SAN ANTONIO — A big change for people traveling downtown - scooters are now banned on sidewalks. For the past year, we've seen scooter riders on their wheels on city sidewalks. That's won't be the case anymore.
Starting today, the City says you must ride these in the street or you could get $500 dollar fine!
Roxanne Zimmermon - who rides scooters often - told us, "I manage a couple of properties around the area, so I'm always walking on the sidewalks, and that's always a fear that I'm going to get ran into."
She's thrilled that scooter riding is now only permitted in the street. Zimmermon added, "Because you won't have to barrel into anyone or potentially be barreled into anyone, and no one will run into me."
Currently, there are several scooter companies operating in San Antonio. Bird, Lime, Blue Duck, Razor, Lyft, and Spin. Those several and any others can apply to be in the City permanently through July 22, but in April the city will cut that down to three with only 5,000 scooters allowed to operate on San Antonio city streets.
The reason for the 5,000-scooter cap? The same reason as the move to the streets. Safety. For all riders and those around them, including tourists like Charlotte Davis who is here in town with friends from North Carolina.
She told us, "I've ridden them a little bit in North Carolina, but none of them have ridden." She says being forced to ride in the street makes sense, even if there are no bike lanes, but it still makes her a little nervous. Davis added, "I'm not too concerned but it is a little nerve-racking watching out for cars."
There are signs posted in various places around town letting people know about the change in the law.