Pedestrian Struck by Lime E-bike Awaits Response - Rulemaking Opens for Dockless E-Bikes

In broad daylight, a rider on a rented Lime e-bike rammed a pedestrian, then struck him with his fist at 4th & Independence Ave., SW, near the American Indian Museum on July 28 about 1 pm. The victim waited an hour for police to arrive and reported it to Lime. Metropolitan police are unable to track a hit and run biker. But Lime, which has a record of the biker, has yet to respond. As you can see from the photo taken at the time of the incident, the bike had no license plate which would help hold the rider accountable. While DC promotes and subsidizes e-bikes, almost all of us – pedestrians, seniors, the disabled, drivers and cyclists - fear crashes or assaults like this on DC streets. 

Another major problem with dockless bikes is that they are dockless. Yeah. DC must stop the littering of sidewalks with e-bikes and scooters. Here's a proposal for how rental e-bikes can work. Rental charges continue until the e-bike is docked. 

Right now, there's an opportunity to comment on DDOT's proposed contract for who and how dockless vehicles operate. (Capital Bikeshare is not dockless.) You can view the proposed rulemaking at www.ddot.dc.gov and send comments to publicspace.policy@dc.gov.

“These devices are enormously popular, but they've also led to plenty of people feeling unsafe or even getting involved in a crash,” writes Councilmember Chales Allen who heads the Council Transportation Committee. Thank you, CM Allen. Please sponsor our E-Bike Bill.

DC Safe Streets Coalition is petitioning the city for e-bike regulation because although DC is putting more of them on the streets, it has issued no warnings, precautions or safeguards. It appears DC will not do it on its own without us. This is something we can do. Please sign and share our petition here.  https://c.org/GVFzcRN8kP

Nick DelleDonne

DC Safe Streets Coalition

703 929 6656