Bad Idea in Grand Junction

The e-scooter program is a disaster in progress and should be banished.

Last night while attempting to enjoy a lovely dinner on the Bistro 317 sidewalk seating, two moronic “adult” scooter riders decided to ignore the large orange sign on the corner of 3rd and Main (no scooters on the sidewalk) and drove down the sidewalk amongst diners and pedestrians. No less than an hour later, near the Avalon, one of 3 “scootering” teens did the same thing. Apparently they felt like the rules did not apply to them. Today on Colorado Ave there were 3 teens riding up and down the sidewalk and performing various tricks on the scooters.

Here's the reasons the scooters should not be allowed:

• They are unsightly and make the city look trashy.
  Our city is amazingly clean - thanks, in no small part, to GJ code enforcement. Let’s keep it that way folks. The scooters are ugly and piled up wherever people decide to leave them.
• They are dangerous. Period. Nobody is monitoring their use. There are reports from other cities of e-scooter related accidents that have resulted in injuries and death of innocent pedestrians. I noticed a comment here indicating riders disregarding traffic signs.
• They are not necessary. Grand Junction is a very small downtown. You can walk the entire length in about 5 minutes. If you get tired, there are plenty of places to rest.
• They impede business. Some owners of restaurants that have outdoor seating have complained that the sidewalk riding rule-breakers have almost taken out their wait staff that have to cross the sidewalk to serve customers. Did I mention they are dangerous?

90% of Parisians voted to ban e-scooter companies from their city. Why don’t we follow suit before they become a much bigger menace than they already are?