Bird e-scooters taking flight in Medicine Hat

“I think they are a good idea. They are convenient to get around. A lot of people are having fun on them. They should be more careful crossing streets and things like that,” another person said.

Getting in on the fun is as simple as downloading the app, adding a credit card, selecting a scooter and unlocking it. Bird e-scooters launched in Medicine Hat in May as part of a one-year pilot, following changes to the city’s bylaw.

“Residents of Medicine Hat have really embraced this mode of transportation, the e-scooter so we are very pleased and proud to be offering this service in the municipality,” said Chris Schafer, VP of government affairs for Bird Canada.

Schafer said not only are e-scooters are a source of outdoor fun, they can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Data from other e-scooter programs in different cities across Canada have showed about one in three trips by scooter replace a car trip, so that overall means less trips by automobile are occurring in municipalities with shared scooter programs,” he said.

But Bird Canada said there is some basic e-scooter etiquette residents should follow.

“No double riding. So one person per scooter. You want to not ride on a sidewalk. You want to ride on a street or road with a posted speed limit of 50 km or less. So ride in a bike lane where they exist or in the shoulder of a street or road,” Schafer said.

Parking also requires some special considerations.

“You want to park it on the street furniture side of the sidewalk. That’s the area of the sidewalk that might have a newspaper box, park bench, a lamp pole, a tree, it’s the area of the sidewalk where pedestrians wouldn’t walk,” Schafer explains.

Last but not least, wearing a helmet is recommended, to ensure every ride is as fun and safe as possible.

For more information on e-scooters, head to the city’s website.

by Tiffany Goodwein

Bird e-scooters taking flight in Medicine Hat

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