Paris Becomes the First European Capital To Ban Rented Electric Scooters

An anonymous reader shares a report: Paris became the first European capital to outlaw the vehicles on Friday, following a vote in April in which Parisiens overwhelmingly supported a ban, although turnout was low. Privately owned e-scooters, which the city cannot regulate, are exempt. Since their eruption onto the streets and sidewalks of cities across the world in 2019, e-scooters have posed unique regulatory problems for city officials. The vehicles often stayed in legal limbo as officials mapped out charters for e-scooter operators, capped fleets and regulated parking.

Cities like San Francisco and Miami temporarily banned e-scooters before reintroducing them. Santa Monica, Calif., successfully sued an e-scooter operator over its lack of licensing. And New York delayed the vehicles' arrival, citing security concerns. But no city has been as strict as Paris, where e-scooter users are mourning a cheap and flexible way of getting around without having to ride the crammed metro or use Velib', the popular but frequently overwhelmed bike-sharing system.

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