Sibiu residents petition for stricter electric scooter regulations

Residents of Sibiu have launched a civic initiative titled ‘Petition for a Safer City,’ which has gathered over 1,200 signatures demanding stricter regulations for electric scooter usage. The petition aims to address increasing safety concerns for pedestrians and drivers caused by riders who allegedly disregard traffic laws, speed excessively, or fail to yield priority.

Key demands from the signatories include:

• Restricting or banning electric scooters in crowded pedestrian zones, near schools, kindergartens, and playgrounds. • Raising the minimum age for users to 16 years old. • Requiring a mandatory license or certificate to prove knowledge of road legislation. • Mandating license plates on all scooters, whether personal or rental, to facilitate identification in the event of accidents. • Prohibiting face masks that completely cover the user to ensure they can be identified by authorities. • Enforcing the use of appropriate footwear and protective equipment.

Citizens are also calling for increased police inspections and greater cooperation with rental applications to monitor speed and penalize violations. This movement follows a recent local council regulation in Sibiu that prohibited scooter use in pedestrian areas and parks outside of dedicated lanes.