Students Scoot — On The Sidewalk

Six students from Guilford High School spent Memorial Day afternoon zipping down Elm Street — including on the sidewalk — atop the city’s new rent-per-ride e‑scooters.

They didn’t have a specific destination in mind. ​“We’re out exploring New Haven,” said Aidan, a junior. With the sun out, the group figured the scooters would be ​“more efficient” and ​“more fun” than retrieving Aidan’s car from the Broadway parking lot. Plus, most of them, including Colton, a sophomore, had never been on an e‑scooter before.

They hesitated at the price – 40 cents per minute – but were convinced by a $5 coupon zip-tied to the handlebars. 

The students took that ride three days after the company Veo placed up to 300 new rentable e‑scooters at various spots in and around downtown, as part of the Elicker administration’s latest effort to support non-car transportation alternatives.

The Guilford High students started their rides Monday down the Elm Street sidewalk near Broadway.

That violated the all-caps ​“NO RIDING ON SIDEWALKS” warning printed on each scooter and contradicted the company’s claim that such riding would be made impossible. (At an April 3 presentation to the Board of Alders, Veo Director of Government Partnerships Jeff Hoover said the company’s ​“geo-fencing technology” would automatically slow scooters to a stop if used on sidewalks.)

The company also bars riders under the age of 18. The Guilford students created new accounts and started scooting within minutes, no IDs required.

Asked about the apparent violations, Veo Senior Manager Paige Miller wrote, “[S]idewalk riding is prohibited for both private and shared e‑scooters. Veo also requires all riders to be at least 18 years old. These safety rules are communicated through multiple channels — including our user agreement, in-app instructions, push notifications, social media, and community events.” 

She added that ​“as with any new program, there’s a learning curve,” and Veo is ​“committed to working with the City of New Haven to support ongoing outreach and education so that all community members understand and follow the rules of the road.”

Miller also said that a ​“local team geofenced the entire New Haven riding area at the block-by-block level” and that “[o]ver the next several weeks, [they] will be working with the City to refine these geofences.”

Nevertheless, on Monday afternoon, six high schoolers zoomed down the Elm Street sidewalk and through downtown bike lanes with just a few taps.