Is it legal to ride your electric scooter on the sidewalk? The bad news is that in California the answer is no. Because of past poor electric scooter etiquette it is not currently legal to ride e-scooters on sidewalks. The good news is they can be ridden legally in bike lanes and on paved trails including the Iron Horse Trail and the Contra Costa County Canal Trail in Walnut Creek, California. Keep in mind the maximum speed on a paved trail is 15 mph.

Why are e-scooters prohibited from the sidewalks? In short, inconsiderate riders. When electric scooter share programs hit the public in California a little over 5 years ago they were a big hit for some and a big nuisance for others. Because hundreds of these scooters appeared in high density walkable neighborhoods overnight it was a big adjustment for the residents or these areas. All of a sudden they were sharing the sidewalks with inexperienced riders who probably didn’t realize the nuisance they were causing. They would weave in and out of pedestrian traffic, startle pedestrians by seemingly appearing out of nowhere and buzzing right over the shoulder, take turns too quickly, and be generally unpredictable. If that wasn’t a big enough change for the residents, the cherry on top was that because these scooters could be rented and dropped off anywhere that’s exactly what happened. They were left EVERYWHERE. It was not uncommon to have to dodge 5 of these scooters like an American Ninja Warrior per city block.
Because of inconsiderate electric scooter riding and parking the mere mention of e-scooters puts a bad taste in the mouths of people dealing with the PTSD of the day the scooters arrived. Both the electric scooter and rider have been stigmatized as a nuisance. This negative reputation is the reason why communities are reluctant to allow e-scooters on sidewalks.
In order to break this stigma electric scooter riders should follow the 7 rules of being a good e-scooter citizen.
1. Be Considerate: The single most important rule is just to be considerate that others are around. Don’t do anything to others that you wouldn’t want them to do to you.
2. Be Predictable: When around pedestrians, bikes, and cars move predictably. If you telegraph your intended next move then everyone else can make subtle adjustments so that we can all navigate the streets safely.

3. Be in Control: At local festivals, farmers markets, concerts, and parks where there is a lot of walking traffic stay below 8 mph or slower and exude confidence that you are as in control of your scooter as if you were walking. If you show complete control no one will be concerned with your presence.
4. Stop at Crosswalks: Building on being predictable, don’t dart out into traffic. Stop at crosswalks and intersections and make sure the coast is clear before crossing. A good way to tick drivers off is to make them slam on their brakes to save your life because you are treating the roads like your own personal playground.
5. Call Out When Passing: Be seen and heard. Announce your presence and/or ring a bell when passing someone even when there is plenty of room. Remember rule 1 of being considerate. It is easy to startle people that are not expecting you to zip by. Sometimes calling out is more about not giving them a heart attack than making sure there is enough space to pass.
6. Slow down around blind corners: Pedestrians won’t slow around blind corners but will blame you if they spill their coffee because you startled them. When approaching a blind corner, slow down to walking pace.
7. Slow down when passing: Speed limits on trails are 15 mph. Pedestrians walk at about 3 mph. Electric scooters are so quick and quiet that pedestrians often don’t realize how quickly you are approaching. Slow down to about twice their speed when passing. If they get spooked they sometimes get happy feet and act unpredictably. Unpredictability and high speeds do not mix well.
My electric scooter, the VOLPAM SP06, has 3 speed settings, ECO, Standard, and Turbo. The max speeds are 8 mph, 12 mph, and 19 mph respectively. I use the ECO mode when I’m in Downtown Walnut Creek where there is a lot of foot traffic crossing the roads especially near Broadway Plaza, Standard mode when I’m on the Iron horse trail, and Turbo, when I’m in the bike lane.
As of today it is not legal to ride an electric scooter on the sidewalk in California because of a history of e-scooter riders going too fast on sidewalks. If we can all follow the 7 e-scooter etiquette rules above, then maybe, just maybe in the future we can all share the sidewalk.
– Brian Ahlering