Driving around the often-busy and often-narrow roads of Charleston can feel like running an obstacle course on the best days. Throw in the rising prevalence of electric scooters dipping, diving and ducking on and off the streets, and you’ve got a growing problem.
State and local officials agree they’re seeing more motorized scooters in Charleston. And Charleston Police Department Public Information Officer Christopher Stinson said the increase is probably not unique to the Lowcountry as e-scooters have grown in popularity nationwide over the last several years.
The popularity is often reflected in local rental companies that allow people to grab a scooter to get around and drop it off elsewhere. Cities like Charlotte and Atlanta are home to several such businesses, for example. Charleston, however, banned the businesses in 2018. According to Stinson, there are no other laws on the books governing the vehicles at the city level, which leaves regulation up to the state…