SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- E-bikes and e-scooters have become a popular way to get around San Francisco, but an increase in injuries and reports of riders taking over sidewalks has raised safety concerns.
Now, one company is turning to artificial intelligence-powered cameras in an effort to crack down on the problem.
Riders are required to use streets or designated bike lanes, not sidewalks. But when those rules are ignored, pedestrians can be put at risk.
San Francisco resident Trisha says she was walking her two dogs on the sidewalk when a man riding an electric scooter slammed into her.
"My left arm bruised. It swelled up and it hurt for a good week," Trisha said. "I thought I got hit like someone punched me. He just waved and said sorry and kept going."
She's not alone.
Another San Francisco resident, Bill, says he was nearly hit by an e-bike while walking in his neighborhood.
"It whizzed right by me. It was really dangerous," he said.
Pat Robinson says she also worries about the safety of pedestrians, particularly when she's walking her dogs.
"I have dogs that I'm trying to walk on the sidewalk, and they'll come by me pretty fast. It's a scary thing to experience," Robinson said.
The numbers reflect those concerns.
According to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), there were 210 severe injuries involving e-bikes and e-scooters last year. In just the first six months of this year, there were already 116.
Meanwhile, 311 reports of sidewalk riding have also surged since 2024.
Now, Lime is taking a different approach to the problem.
The company's new Lime Vision technology uses AI-powered cameras to detect when riders are traveling on sidewalks. The system then alerts riders until they move off the sidewalk or their trip ends.
San Francisco Supervisor Danny Sauter says he's encouraged by the technology and hopes other companies follow suit.
"The city of San Francisco has partnerships with Lime, Scoot and Lyft for the bikes. We need them all to work together on this," Sauter said. "We need more protected bike lanes. We need more dedicated bike and scooter parking so they aren't cluttering sidewalks."
Sauter says personally owned e-bikes and scooters are harder for the city to regulate. He encourages residents to report sidewalk riding through the city's 311 app.
"Use the 311 app. If someone is riding on the sidewalk, take a picture of that," he said.
Lime says about 30% of its scooters are currently equipped with the cameras. The company expects to have its entire fleet outfitted with Lime Vision by next year.
