The City of Coronado, California has begun impounding dockless bikes left on the city’s streets and has officially declared them to be a “public nuisance.” The shared bikes are not permitted in the city and it is believed the bikes come from the neighboring cities of Imperial Beach and San Diego. Police will tag the handlebars of the bikes with notices for the respective company – usually LimeBike, ofo, and Mobike, amongst others – to remove them within two hours. If the company does not oblige, the bike will be impounded and the company will be charged a $45 fee per bike. Bike users will not be ticketed or fined.
Coronado has not offered operating licenses to any dockless bike-share companies, and feels little can be done to solve the problem outside of penalizing the companies, or the riders themselves.
Ofo stated, “At ofo, we strive to empower ‘anyone, anywhere’ with access to sustainable, convenient and affordable transportation options. We know that the dockless bike share model succeeds when there is close partnership and open dialogue with cities. We appreciate the City of Coronado’s concerns and have already suggested ways in which we can more closely collaborate without requiring the use of public resources. We look forward to continuing to work together.”
Limebike released a statement saying: “We have abided by their process, and have not distributed any bikes in Coronado. Any LimeBikes located in that area would be from San Diego residents and visitors using them to ride to Coronado. We have, and will continue, to conduct a comprehensive outreach program to ensure we’re addressing any challenges and best serving the needs of the community. Additionally, we have implemented many of the best practices that were instrumental to the success of our other San Diego area markets, National City and Imperial Beach.”
