France: Paris goes to the polls to decide whether to ban the rental of electric skateboards

The electric skateboard war has reached a referendum in Paris. After horrific road accidents, deaths and protestsParis mayor Anne Hidalgo decided to convene a consultation to solve your destiny. The electoral rolls will be used and the result will be known this Sunday at 10pm. But it has no legal value.

So, Lime, Tiert et Dott, the three companies that manage their rental, risk their future. Together they have 15,000 skateboards. It will be the voters who decide whether or not skateboards will continue to exist, moving at high speed and without respecting the rules, on the Parisian streets.

Companies finance the campaign in favor of skateboarding on social networks. They want to convince young Parisians to go to the polls today between nine and seven in the evening.

dirty countryside

His methods are not the most democratic on the networks. “Midnight at the Porte de la Chapelle, on foot or by skateboard?”, propositioned one of your posts yesterday. Neighborhood residents protested because they feel stigmatized. In La Chapelle the migrants live in tents and there is a lot of drug addiction.

Another of the operators was accused of buying the will of the voters, offering 10 free minutes to all those registered on the electoral lists to vote.

With the single application of the code JEVOTE, Lime and the other two companies announced that “skateboarding will be free to use applications to go vote on Sundays.” Tik Tok has become the most used network for campaigns, but it doesn’t specify who funds it.

David Belliard, environmentalist and partner in the transformation of public space and mobility, denounced in a Twitter that “There are private companies that try to influence with discretion “The result of the vote. Today that money is being used to save the skateboard business. Tomorrow, why will it be?”, he wondered.

Influencers are also being paid up to 3,500 euros to support the campaign in favor of the electric skateboard, which was used for combustion, with its lithium battery, in protests against pension reform in Paris.

The mayor, against

The decision was adopted in January by the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, in favor of the interruption of the service due to the inconvenience it causes.

“But I will respect the vote of the Parisianseven if it contradicts my opinion,” he explained.

On this occasion, the agents of the city of Paris will occupy the polling stations. 1,270 municipal employees will be mobilized to ensure the smooth running of the operation, as well as the counting of votes.

If the count operations go well, the result of the vote is expected to be announced around 10pm.. Yves Charpenel, first honorary advocate general at the Court of Cassation and president of the Ethics Commission of the City of Paris, will announce the result. In his capacity as Chairman of the Supervisory Board, he will also ensure the smooth running of the votes.

If voters wish to report irregularities, the control commission can be contacted by post (Commission de control de la vote du 2 avril 2023/Hôtel de Ville/4 rue de Lobau, 75004 Paris) or by email at vote@ paris.fr .

It’s dangerous?

Skateboarding can be dangerous, cause serious accidents due to its speed and lack of rules, and is the favorite of young French people, it can be purchased for between 250 and 49,000 euros. But to use it every day is necessary a model of 700 euros.

At 25 kilometers per hour, the electric trotinette, as it is called in France, you can cycle on the cycle paths that cover the city, but there are some high-speed models, such as the SEGWAY GT”, which reaches 70 kilometers per hour.

Skateboards cause more accidents than motorcycles and cars. It has a precarious balance and they are silent. Many elderly people cross without listening to them and meet them. There have been deaths and severe skull fractures.

Many French people have their own skateboard. But others use self-service rental services. But users don’t know the route code and rules and become a threat to pedestrians.

In the face of too many accidents, they have regulated them: you cannot use your cell phone, audio helmet or telephone headset. At night, the light shift is mandatory and two cannot travel on the skateboard, if they do not want to pay a fine of 35 euros.

On the skateboard, the maximum speed allowed is 25 kilometers per hour. Otherwise, a penalty of 1,500 euros is paid. The brakes have to be powerful. Horn or horn is mandatory. Children under 12 cannot use it. Insurance It is obligatory to ride on an electric trolley. But so far they are not obliged to wear a helmet.

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