Bradshaw, who lived just outside downtown, would be one such person negatively affected by the pilot program, according to Kansas NBC affiliate KSN-TV. (link: https://www.ksn.com/news/wichita-temporarily-pumps-brakes-on-scooter-pilot-program/)
Wichita’s ordinance would have focused solely on downtown Wichita. In other residential areas, the legality of an electric scooter would be, at best, uncertain. Other aspects of the ordinance were a no-go for Bradshaw too:
- No scooters on sidewalks.
- No scooters after sundown.
- Scooters only on roads with 40 mph posted speed limits.
(The Swagger 5 Elite is fast, but not that fast.)
In order for Bradshaw to get downtown on his SWAGTRON electric scooter, he’d essentially have to break multiple aspects of the law, 10 times a week, risk his safety, leave work early part of the year or some combination. And while Bradshaw loves his Swagger 5 Elite, could he love it that much? Would he dare?
Fortunately, this love story has a happy ending. Bradshaw pled his case with the city council, who decided to pause the pilot program until more research was done.
“I felt like it was a win. I got them to actually listen,” Bradshaw told KSN-TV.
This is not simply a win for Bradshaw. It’s a win for anyone who uses an electric scooter for more than just recreation. Local governments are starting to view electric scooters as a serious mobility alternative, making it easier for some to commute to work and school.
So hats off to you, Matthew Bradshaw. Keep fighting the good fight!