Scooters have been causing problems on the streets of Prague, according to residents. Credit: ZM / BD.
Prague, 2 Sep (The Bohemian) – The City of Prague is trying to solve the long-term problems caused by users of shared bicycles and scooters. This weekend the City Police are focusing on unruly scooter riders and cyclists. From Thursday to Sunday, as part of the Koloběžka security event, police officers will monitor the incorrect road use of cyclists and scooter users throughout the city.
Anyone riding a bicycle or scooter on the sidewalk or violating other road traffic rules since Thursday and over the weekend has a better chance of encountering the city police, who have appointed special patrols from Thursday morning to Sunday evening, a total of 64 police officers. Their work will be recording and addressing traffic violations by users of scooters and cyclists.
“I welcome the action of the city police. In particular, the operation of rented scooters is a big problem in the wider centre of the capital, whether due to unruly driving or often inconsiderate parking on the sidewalks. The Koloběžka event is a one-time event, but apart from that, we are working on a long-term solution, the aim of which is to increase safety on Prague’s sidewalks,” says Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda.
The focus is primarily shared scooters and bikes from commercial providers, who have been the subject of complaints from city residents saying they drive on the pavement and park inappropriately. The council is trying to solve problems with shared scooter providers in the long term, but legislation is currently insufficient. A new memorandum is now being prepared in cooperation with the providers to solve problems such as the regulation of areas where parking is not allowed, the delimitation of prohibited zones where it is not allowed to enter, the procedure for the removal of scooters and a contact line where inappropriately parked bikes and scooters can be reported.
Driving on the sidewalk, disregarding traffic signs, driving on pedestrian crossings, and driving in the wrong direction are among the most common offences. Cyclists and scooter riders may be fined up to CZK 2,000 on the spot for possible traffic violations. For riding a bicycle or scooter under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the driver faces a fine in administrative proceedings ranging from CZK 2,500 to 20,000. This fine is increased to between CZK 25,000 to 50,000 if the driver drives the vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
However, the intention is not only control; various preventive actions are organised every year. Police officers together with prevention officers inspect selected frequented cycle paths and warn cyclists in particular of deficiencies in their equipment.
Every year in autumn, the city police take part in the preventive action “Nejezdi jako netopejr”. This event is aimed primarily as a preventive information campaign, to warn cyclists on the spot about the need to comply with the rules laid down by the Road Traffic Act even when riding a bicycle, in particular the obligation to be properly lit when there is low visibility.
From January to July of this year, the city police in the metropolis dealt with 3,211 offences related to cyclists. For these offences, it imposed 468 fines to the total amount of CZK 166,900, reported 22 offences to the administrative body and resolved the others by agreement.
For the year 2022, police officers detected 6,667 violations, issued 964 fines to the total of CZK 283,100 crowns, reported 42 violations to the administrative body, and resolved the rest by agreement.
