Two rental companies of the controversial electric scooters did not want to meet the requirements. The dispute went to court, and Gelsenkirchen's administration was proven right - and now has inquiries from other cities.
"Unfortunately, the e-scooters are mainly used improperly, including in pedestrian zones, on sidewalks, and there have been many serious accidents," city spokesman Martin Schulmann told the German Press Agency on Thursday. The city therefore required that users register once with the rental companies using their ID card or driver's license when registering, so that they can be identified if necessary. Bolt and Tier appealed against the corresponding regulatory order, but have now failed in preliminary legal protection proceedings before the Administrative Court (VG), said the city's spokesman. In many cities in Germany, e- scooters are considered a major nuisance and safety risk because, when parked carelessly or thrown on the ground, they become an obstacle and accidents are caused by sometimes reckless use. A two-year-old girl was knocked over and suffered serious head injuries. An e-biker was fatally injured when he crashed into an e- scooter that was lying in the street.