Asbury Park E-Scooter Program Adds New Safety Rules

Those new electronic scooters available in Asbury Park have been a HUGE hit.

There are a lot of advantages: People spend more time outdoors, there is less pollution and it has helped the difficult parking situation that exists in AP.

Plus, it is super affordable! All you have to do is download the e-scooter app. Riders must pay $1 to unlock the scooter and than it costs $.15 for each minute of use.

However, Asbury Park residents have complained about their safety concerns so new rules will officially go into effect this Wednesday!

Here are the new rules:

1. The speed limit for these scooters is going from 15 MPH to 12 MPH.

2. Riders must provide and scan a copy of their driver's license to confirm they are at least 18 years old. All riders will also have to read safety information on the SPIN app before each ride.

3. Each scooter will have an identification number so other residents can report "bad behavior" exhibited by riders. Violators could face suspension from the program.

This scooter program, on average, has had 800 riders a day so it is understandable that a few revisions need to be made when it became so popular so fast.

"We are taking the public's feedback," said Deputy Mayor, Amy Quinn. "One of the things we kept hearing is about the scooters going too fast."

I must say, as popular as these scooters are, I am glad to see that the town is holding riders a bit more accountable. There are a lot of benefits but it will take just a few bad eggs for the entire e-scooter program to be banished.