As more people turn to e-scooters to get around, Halifax police are sharing an important reminder to know the rules of the road before taking off on streets and trails. Const. Mandy Paquet, with the Halifax Regional Police, says riders should understand where they can and can’t go and other rules around safety. “They are limited to roadways with 50-kilometre maximums or less, unless specified by posted signage,” said Paquet. E-scooters can be used on bike lanes and on multi-use trails but can’t be used on sidewalks. “Some people may not be aware that kids under the age of 14 are not permitted to use e-scooters,” adds Paquet. Last week, Halifax Harbour Bridges (HHB) urged cyclists and those riding e-scooters to slowdown and respect the 25 kilometre per hour speed limit. Ridership of e-scooters and electric bikes are up and HHB is seeing more and more instances of riders going well over the posted speed limit. “We’ve seen some riders crossing at very high speeds,” said HHB CEO Tony Wright. “The bridge is a shared space, and everyone’s safety depends on users following the rules and remaining aware of their surroundings.” Dalhousie University transportation professor Ahsan Habib has noticed more people on e-scooters and says that’s a good thing. As more people choose e-scooters over cars, Habib says it not only helps reduce traffic congestion it’s also a greener way to get around. “It’s giving us another option to move from one point to another and particularly on the peninsula of Halifax,” said Habib. “Where we have a younger population and student community.” Michael Brown uses his e-scooter as his main mode of transportation and for work as a food delivery driver. He follows the rules of the road but says it’s the casual user who rents scooters from the side of the road who give riders a bad rep. “People sometimes use then for recreational uses and they don’t really know the rules, so you can’t blame them too much for making mistakes when they are out on the road,” said Brown. As for rental scooters being left in odd and inconvenient places, that’s often a user error and comes down to a lack of decency says Habib. “At the end of the day it’s our responsibility,” said Habib. “We don’t just park our car anywhere illegally and so it’s kind of more a matter of respect.” According to the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicle Act, it’s illegal for two people to share a ride on one e-scoter, so you must ride alone and while standing up. It’s also illegal to operate an e-scooter while impaired from alcohol use and drugs. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
