Bird E-Scooters in Middlebury discussed TODAY
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Laura Asermily
Sep 20, 2021, 1:49:57 PM9/20/21
to middbikeped, Middlebury Energy Committee
Reminder/email correction for Chief Hanley. If you want to send comments, email tha...@middleburypolice.org. Sorry for typo in earlier message below. Also, review the Midd Ordinance for Safe Operation of Bicycles and Other Rideable Devices here where you will see how scooters are addressed. Laura
Middlebury Selectboard has charged the Midd Public Health & Safety Comm with coming up with a recommendation, yeah or nay, on the issue of licensing Bird Scooter operations in town. To that end, Jeremy Lynch from Bird Scooters will be present and they invite stakeholders as well as the public to weigh in. Other than the usual business, this will be the only agenda item for this meeting on Monday, Sept 20, 4 pm at Midd Town Office. You can attend in person, wearing a mask, or via zoom link provided below and in Town's weekend email blast. Attached is the supporting documentation from Bird's presentation to PHS in June. It didn't weigh in then though lots got discussed at that meeting to address concerns noted in the article about how the scooters did in Montpelier to assure that they would not be a nuisance. Bird attested that "geofencing" and a good, local fleet manager would make the important difference in their success in Middlebury. This person would get 45% of the revenue and coordinates where scooters get docked, gathers and maintains them, etc. Bird is proposing up to 50 scooters in Middlebury (not masses, as you'd see in large urban centers). Bird supports Selectboard advisement that this wait to launch until Spring 2022--not this Fall. Scooters wouldn't be operated in winter months. College students would be seen as major user with pros and cons (could reduce carbon footprint and spare choking downtown parking with this alternative but could also be nuisance by riding inappropriately). The Town would receive some income (fifteen cents per mile). Liability would be on Bird for incidents, not the Town. I recommended to Bird that they host a demo event. PHS also hoped Bird would share experience of other towns our size in which they placed scooters recently. PHS will be weighing in Monday so if you have something you would like to contribute either attend in person or by zoom link below or send a written comment to Chief Hanley (han...@middleburypolice.org).
Zoom Option: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85700537551, or telephone: US: +1 646 558 8656, Webinar ID: 857 0053 7551
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richard nowak
Sep 20, 2021, 2:35:12 PM9/20/21
to middb...@googlegroups.com
Hi Laura,. The usual issues: bikes on sidewalk, bikes speeding on sidewalk, bikes pretending they are pedestrians, right of way disputes at intersections. Bike riders want to/act like peds when it gives them a advantage, or opposite. My absolute favorite is a guy crossing hy7 with one foot clipped in, straddling his bike and hopping across on the loose foot. What is he? I call a cyclist disobeying the rules of the road not entitled to the right of way. If he fully dismounts he is a ped, entitled to ped priveledges.
You know how it goes. The electrobikes will be provisionally approved and practice will tell us if folks will be able to behave themselves. Maybe. There will likely be injuries, I hope none too serious.
Rick NOWAK
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Timothy Clark
Sep 20, 2021, 2:49:08 PM9/20/21
to middb...@googlegroups.com
I just sent in this comment in favor of the Bird Scooter project.
I believe that the town should allow the use of Bird Scooters in Middlebury. Any and all human scaled transportation including walking, biking, e-biking, scooters and e-scooters should be encouraged. Most likely there will be some issues to iron out but that is part of change and change toward the use of human scaled transportation is what is needed for the health of the planet, country, state and towns. Only with pressure from increased use of these smaller forms of transportation will we see infrastructure and rules changes that will make it all function more smoothly.
Tim Clark
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/middbikeped/CACmpAC2gbuApr5NenuM8Y-o%2Bwd6HQZwgcOcPzsdAotHBWzpMjQ%40mail.gmail.com.
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