Lime Scooters Out, But Bird and Lyft Scooters Reappear in Coronavirus Age Santa Monica

Update 4/16/20: " Lyft’s scooters are always available in Santa Monica. Lyft is also expanding their LyftUp response to COVID-19 to include scooters – launching a critical workforce program to provide free scooter trips to first-responders, transit, and healthcare workers in Los Angeles and Santa Monica" writes a spokeswoman for Lyft.

What do you get when you squeeze a lime scooter into a Corona beer?

I'm not sure, but Bird and Lyft Scooters have reappeared in Santa Monica recently, with sightings in 90403 and 90405. They disappeared from streets when the local lockdown began on March 18th.

In the era of Covid-19, scooter riders are of course, expected to socially distance and wear masks. And of course, wash their hands after riding.

Bird Scooters were the first to arrive in Santa Monica, about 30 months ago. Lyft and Lime and other scooter providers swiftly followed suit. They annoy older people and delight younger ones, with their ease of parking and up to 18 MPH speeds.

We were just getting used to them when suddenly, out of left field came Covid-19, if by left field you mean Wuhan, China. Anyway, apparently the City has decided to bless a few of them. That is, as long as you're using them to exercise, go to a medical appointment, or carry on an essential activity.

Essential activities include pizza deliveryman, any kind of construction worker, anyone who works at a grocery store or restaurant, post office, FedEx or UPS, or anyone connected to the medical industry. Got that?