Not Another Ban

Aug 13

Written By Walk and Roll Houston .

“When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”

That sums up Mayor John Whitmire’s approach to governing since taking office.

Whitmire Bans

What he wants to ban, tried to ban and successfully banned:

Concrete medians
Protests near his house
Sidewalks
Bike lanes
Raised crosswalks
The homeless
BRT’s
Scantily clad ladies on Washington Ave.
And now scooters

Just to be clear, there is no rational policy making happening at City Hall. It’s all based on vibes, misinformation and fear mongering. The proposed scooter ban is another attack on sustainable and affordable transportation in Houston.

The Selective Safety Standard

Remember the helicopter which crashed into a radio tower in the East End and killed 4 people? When were City Council committee hearings held to regulate the causes of the crash?

Remember when one of the Mayor’s Evolve golf carts collided with an SUV? No, because neither Evolve, Metro or the City of Houston publicly acknowledged it. A passenger was seriously injured. No air bags. No A/C. When did City Council hold hearings to question their safety and regulate them sharing the road with cars?

Since Whitmire took office, 6 people have been killed Downtown in car crashes = including 3 people crossing the street. One of them was a city of Houston employee. No hearings by City Council to address why our streets are so dangerous. More than 10 Houstonians a month are killed while walking and biking.

The Scooter Scapegoat

The Mayor and Houston First claim with no evidence that

According to the city’s own data, there were 23 scooter crashes in 2024 in the proposed ban area — compared to 213 serious injuries and 10 deaths from all traffic crashes.

The city already has scooter rules on the books. If enforcement is the Mayor’s solution for freeway road rage, why can’t it be the solution for reckless scootering?

Who Gets Hurt by a Ban

This ban doesn’t just target “joyriders.” It punishes Houstonians who rely on scooters to get to work, school, or transit — often because they can’t afford a car.

From Eastwood to Montrose, residents commute daily by scooter. For many, it’s the fastest, cheapest way to connect to jobs and appointments.

Banning scooters Downtown, Midtown and East Downtown would:

Eliminate a low-cost, low-emission commute option
Hurt local small businesses like Swerv, Glyderz, Bolt, and ERYD that follow the rules and invest in safety
Push the problem — and pop-up illegal operators — into other neighborhoods instead of solving it.

What We Should Do Instead

Even brick-and-mortar scooter companies have offered solutions:

Geofencing to block riding in certain areas like Discovery Green
Speed limits to improve safety in high-traffic zones
Nighttime curfews in specific hotspots
Vendor permits and registration

Cities like Austin, Denver, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Seattle, New York City and D.C. already use these tools successfully. They regulate — they don’t ban. The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) provides comprehensive guidance to help cities regulate and manage micromobilty.

Show Up for Our Freedom of Mobility

This is about more than scooters. It’s about whether Houston invests in real mobility options or doubles down on car dependency.

The first evening City Council session is Monday, August 26 at 6 p.m.
Use your freedom of mobility to get there and tell them: Regulate. Don’t ban.

How to sign up to speak