One longtime Oakwood resident told city officials recently that bike and scooter riders on sidewalks — and pedestrians as well — can face sudden safety issues.
It’s “far more dangerous for these kids on the sidewalks, not to mention for people like me,” said Brian Parks, whose said he’s lived in the city about 20 years. “Constantly, we’re being confronted with kids that come up behind you just flying down the sidewalks.”
Riding a scooter illegally on sidewalks or roads has not resulted in any injury reports or citations being issued, according to Oakwood Safety Department Director Alan Hill.
The city banned shared mobility devices, including commercial scooter fleets, in 2020. Operators of the permitted scooters should “be mindful of other motorists and pedestrians, and are encouraged to wear appropriate safety equipment to prevent against serious injury in case of an accident,” Hill said in an email.
Oakwood does not have “an overwhelming situation where we’ve heard from tons of people,” said City Councilman Rob Stephens. “But we’ve had a few citizens contact us, and in our mind … when you hear from a few citizens, there’s definitely more people who are thinking the same thing.”
Stephens, who has been working with the school district on the issue, said “it’s definitely something we’re concerned about because it’s the safety of children and adults. And our number one thing is to try to keep the streets and sidewalks as safe as possible.”
Parks noted that “it sure seems like it’s getting a lot worse over the last number of years.”
Oakwood has a population of about 9,500, with nearly 3,800 residences across 2.2 square miles, resulting in busy neighborhoods, city officials have said.
“That’s why it’s such a big concern with us because we have a lot of stop signs and a lot of people out there,” Stephens said. “We have a lot of people walking all of the time and jogging all of the time.”
The videos are set to roll out after spring break and feature “simple” messages for Oakwood Junior High School students about how the rules differ for bike and scooter riders on sidewalks and streets, city and school district officials said.
Students will have a hand in making — and be featured in — the videos, said Stephens and Traci Hale, Oakwood schools’ spokeswoman. They also will be posted on social media, according to Hale.
If the videos are well received at the junior high, they may be shown at the two elementary schools, Stephens said.
“If you think about it, unless it’s a parent that educates their child, you don’t get traffic safety until you learn how to drive,” he said. “So that’s why we’re trying to address the kids who aren’t old enough to go to driver’s training.”
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