JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It is not uncommon seeing people riding electric scooters aroundDowntown Jacksonville. Now you can expect to see them more often.
In March, the city of Jacksonville's Downtown Investment Authority signed contracts with two vendors. It will allow them to stay in the city for at least two more years.
However, some residents are not having the best encounters with scooter riders.
First Coast News obtained eight incident reports from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office regarding complaints involving scooters. Some of the details include riders messing with drivers and accidents. One person riding a scooter even refused to stop for police.
Scooters can be seen parked in groups all over Downtown Jacksonville. The two-wheeled devices have been around for more than two years. While they can be used to get around quickly and for fun, Jacksonville resident Miyia Miller said scooters have not been fun for her.
To Miller, people treat scooters as if they are normal vehicles.
"I kind of think that they're really unsafe," Miller said. "I've almost been knocked down by a scooter driver."
The incident reports were from March 2021 to June 2022. Reports include people on scooters running into pedestrians, trying to get away from police and ignoring traffic rules.
It should be known, there are rules to riding e-scooters. Scooters are only accessible from 5 a.m. until midnight.
Thousands of people are riding e-scooters. Not everyone is abusing the privilege.
Jacksonville's DIA said it saw nearly 150,000 scooter rides from March 2021 to August 2022. The city said this program is having a positive impact.