SACRAMENTO, Calif — Today's Why Guy question from Dan: "If you rent a Jump bike or a scooter WHY are you not required to wear a helmet?"
Dan, we hear that question a lot. JUMP Bikes and now JUMP scooters are everywhere. The electric-assisted devices can both hit about 15 miles per hour.
Well, the debate in California is over. As of January 1, 2019, it is no longer the law in The Golden State. Assembly Bill 2989, authored by Assemblyman Heath Flora of Ripon, “Removes the requirement for riders of motorized scooters to wear a bicycle helmet, provided they are 18 or older.”
Obviously that means anyone under 18 still must wear a helmet on a JUMP bike or scooter — or any bicycle for that matter.
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The bigger issue these days is where people are leaving JUMP bikes. They're leaving them wherever they want, despite the fact that riders can be cited and fined for that. JUMP bikes are supposed to be returned to the nearest jump bike hub or bicycle rack. But clearly many people are not using them.
To be fair, others who want to use the racks say there aren't enough of them. Management at JUMP Bikes (owned by Uber) say they’re working on getting more racks to more places. And considering there are nearly 1,000 bike out here, it should probably happen sooner rather than later.
Whether you love to ride them or loathe them for blocking sidewalks and driveways, one thing is certain — these ride-sharing wheels are growing in popularity and are here to stay.
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