[E-Moto Safety News Conference on September 3, 2026.]
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THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
I'M AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PAIGE ELLIS, AND I CHAIR THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE TOPIC WE ARE GONNA FOCUS ON TODAY IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
AS MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN IN RECENT MONTHS, WE'VE ALL WITNESSED THE GROWING IMPACT OF EMOTO USE.
THESE ARE POWERFUL MOTOR VEHICLES CAPABLE OF EXCEEDING 60 MILES AN HOUR, AND THEY'RE BEING RIDDEN BY KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE LICENSES, DON'T HAVE HELMETS SOMETIMES, AND IN MANY CASES DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE.
AND THERE MIGHT BE SITUATIONS WHERE THEIR PARENTS ALSO AREN'T AWARE OF WHAT THE SAFETY REGULATIONS MIGHT BE.
THAT IS WHY IN MAY, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED MY RESOLUTION ASKING FOR CLARITY AND ACTION, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN.
THE GOAL HERE IS NEVER TO PUNISH RIDERS WHO DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER.
IT IS ABOUT EDUCATION AND SAFETY ON OUR END.
IT'S ABOUT ENSURING EVERY RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENT IS ALIGNED WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY ON OUR ROADWAYS, SIDEWALKS SHARED USE PATHWAYS, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR CHILDREN.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS JOINING ME TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF ROAD SAFETY AND EMOTO USE, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT THREE MONTHS LATER, THIS CITY IS STEPPING UP TO MEET THIS MOMENT.
A PD HAS ALREADY DELIVERED STANDARDIZED ENFORCEMENT GUIDANCE TO EVERY SWORN OFFICER IN THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH MEANS THOSE OFFICERS WHO ENCOUNTER ONE OF THESE VEHICLES NOW HAS A CLEAR VETTED FRAMEWORK FOR WHAT TO DO.
AND MANY OF OUR OFFICERS ALSO ENJOY RIDING MOTORCYCLES AND WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS HOW TO RIDE THEM SAFELY.
AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION IS ON THE GROUND WITH PARK RANGERS ACTIVELY EDUCATING RIDERS, AND WE ARE EXPLORING DESIGNATED SPACES WHERE KIDS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RIDE SAFELY.
AND AS A CITY, WE ARE BUILDING OUT A BROADER PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN WITH VIDEOS OF PUBLIC WEBPAGE, SPANISH LANGUAGE MATERIALS, AND OUTREACH TO SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES ALIKE.
I'M TREMENDOUSLY GRATEFUL FOR THE FOLKS, THE FOLKS JOINING ME HERE TODAY FOR TAKING THIS WORK ON, AND TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE DAAS COUNCIL MEMBERS LANE ALTER UCHIN AND VELAZQUEZ, WHO CO-SPONSORED OUR RESOLUTION BACK IN MAY, AND FOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
AFTER WE HEAR FROM A FEW SPEAKERS, I'LL BE SURE TO IDENTIFY THE FOLKS THAT ARE UP HERE WITH ME TODAY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PRESS SO THEY KNOW WHERE TO DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT BEFORE, I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND A VERY WARM WELCOME TO MICHELLE AND ELLIS BIA FROM ALICIA RACING FOR BEING HERE TODAY WITH US AND FOR THE WILLINGNESS TO OFFER A TRULY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THESE ISSUES AND TO SHOW FOLKS AT HOME THAT HAVING FUN AND BEING PASSIONATE ABOUT THESE VEHICLES IS NOT AT ODDS WITH BEING SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE AS RIDERS.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUE, CRYSTAL LANE, TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN ELLIS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I'VE REALLY APPRECIATED THE BOTH SPEED AND THOUGHTFULNESS WITH WHICH YOU HAVE WORKED WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS AND YOUR CO-SPONSOR SPONSORS SO THAT WE CAN GET CLARITY TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, OUR RESIDENTS, UM, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND I ALSO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT THIS CONVERSATION IS NOT COMPLETE AND WORK CONTINUES.
WE'LL BE ADDRESSING THIS IN THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE MEETING IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING AND MORE INFORMATION TO COME IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I I WAS VERY HAPPY TO CO-SPONSOR THIS RESOLUTION ON EMOTIVE'S BECAUSE MICRO MOBILITY IN AUSTIN IS CHANGING FAST AND SAFETY CONCERNS HAVE GROWN RIGHT ALONG WITH IT.
IN MY DISTRICT, THE SAFETY CONCERNS HAVE PLAYED OUT PRIMARILY AS IT RELATES TO YOUTH WHO ARE FREQUENTLY TRYING TO GET EITHER TO AND FROM SCHOOL AS BUS ROUTES HAVE BEEN CANCELED.
UM, WE HAVE STREETS THAT ARE MORE CROWDED WITH WALKERS, BIKERS, AND SOMETIMES KIDS ON E-BIKES, UM, EMOS AND A VARIETY OF OTHER OPTIONS.
UM, AS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS USING THESE TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION HAS PROLIFERATED, UM, UP UNTIL NOW WE HAVE NOT SEEN CLARITY COME TO OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT IS ALLOWED, WHICH TYPE OF TWO-WHEELED VEHICLES CAN BE WHERE SAFELY AND LEGALLY.
AND SO, UM, WITH CLARITY BE COMES, UM, MORE PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE WITH EACH OTHER AND MOST MORE PEACEFUL SHARING OF SPACES.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BRING THAT TODAY.
IT'S CRITICAL THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, PARENTS AND TEENS ALIKE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE VEHICLES BECAUSE THAT DOES GOVERN WHERE IT IS PERMISSIBLE FOR THEM TO BE.
SOME AREN'T LEGAL TO RIDE IN THE STREET, SOME AREN'T LEGAL TO RIDE ON THE SIDEWALK.
SOME HAVE AGE LIMITS, SOME DON'T.
SOME HAVE AFTERMARKET IMPROVEMENTS.
PARENTS NEED INFORMATION BEFORE BUYING AN E-BIKE OR EMOTO FOR THEIR TEENS SO THEY KNOW WHAT'S ALLOWED AND WHAT ISN'T.
SO THEY KNOW WHAT THEY CAN BE HELD LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR, AS WELL AS WHAT THEIR TEAM CAN BE HELD LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR.
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VEHICLES, WHAT AND WHICH VEHICLES CAN NEVER BE ROAD LEGAL OR SIDEWALK LEGAL.UM, AS A CITY, AS WE HAVE SEEN THIS PROLIFERATION OF TYPES OF MICRO MOBILITY OPTIONS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE STRIVE FOR CLARITY ON THE LAWS THAT GOVERN THEIR USE.
AND AS I SAID BEFORE, SO THAT WE CAN SHARE OUR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS MORE SAFELY.
PEOPLE NEED LOWER COST, COST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO GET TO WORK AND SCHOOL, BUT WE ALSO NEED CLEAR ENFORCEABLE RULES AND LICENSING REQUIREMENTS THAT KEEP SAFETY FRONT AND CENTER, AND THAT MAKE IT EASY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER AN EMOTO OR E-BIKE IS BEING OPERATED LEGALLY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE IN THE FUTURE ABOUT POSSIBLE LOCATIONS FOR RECREATIONAL EMOTO RIDING.
THIS HAS BECOME A GENUINELY POPULAR HOBBY AND RIDERS DESERVE A PLACE TO ENJOY IT MORE FREELY AS WELL AS TO BUILD THEIR SKILLS FOR FUTURE SAFE USE ON ROADWAYS SHOULD THEY SO CHOOSE.
DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ISN'T A SAFE PLACE TO PAPA A WHEELIE AND NEITHER IS THE SCHOOL PICKUP LINE.
AND SO I KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS WORK, AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE THOUGHTFUL CONSTRUCTION OF THE RESOLUTION SO THAT WE HAVE NOT JUST CLARIFICATION WHAT'S POSSIBLE, BUT TRULY, UH, A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN THAT'S ALREADY WELL UNDERWAY.
AND WE WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER MIKE ROGERS, WHO COVERS MOBILITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS, IS TAKING THE RISE OF E MODAL USE.
SERIOUSLY, WE RECOGNIZE BOTH THE OPPORTUNITIES AND THE CHALLENGES THAT THESE DEVICES PRESENT.
OUR FOCUS IS SIMPLE SAFETY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK WORKS FOR EVERYONE, WHETHER THEY'RE DRIVING, RIDING, OR WALKING.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, OUR DEPARTMENTS HAVE COORDINATED CLOSELY TO IMPROVE SAFETY THROUGH EDUCATION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENFORCEMENT.
WE'RE EXPANDING OUTREACH TO RIDERS SO THEY UNDERSTAND THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
WE'RE WORKING WITH TRANSPORTATION TEAMS TO IDENTIFY HOTSPOTS WHERE THEY EXIST IN ADDING ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE OR DESIGN CHANGES THAT CAN REDUCE CONFLICTS.
AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH PUBLIC SAFETY TO ENSURE THAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE CLEAR AND THAT UNSAFE RIDING BEHAVIORS WILL BE ADDRESSED.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT DISCOURAGING NEW FORMS OF MOBILITY, IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THAT WE INTEGRATE RESPONSIBLY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AUSTIN IS ALWAYS EMBRACED INNOVATION, AND WITH THE RIGHT GUARDRAILS IN PLACE, WE CAN SUPPORT A TRANSPORTATION ECOSYSTEM THAT IS SAFE, CONNECTED, AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.
AND OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ASSISTANT CHIEF CHANCELLOR.
AND THANK Y'ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY.
I'M AN ASSISTANT CHIEF WITH AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
A PD IS TAKING AN EDUCATIONAL APPROACH WHEN IT COMES TO EMOS, EBIS AND OTHER SIMILAR DEVICES.
THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCE, UH, AND DIFFERENCES IN THE TYPES OF DEVICES, THE LEVELS OF DEVICES AND THE LAWS THAT APPLY TO EACH DEVICE.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS WE CAN ON WHAT THOSE DIFFERENCES ARE SO THAT PARENTS, SO THAT USERS OF THESE VEHICLES AND SO THAT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS CAN UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES AND WHAT LAWS APPLY AND HOW WE NEED TO HANDLE THESE SITUATIONS EXTERNALLY.
OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE HAS PUT OUT ONE VIDEO ALREADY ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. THAT VIDEO HELPS, UH, THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEHICLES AND THE DIFFERENT LAWS THAT APPLY.
WE'RE WORKING ON A SECOND VIDEO THAT WILL BUILD ON THAT FIRST VIDEO AND HELP FURTHER THE EDUCATION OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A WEBPAGE TO PUT OUT SO THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN GO TO THAT WEBPAGE, FIND THEIR DEVICE, AND FIGURE OUT WHAT LAWS APPLY TO THAT SPECIFIC DEVICE.
IN ADDITION, INTERNALLY WE PUT OUT AN OPERATIONAL TRAINING BULLETIN THAT HELPS THE OFFICERS UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DEVICES ARE, HOW TO IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENT DEVICES AND WHAT LAWS APPLY TO THEM.
AND SO AS I'VE ALREADY STATED, THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCE AND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEHICLES OUT THERE.
UM, IF I COULD GIVE YOU ONE SIMPLE RULE OF THUMB TO KIND OF FOLLOW, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS THAT ARE BUYING THESE DEVICES FOR KIDS, IF THE, UM, MOTOR IS BIGGER THAN 750 WATTS, OR IF IT HAS A VEHICLE ASSIST SPEED THAT'S GREATER THAN 28 MILES PER HOUR, THEN IT'S GONNA BE TREATED LIKE A TRADITIONAL MOTOR VEHICLE, MEANING THAT THAT VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE REGISTERED, NEEDS TO HAVE INSURANCE.
THE OPERATOR OF THAT VEHICLE NEEDS TO HAVE A VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE.
AND, UH, IT CAN'T OPERATE ON THE SIDEWALK.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER LAWS THAT WOULD APPLY HERE, BUT THOSE ARE THE MAIN ONES THAT WE
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SEE.AND THE CALLS THAT WE GET TO ARE THE KIDS THAT ARE DRIVING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AT 40, 50 MILES AN HOUR WHEN ONE OF THESE EMOS AND THAT VEHICLE IS NOT REGISTERED, THEY OBVIOUSLY DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR IT.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE EDUCATING THE PARENTS AND THE USERS OF THESE DEVICES SO THAT WE CAN ALL ENJOY OUR STREETS SAFELY.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE BEING ABLE TO TAKE UP THIS ITEM AND GET A BRIEFING HERE BETWEEN ONE AND 3:00 PM FOR THAT REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, THERE ARE SO MANY FOLKS THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME TO SAY THEY ARE VERY AFRAID THAT SOMEONE'S GONNA GET HURT OR KILLED ON THESE BIKES.
WE KNOW THAT INJURIES ARE HAPPENING, WE'RE READING REPORTS OUT OF DIFFERENT STATES WHERE EITHER THE KIDS HAVE BEEN KILLED RIDING EMOTO'S OR THEY'VE KILLED SOMEONE ELSE ACCIDENTALLY.
UM, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S JOINING ME UP HERE TODAY.
AND WE WILL NOW BE ABLE TO TAKE A Q AND A, BUT WE HAVE FOLKS FROM A PD CITY LEADERSHIP.
WE HAVE A YOUNGER PERSON YOUNGER THAN I AM THAT IS, UH, AN ENTHUSIAST OF EMOTO'S, UH, BUT ALSO CARES SO PASSIONATELY ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THESE VEHICLES.
WE HAVE PARKS AND RECREATION, A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UH, TPW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
SO WE'LL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS IF ANYONE HAS ANY.
A QUESTION FOR ASSISTANT CHIEF CHANCELLOR.
HOW MANY WARNINGS OR CITATIONS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR ILLEGAL EMOTO USE THESE PAST THREE MONTHS? I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY TRY AND LOOK IT UP AND FIND IT.
ONE OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE WITH THAT TYPE OF DATA COLLECTION IS THAT THAT CITATION WOULD MATCH THE NORMAL TYPE OF, UH, CITATION WE WOULD ISSUE FOR SOMEONE ELSE THAT HAD AN UNREGISTERED MU MOTOR VEHICLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND SO, BUT LET ME LOOK INTO THAT.
AND THEN A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, COULD PARENTS BE CITED OR GIVEN A WARNING IF THEY KNOWINGLY ALLOW THEIR CHILD TO USE AN EMOTO ILLEGALLY? YEAH, SO IF YOU ALLOW A CHILD THAT'S UNDER 18 YEARS OLD TO OPERATE A VEHICLE, UM, THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE OPERATED, THEN THE PARENT CAN BE CITED FOR THAT.
UM, ALSO FOR ASSISTANT CHIEF, SO CAN EMOS, I KNOW THEY CAN GO UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS.
IF THE RIDER IS LICENSED AND THE VEHICLE'S REGISTERED AND EVERYTHING, CAN THEY RIDE IT ON THE HIGHWAY OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE IN A RECREATIONAL AREA? SO IT HAS TO FIT ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT A NORMAL PONY, PONY PART, SORRY, I WAS TRYING TO SNEAK AWAY.
UM, SO THAT VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO MEET ALL THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
AND TYPICALLY WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE LITTLE BITTY BIKES OR LITTLE MEDIUM SIZED BIKES, THEY'RE NOT GONNA QUALIFY FOR REGISTRATION OR FOR INSURANCE BECAUSE THEY DON'T MEET ALL THE STATE'S REQUIREMENTS.
AND SO IF A BIKE, UM, MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND WAS REGISTERED AND HAD INSURANCE AND EVERYTHING, THEN IT WOULD BE ALLOWED IN THAT SITUATION.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT RULES FOR, AND THIS WHERE ALL THE NUANCE AND DETAIL COMES INTO IT, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT IN THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE, BUT A, A MOPED OR ONE OF THESE BIKES THAT GOES A CERTAIN SPEED, THERE ARE DIFFERENT LAWS FOR CLOSED ACCESS HIGHWAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, AND HOW FAST THEY CAN GO.
SO LIKE AN ELECTRIC BIKE THAT OPERATES AT A A LEVEL THREE STILL HAS TO STAY ON THE STREET THAT HAS A SPEED LIMIT UNDER 35 MILES AN HOUR.
AND SO, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT NUANCE IN IT.
UM, AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO KIND OF NAIL DOWN IT, BUT FOR YOUR QUESTION, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE DEVICES, IF THEY CAN GET REGISTERED AS A MOTOR VEHICLE, UM, THEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THE, THE VARIOUS ROADS THAT ANY MOTOR VEHICLE COULD WHILE YOU'RE THERE.
UH, THIS SEEMS LIKE A BIG CHALLENGE FOR OFFICERS TO DISTINGUISH ONE FROM ANOTHER TYPE OF THING.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF CHALLENGE IS THAT GONNA BE FOR FOR OFFICERS IN THE FIELD? YEAH, IT'S AN INCREDIBLY HARD CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE, UM, IN THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE PRESENTATION AGAIN, I'VE GOT PICTURES OF DIFFERENT ELECTRIC BIKES AND SOME OF 'EM GO EXTREMELY FAST AND SOME OF THEM MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.
AND FOR AN OFFICER TO LOOK OVER AND LOOK AT THAT BIKE AND GO, OH, THAT ONE'S A, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER CATEGORY IN IT, IT'S GONNA BE EXTREMELY CHALLENGING FOR US.
YOU KNOW, THE KEY GIVEAWAY ON SOME OF THOSE IS, WELL, THAT BIKE IS MOVING AT 60 MILES PER HOUR, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA QUALIFY FOR IT.
BUT WHEN WE'RE IN THE NUANCED AREA OF, WELL, DOES THIS FIT THIS, DOES IT FIT THAT, IT WILL BE A, A VERY BIG CHALLENGE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO CONTINUE TO EDUCATE THESE OFFICERS, UH, GIVE THEM SLIDESHOWS, PICTURES, DO THE SAME THING WITH COMMUNITY ON THIS IS WHAT THESE BIKES LOOK LIKE, THESE ARE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, OPERABLE PEDALS.
AND AGAIN, THE ENGINE SIZE USUALLY ISN'T PRINTED REALLY BIG ON THE SIDE OF THE BIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT.
UM, BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND IT IS A BIG CHALLENGE QUESTION FOR ANYBODY.
UM, IS THE CITY AWARE OF ANY INCIDENTS WHERE SOMEBODY'S BEEN INJURED OR THERE'S BEEN AN ACCIDENT OR, OR SOMETHING THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE, THE ISSUES THAT, UM, YOU'RE HOPING TO TACKLE? I, I KNOW ANECDOTALLY THAT THEY'RE HAPPENING BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO NEIGHBORS THAT ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S BACKUP DATA SPECIFICALLY ON, UH, COUNT.
YEAH, SO WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH AUSTIN
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PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOME OF OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS TO TRY TO GET DATA ON KIND OF SCOOTER RELATED INJURIES.AND SO THIS IS ONE, I THINK SIMILAR TO WHAT A PD CHIEF JUST SAID IS WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE FORMATTING IN THE REPORTING AND IN THE INTAKE FORMS AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO REALLY DISTINGUISH BETWEEN ALL THESE NUANCED DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEVICES.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA KEEP LOOKING AT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THAT DATA AND INFORMATION FROM OUR PARTNERS AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO, TO, TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STANDUP SCOOTER VERSUS A SIT DOWN VERSUS AN EMOTO VERSUS E-BIKE.
THAT'S GONNA BE TAKE SOME TIME TO GET TO THAT POINT.
I DO WANT TO HEAR FROM EUM AS WELL.
UM, WHERE DO YOU RIDE YOUR EMOTO AND ANY ADVICE FOR FAMILIES, UH, WITH TEENS WHO MIGHT WANT ONE? YEAH, I MEAN, SO FIRST OF ALL, UH, HUGE THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME UP HERE.
I KNOW I'M, LIKE I SAID, THE YOUNGEST ONE UP HERE, BUT I HAVE A TON OF EXPERIENCE, UM, WITH ELECTRIC POWERTRAINS AS A WHOLE.
SO I WAS, UH, STARTED MY RACING CAREER IN ELECTRIC GO-KARTS THAT THEN ACTUALLY ENDED UP, UH, IN A CAN-AM MOTORCYCLE THAT WAS COMPLETELY STREET LEGAL AND WAS A FULL FLEDGE MOTORCYCLE THAT I HAVE MOTORCYCLE ENDORSEMENT ON MY LICENSE TO RIDE.
UM, BUT WITH THAT LIVING IN, UM, MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I SEE ALL THE E-BIKES, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GOING AROUND EVERYTHING FROM PEDAL ASSIST AND STUFF THAT'S PRETTY MUCH KIND OF A LIME SCOOTER WITH A SEAT ALL THE WAY UP TO WHAT IS PRETTY MUCH A FULL FLEDGED DIRT BIKE, UM, WITH A PRETTY HIGH POWER OUTPUT.
AND SO I THINK FOR WHAT I'VE SEEN IS THE, THE MAIN CHALLENGE IS HAVING AN OUTLET TO GET THAT NEED FOR SPEED AND, AND THE SAFE SPACE TO DO WHEELIES AND, YOU KNOW, RIDE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE SPIRITED THAN NORMAL.
UM, TO HAVE THAT SPACE IS GONNA BE SUPER IMPORTANT AND IT KIND OF LETS YOU GET ALL THAT OUTTA YOUR SYSTEM.
UM, AND I KNOW AUSTIN PD IS DOING FANTASTIC IN TAKING THE APPROACH OF LEARNING.
I THINK WE SEE A LOT OF, UM, SOLUTIONS IN, IN OTHER STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT THEY KIND OF CLAMP DOWN AND HAVE THESE WEIRD PARADOXES THAT THEN MAKE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE A SOLUTION.
AND SO, UM, I'M SUPER PROUD OF ALL THE WORK THAT EVERYONE'S DONE SO FAR TO MAKE IT, UH, WORK AND MAKE IT SAFE.
AND SO AS SOMEONE WHO'S A PART OF THE NORMAL MOTORCYCLE COMMUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN, UM, WE SEE A LOT OF ACCIDENTS ON FULL-SIZE MOTORCYCLES.
AND SO THE LAST THING WE NEED IS YOUNGER KIDS GETTING IN SAME STYLE OF ACCIDENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE UNEDUCATED AND THEIR PARENTS ARE ALSO UNEDUCATED, NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUT OF, UH, INTENTIONALLY DOING ANYTHING TO HARM THEIR KIDS, BUT JUST BECAUSE THE INFORMATION'S NOT OUT THERE.
UH, FOR COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, DO YOU THINK THAT, UH, THE LAWS, UH, THAT REGULATE THESE, UM, MOTOR VEHICLES ARE, ARE THEY, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT THEY'RE KIND OF KEEPING UP WITH THE CHANGE THAT YOU'RE SEEING? AND DOES THE COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, FORESEE, UM, WRITING UP ANY ORDINANCE ORDINANCES TO KIND OF ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? IT'S, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
'CAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TOUCHED ON THIS BEFORE THE END OF THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN IS NOT, IS NOT A CITY THAT IS UNFAMILIAR WITH BEING THE GUINEA PIG, RIGHT? WE HAD SCOOTERS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DEPLOYED IN THE DOWNTOWN STREETS.
WE SEE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES SAFER DRIVERS THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON.
BUT CAN THEY ALSO READ THE HAND SIGNALS OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS? UM, WE ARE VERY FAMILIAR IN AUSTIN, TEXAS WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY AND OFTENTIMES THE EXISTING REGULATIONS OR THE EXISTING AUTHORITY THAT WE HAVE IS NOT YET VETTED.
SO WE KNOW THAT MOTOR VEHICLES ARE, ARE SOMETHING THAT IS ADDRESSED BY STATE CODE.
WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE LICENSES TO DRIVE CARS.
WE KNOW THEY NEED TO HAVE EMISSIONS TESTING IN COUNTIES THAT REQUIRE EMISSIONS TESTING.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE AS A CITY MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH OUR OWN TOOLBOX TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, BUT WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF WHAT IS DEDICATED AS STATE AUTHORITY, WHAT IS DEDICATED AS COUNTY AUTHORITY, UM, AND THEN HOW DO WE WORK AROUND THOSE EDGES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COVERING ALL OF OUR BASES.
I THINK WE COULD COME UP WITH SOME MAGIC FORMULA OF WHAT WORKS HERE, BUT THEN YOU MIGHT SEE PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO AND DALLAS AND HOUSTON AND EL PASO HAVING DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS AND THAT GETS VERY CONFUSING.
SO I'M NOT OPPOSED TO HAVING DIFFERENT STATEWIDE REGULATIONS, I JUST WANNA KEEP PUBLIC SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT.
UM, BUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT MUNICIPALITIES HAVE ALL OF THE POWER TO BE ABLE TO REGULATE THESE SAFETY ISSUES THE WAY THAT WE WOULD WANT TO THINK.
WE CAN TAKE ONE MORE QUESTION HERE.
IT'S NOT A PLUG TO STAY FOR MOBILITY COMMITTEE, BUT FOR MOBILITY
UH, ONE STORY WAS ABOUT MODIFIED VEHICLES.
IT'S LIKE HOW YOU CAN BUY A A, A BIKE THAT'S LIKE, WAS BREEDED A CERTAIN WAY, BUT YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND LEARN HOW TO CHANGE THE MOTORS AND HAVE A HIGHER OUTFIT.
I DID NOT KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL ARE CONSIDERING.
AND IS THAT SOMETHING Y'ALL ARE ADDRESSING? UM, I ONLY HAVE TWO ELECTRIC BIKES THAT I HAVEN'T MODIFIED AND SO MAYBE, MAYBE OTHER FOLKS THAT
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ARE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE, THE MOTOR, UH, MODIFICATIONS WOULD WANNA ANSWER THAT QUESTION.I MEAN, I THINK LIKE ANY NEW TECHNOLOGY, THERE'S KIND OF THE INITIAL WAVE.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THE SORT OF TINKER MINDSET SETS IN VERY QUICKLY OF, WELL, IT'S GOVERNED 30 MILES AN HOUR, WHAT IF IT WANTS TO GO 45 MILES AN HOUR? AND I THINK, UM, NO DIFFERENT THAN OUR SORT OF TEXTBOOK MOTORCYCLE LICENSING SYSTEM.
UM, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF DIFFERENT EVERYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD.
UM, I LIVED IN GERMANY FOR FOUR YEARS WHEN I STARTED MY CAREER AND YOU ARE TIERED TO WHAT KIND OF PERFORMANCE YOU CAN REACH ON A MOTORCYCLE BY YOUR AGE.
SO RIGHT NOW I'M A 20-YEAR-OLD RACE CAR DRIVER.
I CAN GO OUT TOMORROW AND BUY A 200 HORSEPOWER SUPER BIKE THAT HITS, YOU KNOW, ALMOST 200 MILES AN HOUR OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR IS IN GERMANY.
I HAVE TO WAIT TILL I'M 25 TILL I HAVE AN UNRESTRICTED LICENSE.
AND SO I THINK AS AUSTIN PD AND THE CITY KIND OF GAIN THE EDUCATION OF IF THEY DO, YOU KNOW, STOP SOMEONE FOR WHETHER THEY'RE SPEEDING OR, OR RIDING RECKLESSLY OF KNOWING THE SIGNS OF WHAT'S AN OEM COMPONENT VERSUS WHAT IS MODIFIED AND THEN THE RULES WITHIN THAT.
RIGHT? UM, I KNOW FOR WHEN I REGISTERED MY BIKE, WHEN I BOUGHT IT FOR MOTORCYCLES, THERE IS NO REAL INSPECTION WHEN YOU GO TO REGISTER IT.
SO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE EMOTO'S, I THINK THERE'S A REALLY BIG POTENTIAL TO MAKE A DUMB DOWN SYSTEM THAT IS ACCESSIBLE FOR THE YOUNGER AGE GROUP, BUT STILL MAYBE PUTS THEM THROUGH HAVING A TECH INSPECTION STICKER THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY FEW MONTHS IS UPDATED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THERE'S A FEW WAYS THAT AS THE EDUCATION AND THE KNOWLEDGE, UH, BASE COMES UP, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMMUNITY, THEN WE CAN START TO TACKLE THAT STUFF WHERE WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND WHAT'S COSMETIC, LIKE A OFFENDER KIT VERSUS LIKE YOU SAID, A HIGH POWERED MOTOR THAT DOUBLES THE TOP SPEED, DOUBLES THE HORSEPOWER AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING.
SO
AND SO I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL TAKING AN INTEREST IN THIS TOPIC AND HELPING US GET THE WORD OUT.
UM, EVEN THE FOLKS WHO ARE ENFORCING THESE REGULATIONS, THEY'RE NOT ANTI MOTORCYCLE.
THEY ALSO LIKE TO HAVE FUN ON THE BIKES, BUT THEY JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY GETS HOME SAFELY AT THE END OF THE DAY.
SO WE'LL SEE YOU AT MOBILITY COMMITTEE.