If drivers don't like cyclists, they're going to hate e-skateboarders - Los Angeles Times
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If drivers don’t like cyclists, they’re going to hate e-skateboarders

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The Times editorial board has written a lot recently about the politics, policies and practicalities of bicyclists and automobiles sharing the road in Los Angeles. Apparently there’s some tension on the streets between motorists and cyclists.

Well, get ready for the next rumble over who owns the asphalt: e-skateboards.

Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) has introduced legislation that would allow electric motorized skateboards to share the road. If passed, riders could use bike lanes as long as they follow the same rules as bicycles, UT San Diego reported. They wouldn’t be allowed on sidewalks and roads without bike lanes.

Electric skateboards were banned from streets in 1977, mainly because the gas-powered models were loud and produced a lot of air pollution for their size. The new boards are powered by rechargeable batteries. They look like long skateboards and can move at speeds up to 18 mph. The boards are for transportation, not tricks.

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The boards could fill a small but important niche in transportation -- that is, short trips that are too long for walking but not worth driving. And they certainly might help with the first-mile, last-mile dilemma of public transit, which is getting people to and from transit stations.

But if drivers are miffed about sharing the road with bicyclists -- who have clear rules of the road and safety requirements, such as lights for night riding -- they’re going to hate e-skateboarders, who will have to learn the rules and develop safety measures. California’s streets are only going to get more crowded with alternative forms of transportation. Welcome to Share the Road 2.0.

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Follow Kerry Cavanaugh on Twitter @kerrycavan and Google+

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