Paris Votes on Banishing E-Scooters Amid Safety Concerns

Parisians are voting in a citywide mini-referendum on whether to banish the 15,000 for-hire electric scooters that have become a hit with tourists and locals alike. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and some of her deputies want to banish the “free floating” flotilla on safety, public nuisance and cost-benefit grounds before the capital hosts the Olympic Games next year. Paris’ contracts with the three rental companies expire at the end of August. Whether for-hire e-scooters survive in Paris beyond that will depend on Sunday’s poll that’s open to all of the city’s registered voters.