injury attorney Karina Perez of Vanguard Attorneys said her office has received a number of calls from people who have been injured using e-scooters and are facing major hospital bills.

"You have a lot of first-time riders renting e-scooters that can go as fast as 15 to 20 mph, but the hard wheels on the scooters aren't very forgiving," she said. "When you hit a pothole or other obstruction, it's easy to lose control."

She said the problem was only exacerbated when Florida Gov. Ron Desantis signed a bill in June allowing micro-mobility technologies like electric scooters to use city bike lanes.

"Before, they were ridden on the sidewalks," said Perez. "Now they're treated like bicycles, ridden directly next to traffic. I've seen several lose control and swerve into traffic."

She said the presence of e-scooters have impacted bicyclists, pedestrians and drivers who now must be on the lookout from e-scooters that illegally use the Tampa Riverwalk and sidewalks, zip from one side of the road to the other side and compete for space in the bike lanes and on narrow road shoulders where bike lanes aren't available.

"I live in downtown Tampa and have seen these scooters come out of nowhere," she said. "It's even more dangerous when you add alcohol to the mix. People are using e-scooters to go barhopping at night."

When e-scooter exploits result in injuries, Perez said people are surprised to learn that the vendors don't bear any liability.

Before renting an e-scooter, riders are required to sign the vendor's user agreements, which "limit your ability to recover against the company if you do get injured or if you injure someone while riding a scooter," said Perez.

Moreover, many drivers don't carry bodily injury liability insurance that will cover accidents involving an e-scooter, she said. The injured e-scooter operator could find himself left holding a hefty medical bill.

That's a lesson Dane Williams learned the hard way. Williams rented an e-scooter from Bird rental station near Amalie Arena on July 2. He said he was going about 20 mph when he crashed, shattering bones in his left leg. He underwent surgery at Tampa General Hospital during which a permanent rod was inserted down his leg.

When it was all over, Williams received a $100,000 bill for the ambulance, surgery and three-day hospital stay. He isn't sure how much of the bill his health insurance will cover.

He isn't alone. Tampa General is reporting a 500 percent increase in injuries involving e-scooters this year.

Capitalizing on the e-scooter craze, companies like VOOM have emerged, offering on-demand, telematics-based insurance for e-scooter riders.

Nevertheless, proponents believe e-scooters are a remedy for the road congestion problems in urban areas.

State Rep. Jackie Toledo, a Republican from Tampa, sponsored House Bill 453 to allow electric scooters to share bike lanes.

“Micro-mobility technologies are rapidly growing in popularity and provide a solution to the first mile, last mile problem we’re facing in many of our urban cores,” Toledo said. “It's important that Florida embrace consumer-friendly innovation and new technology like e-scooters. When we limit micro-mobility technologies, then we eliminate a way everyday people can get from one location to another."

To limit the chance of injuries on e-scooters, Perez recommends wearing a helmet, although they are not required. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that the majority of e-scooter injuries are head injuries.

She also suggested that e-scooter renters take advantage of the safety programs offered by vendors to make sure the e-scooters are ridden properly and responsibly.

For increased visibility, she advises e-scooter operators to wear bright clothing, especially at night because the e-scooters aren't equipped with lights.

Patch asked readers their thoughts on e-scooter programs. Here's a sampling of their comments:

"E-scooters are a big nuisance!! They're too fast, users don't show enough consideration to pedestrians and pedal bikers, they park their scooters where they block sidewalks and entrances to businesses. Dunedin has a special environment and doesn't need to be destroyed by scooters on sidewalks and bike lanes." — Tom Tallaksen, Dunedin

"I'm hearing some bad things about those scooters. It is risky enough walking in downtown St Pete, dodging the traffic on the streets and the bicycles on the sidewalks. Sorry, I vote no." — Sandra White, St. Petersburg

"I live and work downtown and we love the scooters. My only advice is to have the rules on riding the scooters in Tampa and have a stronger emphasis and language on the apps to help visitors to our city better understand the dos and don'ts." — P.J. Ostberg, Tampa

"As a longtime runner in and around downtown St Petersburg, I have almost been hit hundreds of time by cars. Inexperienced scooter drivers will be finding themselves at Bayfront Hospital instead of their destination," Gordon Currie, St. Petersburg

"Definitely not a fan of these scooters. Have seen them in other cities and it is just a disaster. Scooters are left all over the area. Scooter riders have no regard for people walking or cars. It makes the city look crappy." — Donna Fiorentini, Carrollwood

"The bike path is a unique joy and asset and terrorizing riders with electric vehicles ...and make no mistake the scooters go far too fast for the path ....is stupid. But you cannot put them on the streets either...the accidents would also be dreadful. So, no e-scooters unless you can provide dedicated lanes and strictly enforce their use." — Kalia Doner, Dunedin

"Pedestrians already face competition for sidewalk space from strolling tourists, skipping children, baby strollers, mobility devices, dogs on retractable leashes, bikes and skateboards. As a walker, I find it hard enough to navigate popular areas and shudder at the thought of a scooter coming up behind me. Doesn’t charming downtown Dunedin deserve a slower, more casual pace than the chaos of scooter traffic?" — Myra Zimmerman, Dunedin

"The scooter is the craze. It's so urban and, in slower traffic areas, it seems everyone that rides them likes the convenience of accessibility as well as the ease of drop off anywhere you wish," — Peter Leonardo, Dunedin

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Man Critical After 1st E-Scooter Accident In Tampa

Critics Say Death Of Tampa Man Evidence Of Danger Of E-Scooters