While the province is still working out how to regulate personal e-scooters, city officials say they’re choosing to focus on education rather than enforcement. In September, a 49-year-old man riding a personal e-scooter died after a crash involving two other vehicles. At the time, Edmonton police wanted to remind residents that riding personal e-scooters is prohibited in the city due to the provincial Traffic Safety Act. Private scooters, or any electric mobile options that use one wheel, are not allowed on Edmonton public roads. E-scooters are considered miniature vehicles, so they can’t be used legally on public roads, bike lanes or sidewalks. The fine for riding anything that isn’t a shared city bike or scooter can get as high as $250, although the city said officers are more inclined to educate before enforcing with a ticket. A statement from the City of Edmonton said officials haven’t issued any tickets for “illegal e-scooters” this year. “Enforcement of electronic scooters and bikes remains with the officer’s discretion to enforce on view of a violation,” according to officials in an email to CTV News Edmonton. They added that Community Standards Peace Officers often don’t have ways of identifying a personal scooter or bike, or its rider, the same way they do with other motor vehicles. A statement from Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen on Friday said both Edmonton and Calgary are undergoing pilot projects under an exemption to gather data on scooter-users’ safety and behaviour. “These pilots will help inform future decisions and ensure any updates to legislation balance innovation, safety and local flexibility,” he said. In the meantime, the city said it supports Edmonton police in their efforts to curb dangerous riding, whether it’s on illegal e-scooters or not. “[The city] always encourages safe, respectful sharing of public spaces,” it said.
