Across the country, injured electric scooter riders and their victims are being admitted into hospital emergency rooms. Lacerations, broken bones, head injuries, and even deaths have been reported. The unregulated electric scooter craze has created a growing public safety concern.
 
In September 2018, electric scooters were introduced to Tacoma, Washington. According to the city’s information page, these scooters are allowed on sidewalks, roads, alleys, and shoulders. Envisioned as a solution to reduce traffic and congestion, they have become a source of danger when introduced to pathways primarily dedicated to pedestrian usage. For this reason, electric scooters must be banned from Tacoma’s waterfront which consists of a mix of sidewalks and paved trails.  
 
My name is Miranda Ross and I grew up near Tacoma’s pedestrian friendly waterfront. Centered between Mount Rainier to the west and the Olympic Mountain Range to the east, the waterfront is home to a stretch of breathtaking, unobstructed views. In December, I returned home and was shocked to experience an undesirable transformation. The once serene waterfront had become home to electric scooters, manned with helmet-free riders zigzagging through walkers and runners at speeds approaching 15 mph. Gone are the days when a pedestrian could take in the views without the fear of injury.
 
I believe it is time for these hazardous electric scooters to find a new home. Mayor Victoria Woodards along with appropriate city officials should design and implement a policy that will result in the removal of electric scooters from the Tacoma waterfront. This will ensure its visitors do not add to the increasing electric scooter injury trend. It is time to return the waterfront to the safe, scenic walkway that city officials originally intended for it to be.