Coquitlam set to scoot into 2028: a macro look at micromobility, jerks and joyriding

Despite some concerns about bad behaviour and worse parking, Coquitlam is set to extend the city’s e-scooter pilot program into 2028.

While he supported the program, Coun. Craig Hodge expressed misgivings about sticking with Lime and Neuron – the two companies responsible for the city’s dockless e-scooter and e-bike sharing system.

“Unless I see dramatic improvement I won’t be supporting the extension of the service agreement with the service providers,” Hodge said.

Both companies are contracted until Dec. 31, 2024.

Hodge was one of a few councillors who voiced consternation about seeing e-scooters parked in the middle of city sidewalks.

“This idea that I can just get off of my scooter and leave it wherever I want in the city is, I think, what is causing some issues with our residents,” he said.

Hodge noted that other cities have neatly parked scooters at designated docks.

As a City Centre resident, Coun. Matt Djonlic said he’s seen: “quite a lot of bad behaviour” involving e-scooters.

“I am nervous as all hell when I watch kids using these scooters . . . and going for joyrides without a helmet on and really putting their safety at risk,” he said.

While prefacing his comments with a warning that he was planning to “stir a couple pots,” Coun. Dennis Marsden made it clear he didn’t share Djonlic’s concerns.

“I do not believe for a moment that the individuals that are tapping it with their credit card . . . are the ones that are dumping it off the side,” he said. “When you see them pushed over, it’s third parties just going by and being jerks.”

If teens are on e-scooters, it’s because they’re using a parent’s credit card, he said, adding that those parents can be responsible for their kids wearing helmets.

He also disagreed with Hodge’s contention of having physical e-scooter docks, touting the travel flexibility of the dockless system.

“I don’t believe anywhere in our bylaws we say you can’t have fun. That’s Vancouver,” he said.

Coun. Teri Towner was enthusiastic about the program, emphasizing that micromobility options are here to stay.

“If we stopped anything new because of growing pains, then society wouldn’t evolve,” she said.

The city logged a total of 51,700 e-scooter trips, or about 300 per day. The average trip lasted about nine minutes over 1.5 kilometres. About one-third of all trips either begin or end with 100 metres of a SkyTrain station.

Mayor Richard Stewart noted that rented e-scooters are equipped with helmets and limited to a top speed of 24 kilometres per hour. If a scooter is going faster than that, it’s likely that rider’s personal property, the mayor noted.

Overall, most complaints centre on bad riding and bad parking.

“I hear two objections: stupid behaviours on the wheels and stupid behaviours ending the ride. You can’t fix stupid,” Stewart said.

E-scooters are permitted over a 7.2 square-kilometre City Centre space.

Missing numbers

In general, e-scooter use spiked during city festivals, noted Coun. Steve Kim. That use is likely replacing car trips, he said.

However, Kim said he wanted more data on the program.

“Where are they going and what they are doing?” he asked.

Coun. Trish Mandewo raised a similar point, noting a lack of data on injuries.

Doctors are still learning about the injury risks posed by e-scooters, according to Fraser Health Medical Health Officer, Dr. Emily Newhouse.

“Anecdotally, we have seen an increase in the number of e-scooter related injuries as this mode of transportation becomes popular,” Newhouse wrote in an email to the Dispatch.

Based on data from other jurisdictions there are anywhere from 8.7 to 25 e-scooter injuries per 100,000 trips. Most injuries are from falls with some caused by collisions. Risk factors include inexperience, high speeds, intoxication, as well as distracted riding and cracked pavement.

While specific statistics are difficult, Coquitlam RCMP reported no notable trends in either scooter thefts or violations.

Pushing boundaries

The pilot includes a plan to extend the city’s northern scooter boundary by about 500 metres above David Avenue while dropping the southern boundary below Coquitlam Central SkyTrain Station along Lougheed Highway.

The city spent about $105,000 in total on installing dockless parking stations, pavement markings and staff resources. So far, the pilot has generated about $24,000 for the city.

Given the population projections for the city, micromobility options are crucial, according to Coun. Robert Mazzarolo.

“It is not going to work if we’re all in a car,” he said.

The city’s goal is for 50 percent of all trips in the city to be made by walking, transit or micromobility by 2050.