BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Electric scooters left by California bike share company LimeBike on sidewalks on Kapahulu Avenue in Waikiki.
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MILWAUKEE >> Overnight in dozens of cities across the U.S., the electric scooters arrive, often without warning to public officials, parked along sidewalks and ready to be taken for a spin with a few taps on a smartphone.
Lawsuits and cease-and-desist orders have sometimes followed the arrival of California-based companies Bird Rides Inc., LimeBike and Spin, with city officials saying the scooters aren’t legal to operate on streets or the sidewalks where they get dangerously close to pedestrians. And because the scooters are dockless, they’re parked anywhere when a ride is over, causing cities heartburn over blocked sidewalks.
Today, Milwaukee will ask a judge to order Bird to remove its scooters from the city. It will be the first time a complaint against Bird will be argued in court, potentially providing the first judicial opinion for the cities scrambling to figure out how to deal with the startups.
(In May, Lime suspended its Honolulu service after about a week in operation in response to city officials contending that state law regards the scooters as mopeds that can’t be legally parked on sidewalks.)
ON THE MOVE
Anne Murata has retired as director of marketing and business development for the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor. During her 10-year tenure, she was able to consistently lead the Hawaii visitor destination to its highest revenue and attendance. Murata will return to her company, Anne Murata LLC, where she will consult with tourism, nonprofit, retail and event marketing clients.