Did You Know It’s Illegal To Ride E-Scooters On Duluth Sidewalks?

Electric scooters are becoming more popular, and odds are you've seen them around Duluth. They are fairly easy to rent using an app on your phone, and it can be a fun way to get around the city. With gas prices being as high as they are, many people are looking for this as a cheaper way to get around.

I've seen people riding them all over the place downtown, from the Lakewalk, to Canal Park, and zipping around on Superior Street. A lot of the time I see them on sidewalks, so I just assumed that it was allowed. Then, I went to rent one and on the bottom of the scooter there was big lettering saying "No Riding On Sidewalks."

Does that mean I'm supposed to ride this thing in traffic? That seems a little scary. I own a motorcycle and drive that often, and I know the dangers of not being seen on a bike. A scooter is even smaller and it seems pretty dangerous.

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I was curious what exactly the rules were for these e-scooters. The City of Duluth has an ordinance stating that scooters are not allowed on sidewalks. They are only allowed to be on a sidewalk  "when necessary to enter or leave adjacent property."

You're also not supposed to park them on a street, highway, or alley by ordinance either. The companies that rent out the scooters direct you to park them in designated areas.

Sec. 9-3 Riding Restrictions (a) No person shall ride a motorized foot scooter or electric-assist bicycle on any sidewalk, except when necessary to enter or leave adjacent property. (b) No person shall ride a bicycle, electric-assisted bicycle or motorized foot scooter on any street, sidewalk, roadway, public path or public property where signs have been erected prohibiting bicycle, electric-assisted bicycle or motorized foot scooter riding. (c) No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business district. (d) Except as prohibited by this section or state law, a person may ride a bicycle, electric-assisted bicycle, or motorized foot scooter on any street, sidewalk, roadway, public path, or trail. Sec. 9-4 Park

You should also check the scooter rental companies' rules. Leaf scooters state that you have to be 18 years old in order to ride. You cannot exceed the maximum weight of 220 pounds, and you must be physically fit enough to ride.