Briley threatens electric scooter ban after user's death

Friday, May 24, 2019, Vol. 43, No. 21

NASHVILLE (AP) — Nashville's mayor is threatening to ban electric scooters unless the companies that own them immediately address problems.

The Tennessean reports Mayor David Briley threatened the ban in a Thursday letter to scooter companies. It comes a week after 26-year-old Brady Gaulke was killed when a car struck him while he was riding a scooter downtown.

The Nashville Fire Department tells the paper it responded to 43 emergency calls in April related to scooter injuries.

Bird, Lyft and Lime are three of the major scooter providers. They responded to Briley's letter saying they look forward to working with the city to reach a solution.

Problems include riders who do not obey the rules of the road, ride scooters on crowded sidewalks and leave them parked in the middle of sidewalks.