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US cities grappling with how to deal with electric scooters

Cities across the US are grappling with how to deal with dockless electric scooters that have begun appearing along sidewalks overnight without any regulations.

Lawsuits and cease-and-desist orders have sometimes followed the arrival of California-based companies Bird Rides Inc., LimeBike and Spin.

Some cities say the scooters are illegal to operate on streets or sidewalks where they get dangerously close to pedestrians. And because the scooters are dockless, they're parked anywhere when a ride is over, causing cities heartburn over blocking sidewalks.

On Friday (July 13), Milwaukee will ask a judge to order Bird to immediately remove its scooters. It will be the first time a complaint against Bird will be argued in court, potentially providing the first judicial opinion in the struggle between cities and the startups.

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