ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - No more motorized scooter use will be allowed after 7 PM in downtown St. Louis.
The city's senior public safety advisor, Heather Taylor, calls it a proactive move in conjunction with the scooter companies, following several problems over the weekend, "There's one incident with shots fired, with no injuries, just west of downtown. District 4 is currently investigating that incident. The group then moved east and made its way downtown. Some continued to be disruptive, exhibiting nuisance-related behaviors throughout the evening."
Taylor says this stressed police resources through the early-morning hours.
Taylor says the scooter curfew will remain in effect indefinitely.
A Bird scooter employee responded to the new regulation, saying that the scooters are not the causes of crimes in the city.
"We understand that the community is going through challenges after an unfortunate public safety incident that occurred Saturday," Adam Davis, Senior Manager of Government Partnerships at Bird said. "However, temporarily cutting off access to eco-friendly transportation in downtown St. Louis does not solve these issues and can create more problems at a time when many cannot afford to pay for gas to get to work or other necessary appointments."
Proponents of e-scooters argue that they are useful for people who feel unsafe walking late at night, and that they benefit local businesses.
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