Omaha is halfway through its electric scooter pilot program. The six-month trial run started in May, and Omaha police have been busy enforcing scooter rules.
Through August 12th, Omaha police had issued 45 tickets to scooter riders, with 37 of the tickets for riding on sidewalks.
Police have also issued 61 warnings to scooter riders. Jeff Ankenbauer works in the Old Market and he told 6 News "We see a lot of people just, like burning through." That is one of the areas the electric scooters are not supposed to be in.
Other restricted areas include parts of Riverfront and Blackstone District as well as college campuses. Ankenbauer said, “It's a safety issue. Elderly people, kids, animals, scaring people."
Lime Scooters says it uses a mobile app to keep people from riding in the restricted zones, but so far it doesn't seem to be working.
Sal Leony calls the Market home and told 6 News “I have an anxious dog so when they're riding around he'll get scared. Especially when they're on the sidewalk and zooming by."
Leony thinks they need to be more regulated, especially in terms of staying on the streets and off the sidewalks.
In November the city will decide whether to support the future of scooters or move toward banning them as other cities have begun doing.