Is It Legal To Ride Electric Scooters on The Sidewalk in Michigan?

Those Lime and Bird scooters that you see in most cities on the sidewalk are a popular way to get around, especially in a city that you don't know well or would have to pay to park if you moved your car.

They're convenient, inexpensive, and honestly a little dangerous since you aren't required to have any sort of instruction or practice before you take one out on a spin.

In some cities, they're also a nuisance because people tend to abandon them in the road or in rivers. But, that's not the biggest problem I have with them.

If you're one of those terrorists who rides those rental scooters on the sidewalk, this PSA is for you.

No, it's not legal to drive electric scooters on the sidewalk in Michigan

While you may find them on the sidewalk, they aren't supposed to be driven on the sidewalk.

If you look closely at the base of them, they even come with a warning telling you not to ride on the sidewalk because it's dangerous.

Just like bicycles and ebikes, you're supposed to drive them in the road just like a car, with the flow of traffic. (Not against it, which I've seen people do as well) Bonus- If you're in an area that offers bike lanes, you should utilize those for your own safety because they're a safe way to get around on those convenient little scooters.

You're also supposed to wear a helmet while riding, but we all know most people don't carry those around with us everywhere, so it's not surprising that people are missing this important safety step.

According to the city of Grand Rapids mobility plan, there are a few rules they ask you follow if you plan to take advantage of these devices:

• Always ride WITH other traffic
• Obey the rules of the road as any other vehicle operator, including all traffic signs, lane markings and signals, and use hand signals to indicate turns, slowing or stopping
• Wear bicycle helmets and reflective clothing
• Stay as far to the right as practical when riding in traffic lanes
• Do not ride more than two abreast in a single lane, and only do so if it does not interfere with the normal flow of vehicular traffic
• Avoid entering the roadway without first stopping to look for vehicles
• Ride predictably and defensively, and do not ride while drunk or distracted
• Always yield to pedestrians
• Have a white front headlight and a red rear reflector if riding after dark or in low light conditions

So here's your friendly reminder, keep those scooters and ebikes off the sidewalk and be courteous to others before we end up hurting each other or loosing access to these devices.