As I suspected a local (wealthy) business person gave the legislature and some city councilors a gentle nudge so he could operate a scooter rental business. While Mr. Holt’s testimony was about running a Ma and Pa business, we know he isn’t short on the cash flow. But that doesn’t matter to me, I actually support this kind of business and think it is something Sioux Falls should have.
What I found shocking was they want the scooters to operate ONLY on the sidewalks of downtown. WTF?
I know, when I first heard it today, I wondered if this was some kind of joke. Even councilors Nietzert and Kiley were like no can do. In other cities where these operate (I just witnessed them in San Diego) they must be operated on the street, because they can do around 25 miles per hour. And like riding a bicycle or skateboard on the sidewalk (which is illegal DTSF) it’s dangerous to pedestrians and the riders.
While I could go on a very long, or short rant (like I did tonight at the council meeting) about the idiocy of riding a motorized scooter on a sidewalk, I’m not going to go there. You get it, this isn’t rocket science, though physics are involved.
This is what happens when you have a mentally ill and dull legislature pass laws which they pass down to municipalities with little to no public input, not even from experts. Just how can my rich buddy start his own multiple injury scooter business.
And on top of it, the city councilors proposing this The Count and Heels, didn’t even bother to have a little public input on the topic.
Riding an electric powered scooter on the sidewalk for ‘safety’ is like scooping manure out of hog lot barefoot so you don’t get your 5-Buckle overboots dirty.
I know, they could turn Carnegie Town Hall into a comedy club if it wasn’t so tragic.
The offer from the Taupeville Dining and Entertainment District still stands.
If there is to be an area of the City to recieve exclusive designation for operation of motorized foot scooters, let us engage a little excercise in capitalism.
The opening bid from principals in the Taupeville Dining and Entertainment District is $250,000. (Be careful Alex. Some of these folks bankrolled your campaign!).
How much is Mr. Holt willing to place to City coffers for the exclusive geographic designation which he seeks?
Carnegie would make a good comedy club.
I doubt the scooter thing will work. Winter is a factor. Cracked and uneven concrete is another. One cannot hold an umbrella when it rains. It’ll be a passing fad. Sedgeways didn’t happen. This will get some attention for awhile but it’s not a good business plan.
Dance the Electric Slide between bars instead? Boogie Woogie
Sedgeways made the mistake of associating themselves with mall cops. Malls are in decline, so there went the Sedgeways, too.
Will Taupeville Dining be known for its taupe tilapia and taupe tofu? What about taupe tapioca pudding? Maybe a meat shop should open next to Limitless Male as well down there. It would all be rather “entertaining” along with a Hooters, I mean Scooters.
[files for trade name ‘Taupeville Testosterone’ … preparing for limitless opportunity]
I have used and thoroughly enjoyed the e-scooters in San Antonio and Kansas City. In both of the cities, use of the scooters on sidewalks is STRCITLY PROHIBITED. It is idiotic to operate these on the sidewalk. Like bicycles, it is far safer for the riders of these scooters as well as pedestrians WALKING on the sideWALK, to use these on the street, obeying all traffic laws, just like bicycles and cars. Look back at almost all bicycle accidents, resulting in injury and death, and you will see that almost all of those accidents occurred when the bicycle was being ridden on the sidewalk.
“Ya, ‘Taupeville Tesosterone’ is when you have the balls to deny voting boxes north of 57th Street, but allow them to exist south of 57th Street”…..
“Woodstock”,
The plural form “them” is an incorrect reference to the method of gathering absentee ballots from voters in the portion of the City which is in Lincoln County.
A single box was allowed to gather the absentee vote from Lincoln County residents. Available at defined times. Under the attended supervision of a County employee.
The Argus Leader has a short story on its Business Journal page that the proposal will be withdrawn.
https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/business-journal/2021/06/04/sioux-falls-city-council-expected-withdraw-electric-scooter-plans-lyft-bird-south-dakota/7551449002/