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A Spin e-scooter parked outside the UNM Communication and Journalism Building.

Scooter rentals come to ABQ, but not UNM

Following a national trend, shareable scooters have begun zipping around the University area in Albuquerque. Scooting around on campus, however, remains unauthorized. 

University of New Mexico spokesperson Daniel Jiron said that the Spin scooters — like all motorized scooters — are not allowed to be used on campus, based on UNM policy 2260. Spin did not return the Daily Lobo’s request for comment on the matter before publication.  

The scooters arrived in Albuquerque several months after the city council passed an ordinance that created regulations for the rentable scooters, also called e-scooters. 

“We’re excited to have these new forms of transportation like scooter shares come to our great city, as long as they follow the rules we’ve established,” said City Councilor Pat Davis in a press release. 

The city regulations include:

  • Wearing a helmet for riders under 18 years old. 
  • Riding in bike lanes on the right side on the road. 
  • Sidewalk use is allowed if there is no bike lane. 
  • Following traffic laws, signals and signs.
  • Like bicycles, the scooters are banned in the Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART) lanes. 

The ordinance also banned e-scooters that travel faster than 15 miles per hour and riding the scooters under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 

At least one person has been charged with DWI after she allegedly rode a scooter the wrong way on a one-way street, according to an Albuquerque Police Department police report. 

“We are once again reminding the public that people who drive e-scooters have to follow traffic laws,” APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said in a press release. 

Not every city has welcomed the scooter service. 

In Beverly Hills, Calif., the city council voted 4-1 to place a temporary ban on ride-sharing scooters in order to create and pass regulation on the service, according to the Los Angeles Times. That council cited safety concerns, a lack of helmet use by riders, and scooters being left along sidewalks which blocked pedestrian paths in the city.

Similar bans popped up around the country including in Santa Fe; Nashville, Tenn., and Milwaukee. According to the Associated Press, Milwaukee officials sued Bird, another e-scooter company, after the city said 100 scooters arrived in an “overnight, surprise fashion.”

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That wasn’t the case in Albuquerque —  about eight months separated the passing of legislation and the availability of scooter sharing. 

Using the scooters requires users to download the Spin app and a scan the rider’s drivers licenses. The scooters cost $1 to unlock and .15 cents per minute.   

Justin Garcia is the Editor-in-chief of the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Just516garc. 

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