Nearly nine out of ten survey participants said e-bikes and scooters should remain banned from sidewalks in Key Biscayne when officials consider permanent rules for the micro mobility device.
The result in a reader survey by The Key Biscayne Independent was the clearest indicator that an emergency “scooter ban” appears to have broad community support. More than 200 readers completed the survey, which asked about the different options facing elected officials.
A temporary ban on Village streets was put in place after the Feb. 14 death of local tutor Megan Andrews in an e-bike collision. It faces an extension vote next month, when the Village Council is also expected to consider a first draft of a permanent ordinance.
CLICK HERE: Read all the survey results
But while there was strong opposition to allowing the battery operated devices on sidewalks, there also seemed to be a willingness to consider a compromise — if the Florida Legislature changes state law and lets devices be restricted by age or license status. Some 65% said they could support use of the devices on Village roads if lawmakers enable municipalities to draft more nuanced rules.
As the survey only counted Independent readers, it was not scientific, but it tried to gauge reader sentiment. Some 38% of respondents said they owned a micromobility device of some kind.
The result on the sidewalk issue could be key. Village officials considered and rejected proposals to enforce existing state law prohibiting motorized vehicles on sidewalks, fearing that traffic would move from sidewalks onto Crandon Boulevard.
Miami-Dade County is considering a Village-backed proposal to give more local control over the busy road, but it too would ban e-bikes and scooters from sidewalks. It faces a hearing next month.
Some other highlights of strong majority views from the survey:
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CORRECTION: Due to a format error, the percentages for the scapegoating question were not displayed with the word ‘disagreed.’
Tony Winton is the editor-in-chief of the Key Biscayne Independent and president of Miami Fourth Estate, Inc. He worked previously at The Associated Press for three decades winning multiple Edward R. Murrow awards. He was president of the News Media Guild, a journalism union, for 10 years. Born in Chicago, he is a graduate of Columbia University. His interests are photography and technology, sailing, cooking, and science fiction.