This year marks the fifth anniversary of shared electric scooters arriving in the Mile High City. In an effort to control the two-wheeled tornadoes, Denver temporarily banned the vehicles in June 2018 until city leaders could set regulations to govern their use—rules locals have been ignoring ever since.

Rule #1

Official Rule: Scooters should not be ridden on sidewalks unless “actively parking, starting, or ending a trip.”
Street Rule: Curb ramps make for sick jumps. Plus, weaving from the sidewalk to the road and back again shaves at least 35 seconds off a trip to Coors Field.

5280 June 2023
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Rule #2

Official Rule: Obey all traffic laws.
Street Rule: If Lycra-clad cyclists can run stoplights, so can scooter cruisers.

Rule #3

Official Rule: Don’t block the sidewalk.
Street Rule: Don’t block the sidewalk…unless it’s brunchtime. While the Sunday Funday gang is inside downing bottomless mimosas, pedestrians outside must navigate the tangle of handlebars left in front of the restaurant.

Rule #4

Official Rule: Vehicles should be parked upright at all times.
Street Rule: Lol

Rule #5

Official Rule*: One rider per scooter.
Street Rule: Potential romantic partners are exempt. Nothing is as passion-inducing as wrapping your arms around the cutie you just met at a patio bar in RiNo and zipping to their Capitol Hill apartment. (Their roommate also catching a ride to said apartment may kill said passion.)

*per Lime and Lyft

This article was originally published in 5280 June 2023.
Nicholas Hunt
Nicholas Hunt
Nicholas writes and edits the Compass, Adventure, and Culture sections of 5280 and writes for 5280.com.