{"670202":{"#nid":"670202","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How to Safely Use Micromobility on Campus ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EUsage of micromobility vehicles on campus has drastically increased since 2019, according to Capt. Marcus Walton of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/police.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Police Department (GTPD)\u003C\/a\u003E. In 2023 alone, nearly 100 students have been seen at Stamps Health Services with injuries from scooter-related accidents.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003ERules of the Road\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn keeping with its mission to protect the campus community, GTPD is expanding its education efforts to ensure that users understand the rules of the road, primarily that operating a micromobility vehicle \u2013\u2013 defined as bicycles, electric bicycles, electric scooters, and electric skateboards \u2013\u2013 carries many of the same responsibilities as a car.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMicromobility vehicles are considered to be vehicles by state law and cannot be used on sidewalks or in pedestrian crosswalks. If you are crossing the street with a micromobility vehicle, you should step off and walk it across the crosswalk.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWhen operating a micromobility vehicle, you must follow the rules of the road, obeying posted signs, traffic lights, and emergency personnel.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EYou must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EGeorgia\u0027s hands-free law also applies to micromobility vehicles, meaning you cannot use your cellphone while riding.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOperating micromobility vehicles under the influence can result in DUI charges.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPark your micromobility vehicle near a bike rack and away from the street or walkways.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPosted speed limits apply to micromobility vehicles, and while most do not reach high speeds, Capt. Walton said the department has observed students adding extra voltage to scooters and e-bikes to increase speed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We don\u0027t put anything past our engineers,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe ordinances that govern the use of these vehicles on campus are not developed by Georgia Tech but rather by the City of Atlanta, meaning violations carry the same penalty as most traffic tickets.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We want students to know that the exact violation you\u0027re committing is the exact violation that a car would commit, and the fine is the same price. If you fail to stop at a stop sign in a vehicle, it would cost you about $250 a ticket. It is the same if you do it on a scooter or a bicycle,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGTPD hopes to use education to promote safety. In addition to expanding its Communications team, GTPD is coordinating conversations with campus organizations and departments to reach students, faculty, and staff. A comprehensive campus education plan is also in the works that will promote micro-mobility safety year-round online and across campus with digital and physical signage.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPropel ATL\u2019s Georgia Tech Community courses offer cyclists of all skill levels the opportunity to learn the rules of the road in a safe and supportive environment. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.letspropelatl.org\/cc_gatech_2023_10_19\u0022\u003ELearn more\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003ESafe Practices\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECapt. Walton emphasized that all campus community members, including faculty and staff, must abide by the law and are subject to citation. Whether you\u0027re new to micromobility or an experienced rider, keep these safety tips in mind.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWear a helmet. Capt. Walton noted that in most accidents, riders were not wearing protective headgear.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDo not ride distracted. Do not use your phone or listen to music and make sure you can hear the environment around you.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWatch for Stinger buses pulling away from curbs.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDo not ride with two people on one scooter or bike.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAt night, make sure your micromobility vehicle has a front light and a reflective red light on the back, and wear reflective clothing.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERegister your scooter with GTPD so that owners can be contacted if a scooter is blocking access or is stolen and recovered.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDrivers have the responsibility of sharing the road with micromobility users. Only pass a micromobility user if there is at least 3 feet of clearance. Drivers should regularly check mirrors and blind spots to avoid potential accidents.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo limit speeding and aggressive driving, GTPD purchased 14 radar speed detection signs earlier this year, and the data collected could eventually lead to reduced speed limits on campus as the Institute\u0027s infrastructure becomes increasingly micromobility-friendly.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParking and Transportation Services similarly encourages the safe use of micromobility vehicles on campus, offering \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pts.gatech.edu\/commute\/commute-options\/bicycling-pmds\/\u0022\u003Ea free safety class for members of the Tech community\u003C\/a\u003E. After completing the course, participants receive a free helmet. Helmets can also be purchased from the department for $12.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor additional information regarding micromobility safety on campus, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/police.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Evisit GTPD\u2019s website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"As the use of micromobility vehicles such as electric scooters and bicycles increases on campus, so do safety concerns. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the use of micromobility vehicles such as electric scooters and bicycles increases on campus, so do safety concerns.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As the use of micromobility vehicles such as electric scooters and bicycles increases on campus, so do safety concerns. "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2023-10-05 15:52:12","changed_gmt":"2025-08-25 15:26:25","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-10-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-10-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671951":{"id":"671951","type":"video","title":"How to Safely Use Micromobility on Campus","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the use of micromobility vehicles such as electric scooters and bicycles increases on the Georgia Tech campus, so do safety concerns. Capt. Marcus Walton of the Georgia Tech Police Department shares his tips to keep the community safe.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1696524214","gmt_created":"2023-10-05 16:43:34","changed":"1696524214","gmt_changed":"2023-10-05 16:43:34","video":{"youtube_id":"UN7cuOIsGmg","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/UN7cuOIsGmg"}},"671952":{"id":"671952","type":"image","title":"A cyclist rides their bike on the Georgia Tech campus. ","body":null,"created":"1696524323","gmt_created":"2023-10-05 16:45:23","changed":"1696524323","gmt_changed":"2023-10-05 16:45:23","alt":"A cyclist rides their bike on the Georgia Tech campus. ","file":{"fid":"255118","name":"23-r10400-p72-003_720.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/05\/23-r10400-p72-003_720.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/05\/23-r10400-p72-003_720.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":520330,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/10\/05\/23-r10400-p72-003_720.jpg?itok=fJnCltfu"}}},"media_ids":["671951","671952"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.pts.gatech.edu\/commute\/commute-options\/bicycling-pmds\/","title":"Bicycling and Personal Mobility Device Resources"},{"url":"https:\/\/police.gatech.edu\/bicycles-campus","title":"GTPD Bicycle Information"},{"url":"https:\/\/police.gatech.edu\/bicycle-laws","title":"Bicycle Laws"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"3390","name":"Georgia Tech Police Department"},{"id":"2408","name":"campus safety"},{"id":"178685","name":"e-scooter"},{"id":"67341","name":"bike atlanta"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Communications Officer\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}