20 October 2018

Threats To Public Safety Here in Downtown Mesa: Dumping E-Scooters On Public Sidewalks

Don't know about you, dear readers, but your MesaZona keeps his eyes open walking around our shared public spaces and sidewalks downtown.
There were some obstacles in the way the other day in what was otherwise a wonderful day: 2 e-scooters.
Where  did they come from and why are they here? They didn't look  like personal property with corporate logos, attached gizmos and "Start for Only $1". 
Some money-making scheme under the guise of furthering personal freedom, mobility and protecting the environment?
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That's exactly what it is, once again - 'a foil' disguised as a good thing.The first question any reasonable person might ask is if the city government had knowledge in advance of these plans (not just one but two companies) and approved their dockless distribution and dumping on downtown sidewalks without any evaluation or any kind of public information or public notice ahead of time.
Each and every one of them are endangering the health, safety and welfare of riders, pedestrians and the general public.  
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Typical of way too many things in a city where the public is not engaged, people in other cities are taking action:
INNOVATIONS
Class-action lawsuit accuses e-scooter companies of ‘gross negligence’
 "The nation’s electronic-scooter companies are facing more blowback as concerns rise about the safety of these devices — this time in the form of a class-action lawsuit filed Friday in California.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accuses two of the largest e-scooter companies, Lime and Bird, as well as other e-scooter firms, of “gross negligence” and “aiding and abetting assault.”
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of eight initial plaintiffs, says the companies' practices have contributed to injuries in multiple ways. By “dumping” scooters on public streets without an appropriate warning, the suit alleges e-scooter companies acted negligently and should have known that their devices would become a dangerous “public nuisance.”
PLEASE READ MORE > https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology

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