Welcome to the micromobility jungle [Opinion]
Before relocating to Broadcasting Square Shopping Center a few miles away, the Fine Wine & Good Spirits store in Wyomissing had an unofficial preferred parking area.
It was the fire lane.
Despite plenty of open spaces just a short walk away, some customers routinely pulled up to the curb and planted all four tires squarely in the clearly marked lane reserved for emergency vehicles.
People saw others getting away with it, so they followed suit. That's human nature.
The same dynamic seems to be at play with the electric scooters that have proliferated in recent years.
Riders of these swift, agile battery‑powered devices slither through traffic and blow past most traffic‑control devices. They cut through parking lots as shortcuts and ride on sidewalks meant for pedestrians.
If I drive a car without a license plate, I won't make it far before I'm pulled over. If I hit another vehicle, I'm liable and had better have my registration and insurance in order.
But I can ride an e‑scooter on the road or the sidewalk - whichever path I choose - with impunity.
Welcome to the jungle, circa 2026.
Technically, e‑scooters are not street‑legal, nor can they be ridden on sidewalks under the state Vehicle Code. But that hasn't stopped legions of riders - kids and adults alike - from using them on roads and walkways for fun or for commuting to school or work.
Spring Township Police Chief Stephen Brock told me there have been several minor crashes involving e‑scooters.
"They're pretty dangerous because they go pretty fast," he said. "I have seen kids flying down the hill."
Complaints from the public, he added, are constant.
Many people, including some parents, likely don't realize it's illegal to ride e‑scooters on streets or sidewalks. As warmer weather approached, Spring Township police used the township's notification system to remind residents that e‑scooters aren't exempt from registration, inspection and insurance requirements under the Vehicle Code.
The message linked to PennDOT's Micromobility Fact Sheet - a helpful reference, even if it leaves you scratching your head.
Technically, police could cite riders for operating an unregistered vehicle, driving a vehicle unsuited for the road, or - when it comes to younger riders - driving without a license.
But you can't register an e‑scooter with PennDOT, and you can't get a driver's license before age 16. It's understandable that police hesitate to enforce rules that are impossible to comply with.
According to PennDOT's chart, e‑scooters - defined as two‑wheeled vehicles without a seat - can only be operated on private property. They're treated like electric skateboards and unicycles: they can't be titled or registered because they lack turn signals, bumpers and other required safety equipment.
Brock said pushback would be substantial if police started ticketing riders. Many kids rely on e‑scooters to get to and from school, sparing parents from drop‑off duty.
"We absolutely don't want to be issuing traffic citations to 10-year-olds," Brock said.
Officers will still stop young riders operating the devices unsafely and may call parents.
"Our initial approach is educational," Brock said.
Adults, too, would push back - especially those who use e‑scooters as part of the growing micromobility movement that promotes lightweight, low‑emission transportation for short trips.
As the devices multiply on local roads and sidewalks, police are left trying to educate the public about laws that few people know - and even fewer can realistically follow.
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