Briggs: Indianapolis couldn't ban scooters while chasing Amazon, but they might still fail

James Briggs | IndyStar

Show Caption Hide Caption Bird scooters can smell fear Watch what happens when electric scooters become self-aware.

In the Great Scooter War, the Battle of Indianapolis was won without a shot fired.

All the electric scooters had to do was show up — which they did, by the hundreds, in June — and claim their victory.

While the City-County Council went through the motions of drafting a proposal to ban dockless e-scooters, there's a simple reason why vocal opponents never had much hope of banishing them: Indianapolis is in an all-out effort to become a tech hub.

The city is working to foster a startup culture; attract major technology firms such as Salesforce and Infosys; and give talented workers confidence that Indianapolis offers not only job opportunities, but also a way of life that fits their (often progressive) view of the world.

Oh, yeah, and Indianapolis is still in the running to land Amazon's next headquarters.

More: Electric scooters in suburbs? Not gonna happen.

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More: Here's what you need to know about Bird electric scooters

Add it all up and Indianapolis can't afford to gain a reputation for shunning innovative transportation solutions, which scooter companies purport to offer, even if there are reasons to be skeptical of their public benefits. The city had to give e-scooter companies a chance to operate legally.

But scooters could still fail in the long term.

'We embrace new technology'

The e-scooters that have been introduced to Indianapolis so far travel up to 15 miles per hour and can be rented through an app for $1 per ride and 15 cents per minute. Depending on your perspective, they either are a smart way for urban commuters to cover the so-called last mile of their trip, or they are a nuisance that litters sidewalks and threatens public health.

Tech companies tend to focus on the positive and prefer to operate within cultures that welcome change. That forces cities to welcome devices such as dockless e-scooters, which have swarmed urban areas and caused elected officials to rush complex policy decisions — while being careful to smile about how great e-scooters are.

Mayor Joe Hogsett reflected this conundrum in June when he prefaced his frustration over how scooter operators "jumped the shark" in Indianapolis by making it clear that he is happy to have them.

"I think it's important that as a city we embrace new technology," Hogsett said. "Personal mobility is a very important aspect of what we try to accomplish on behalf of the residents of our city, so I want that to be established at the outset."

Forgiveness, not permission

But Hogsett and other city officials have not been happy about how scooters got here.

Bird and Lime combined to put 800 e-scooters on city streets and sidewalks before Indianapolis had a chance to draft regulations. The City-County Council on Monday approved a set of rules, including $25 fines for people who illegally park scooters and fees starting at $15,000 for companies that want permits, but the city still has work to do in answering questions about enforcement and where the scooters will be allowed.

This suboptimal policymaking process is not an accident. Bird, Lime and other operators are following a Silicon Valley playbook — written and perfected by ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft — of asking forgiveness instead of permission for their services.

Hurried implementation of services that consumers like, but which governments find risky or threatening, has fueled a narrative that tech companies are solving societal problems and could do so even faster if not for pesky red tape. E-scooter operators say they offer transit solutions, particularly in places such as Indianapolis, which lack cheap and comprehensive solutions for people who need to get around without cars.

"Ultimately, we're a mobility company trying to bring as many pieces of the mobility puzzle as possible to Indianapolis," Jason Wilde, a regional manager for Lime, said.

It's tough to argue with that. But it is far from certain that e-scooter companies — which have valuations in the billions of dollars — will ever become as ubiquitous as ride-hailing companies.

Many people hate scooters

Unlike ride-hailing companies, whose only natural opponents are cab drivers, a lot of people really hate e-scooters.

There are many reasons for this, ranging from e-scooters' ugly aesthetics to legitimate safety concerns. But perhaps the most notable difference is that ride-hailing companies are only accountable for the behavior and competence of their contracted drivers, while e-scooter companies will be judged by the choices of every single person who rides them.

During the weeks in which e-scooters were active in Indianapolis — Bird and Lime have temporarily suspended service pending implementation of the city's new permitting process — residents complained that scooter users were riding unsafely and in banned areas. The city's new rules are an attempt to address these issues, but probably will not solve them.

Scooter safety risks could turn the tide

Another issue is that most people who ride e-scooters choose not to wear a helmet. That might have contributed to serious injuries for one Indianapolis man earlier this month.

If there is one thing that has proven to turn the tide of public opinion against innovation, it is perceived public health risks. For instance, Arizona in March banned Uber from using its self-driving cars after a vehicle hit and killed a woman. Accidents involving Tesla's self-driving cars have prompted questions about whether society is ready for the technology.

E-scooter technology, of course, is much more basic than that of autonomous vehicles. But that might not soothe public outcry in the event that one or more scooter rides ends in tragedy.

There also are even simpler reasons why e-scooters might not last in Indianapolis forever. Residents could get so fed up with the bad behavior of e-scooter riders that city officials decide they can ban them without rankling supporters and influential companies like Salesforce.

Or, people could just get tired of scooters and stop using them.

For now, the Hogsett administration and council had little choice in giving e-scooters a chance. That does not necessarily mean the Great Scooter War is over.

Call IndyStar business columnist James Briggs at (317) 444-6307. Follow him on Twitter: @JamesEBriggs.