Question of the Day - 18 September 2020

We were at the Caesars Seven Star Event last month and the scooters were everywhere, dangerous and inside the casinos racing around, not just outside.  The casinos have to ban them inside or many players will stop playing on the strip.  We saw there are also vans that go up and down the strip advertising people to rent them from them.  Eating outside at the Paris we saw dozens of groups of 20 and 30 year old's, male and females racing up and down the sidewalk on the strip.

Took a trip in June. I noticed a group of young people on scooters in that “mall” between Bellagio and Caesars Palace. I did think it was odd. 

Casinos, or the government, could tell scooter companies to adjust the mechanism such that vehicles have a maximum speed equivalent to a slow walk, like the average speed of a crowd moving in front of Harrah's in the summer. That will be fine for most people who legitimately need them, but will turn off the people who just want to joy ride.

If some body gets hurt (and it’s only a matter of time) there is a law suit just around the corner).  Hope the casinos get on the stock as well as security.  

This is another example of bad behavior that can affect tourism in a negative way. The adult vacationers and convention attendees that come to Las Vegas to spend money that is so necessary for the Vegas jobs and economy will not want to be harassed by these rowdy scooter people. It will be another reason to visit somewhere else. Vegas has to remain a desirable destination for adults that expect a fun but safe place to enjoy without the annoying "fratboy" nonsense. In the past unsavory activities of some street performers on Fremont St created a detrimental atmosphere and finally something was done to rein that in. Hopefully it won't take long before the scooter abusers are stopped. This activity also reduces the number of scooters that are available for people that really need them.

In my home town we have pay by the min electric scooters - pick up / drop off anywhere in and around downtown. Highly convenient and fast. If I need to go out for a business lunch its way better than taking my car out and trying to find parking. Many cites now have this. I am wondering if these clowns are simply replicating this experience. 

As a contrarian view while I find these scooters convenient I have also been bustled when some idiot goes flying by from behind or directly at me. They can be dangerous in the wrong hands but its the rider not the tool.

We do have a selection of older folks who hate these things and when they see the scooters standing  on a corner or by a building who simply push them over so they become a nuisance, subsequently the city (occasionally) picks up nuisance obstructions. Also ignorant behavior. 

So does this mean that people (guests) who depend on a scooter to get around will not have access to them?  How will casinos address this issue?

https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/scooter-rental-abuse-on-lasvegas-strip-police-warn-public-about-safety/article 

If someone is better than me posting links then please fix my attempt to post the above link. That was my first attempt and I need to learn how to do it. Somebody please fix this link for others. Thanks!

Anyone who legitimately needs a mobility device would be more than OK with bringing documentation from a physician stating so. You need it to acquire a handicap parking sticker for your car. No document...no rental. Easy....

@Jay. These are not two-wheeled scooters. These are sit down scooters normally driven by handicapped and/or elderly folks who have a hard time getting around. 

Last weekend I saw a girl blocking an intersection, going a couple of feet and then stopping, on her scooter. I thought she was just drunk, but then realized she was hitting the throttle and going a little bit and then the battery would cut out. She was on Harmon a ways from anything, so not sure how she thought she'd get somewhere to charge it up. It took her a couple of minutes just to get across the intersection. Another reason it's a bad idea for millenials to rent them, they don't think about things like scooters not being magically powered with nuclear batteries that last forever!

Better get used to it. This is what happens when you can't discriminate.  Service animals (too bad if other people are allergic, Dr issued handicapped plaques for people who can walk in the mall/casinos, I'm sure there's more,we'll be dead before the government fixes a problem it created.

Being 8 weeks post-op from knee replacement AND having a disabled son this totally rubs me the wrong way.  Having worked with the disabled for almost 50 years now I know some disabilities are not evident such as heart disease.  These brats are taking something that an actual disabled person might need.  I wish I could think of some way to prevent this happening.

Did you read about activities on Labor Day weekend where there was violence on strip and downtown. Your newspaper the Review Journal reported there was a group of B-M people of about 100 marched downtown. I noticed on the strip where scooterswere used for violent behavior. This is taking advantage if a disabled convience  Used for the wrong reason. Much of this is planned and pd for a well known billionaire. Personally I don’t see how a disabled person could use these scooters. They are toys for young who are too lazy to walk and others out to cause trouble. These are not disabled scooters. They are bigger and much slower.  In most states scooters have to follow motor vehicle laws and carry insurance. This is just another black eye for Vegas.  There are people who want to destroy this town as other big cities. Vegas is down for the 8 count. Police better step in. 

Had a great time with my wife at the Bellagio during March and also noticed the scooter phenomena. The riders seemed to not be hurt or incapacitated in an obvious manner. I did see one riding in an elevated speed.

the term scooter gets thrown around so keep in mind most scooters being used are the two wheeled type much like a skateboard with handle bars. those are the real scourge in many urban areas NOT the 3 wheeled scooters. will certainly not defend anyone who abuses whatever they are riding in an unsafe and reckless manner. on the other hand, i see nothing wrong with using what ever is available to reduce the endless walking that involves the vegas strip. shuttles, monorails, soon to be tunnels with trolleys and such are all a welcome sight for the walking weary. so why not rent a 3 wheeler and make traversing the strip and downtown easier on yourself ??? personal responsibility is up to the individual as always so why not leave it at that ??? i'd rather ride than walk and save my limited amount of energy for other endeavors. a few bad apples always seem to muck it up for the rest and this situation is no different. require a credit card transaction to rent, thus creating a means to track. 

I think that limiting the speed would get rid of many of the abusers.  Also a quick training course on how to drive the scooter, including backing it up.  If someone doesn't pass, they're too dangerous to the general public and should not be able to rent a scooter.  The thrill of speeding around is probably the biggest reason younger adults want to rent it.  Anyone who truly needs one of these 3-wheelers to get around should not object to a slower pace, which would still be as fast or faster than they could walk, and with less frustration.  These scooters also back up way too fast.  I've almost gotten run over multiple times while in a casino.  It hasn't been young adults, but older people.  They aren't paying attention or some look like they're just mad because the slots didn't pay off.  Whatever the reason, at least a slower backup pace would help. 

Limiting the speed of the scooters would certainly be a good start. I saw some zooming far too quickly through casinos and on sidewalks.

Another idea would be to mandate that the scooters have front and rear detection collision detectors like many new car models have, where if it detects something in it's path the brakes will be applied automatically.

I don't know how feasible requiring medical documentation would be. I was there in February with my wife and we brought he own wheelchair while she was recovering from a broken knee, but if we had to contact her doctor's office to ask for a note it would have taken a while and they'd probably charge for it like they do for any other required documentation. Some things would be obvious, of course, like casts or showing a handicap driving placard, but for others like my son with fibromyalgia who often suffers crippling leg pain, there's no obvious sign and he doesn't carry a doctor's note with him.

I visited Las Vegas many times between 1995 and 2017. I loved walking the strip. In 2017 I got a serious infection and sepsis and lost both my legs below the knees. I still enjoy visiting twice a year but I can’t walk more than about 400 feet at at time so I need to rent a scooter. My last visit in august the rental I had made in advance was unavailable when I checked in to my hotel...there was a “shortage” and I wasn’t able to get a scooter until the next morning when one was returned. I made it the first night by eventually making it to my room and walked down the next morning to get one that had been returned. Meanwhile I see groups of people joyriding on these who definitely do NOT look disabled. I know that some disabilities are invisible but mine is quite visible. It’s a sad state of affairs. I don’t know what can be done but something really should be done.

Take your racist crap somewhere else.  Thanks.

I was in Vegas twice in August; during the first week and during the last week. You cannot help, but notice the problem with the young people on scooters both on the outside sidewalks and inside the casino.  I told my wife when I came home that the Strip is becoming "trashy" due to these young people on the scooters.  I love to come to Vegas.  So the City and casinos have to do something about these machines flying around very fast as they are unsafe for many folks, from little kids to the elderly.   Also, the drivers love to honk the machine's horn at you as well.  They were very annoying, but you better get out of  their way.  Please tell us who else we can tell about this problem so that the City and casinos understand this is a serious problem.  thanks z

Thanks to Deke or whoever posted the Fox 5 link that I unsuccessfully attempted to post. Seeing as we foreshadowed the question of the day one day ahead of time,  I guess that means Las Vegas Advisor beat Fox 5 to the scoop! LOL!

Hey Mickey,

Jerry is telling the truth, you can leave for CA Woker BS at the door!  From Miami, with love.

Since losing a leg to cancer in 2018, I've needed one of these scooters for our annual (since 86) vegas trip. October 2019 scooter rental was easy and reasonably priced. Regaining this level of mobility was a trip high point. Hearing Mike's reserved scooter was unavailable when he arrived is alarming. Hope I don't encounter same this October. I won't be surprised if renting gets harder and more expensive, and another vegas deal bites the dust. Opposed to governors and more tech. Not opposed to requiring proof of need.

Absolutely noticed it at a stay at the Excalibur in late August.  Around midnight (later?) two guys swerving around the casino with big smiles on their faces.  Didn't hit me, but I thought it strange that they were able bodied.  Then upon check out two days later to my dismay there was a HUGE line at the bell desk..... except it wasn't the bell desk.  It was the line for renting scooters!  None of them looked disabled.  

I noticed the trend at the Sema convention last year they were everywhere and most people did not need them. Just an easy way to get around but screwed it up for the normal people. Don't know how many times I was bumped or run into without even a Sorry. Something has to be done before there is a serious incident. Think road rage is bad wait for scooter rage. People that need them are having a hard time getting one now because of LAZY people.

We were staying at Harrah's on the strip sept. 20-23rd and it was a disgrace seeing kids riding the scooters. Pathetic!