[ti:Europe Considers New Rules for Electric Scooters] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:01.32]From Paris to Berlin, European cities are searching for ways [00:07.48]to deal with a trend that is affecting cities worldwide: Electric scooters. [00:15.96]Supporters say scooters are a jump into the future and a fun way to travel without creating pollution. [00:25.20]Critics, on the other hand, note growing numbers of injuries and even deaths involving e-scooters. [00:34.08]European countries are dealing with scooters in different ways. [00:40.23]Paris has many e-scooter companies, and France's capital has at least 20,000 scooters traveling on its streets. [00:51.07]This week, the French government met with the victims of scooter accidents as it prepares new rules. [01:00.57]The rules, expected in September, will likely place speed limits of about 20 kilometers an hour in most areas, [01:11.51]and eight kilometers an hour in areas where many people walk. [01:16.67]Nationwide, fines for speeding could go up to $1,680. [01:25.92]Berlin, Germany's capital, legalized electric scooters two months ago. [01:32.50]The government quickly realized it needed new rules. [01:37.44]Last week, city officials announced plans for parking areas for scooters, [01:44.27]which riders often leave on sidewalks. [01:47.95]In southeastern Europe's Balkan countries, e-scooters are still operating in a legal gray zone -- except for Slovenia. [01:59.16]The country is working on legislation that will restrict the devices to pedestrian areas and bicycle lanes. [02:09.29]The rules will restrict speeds to 25 kilometers an hour, [02:14.94]but in pedestrian areas, electric scooters will have to stay at the speed of a walking person. [02:24.44]Scooters will be subject to the same rules as bicycles. [02:30.04]And underage scooter riders will be required to have to have lights and helmets. [02:37.36]Europe is not the only area struggling with how to deal with scooters. [02:44.00]They are increasingly becoming an issue of debate in the United States. [02:49.60]Scooter companies, in many cases, deployed the devices [02:54.93]throughout major American cities without permission or permits. [03:01.24]A recent report by the National Association of City Transportation Officials noted that in 2018, [03:10.01]Americans took 38.5 million trips on shared electric scooters. [03:16.95]However, the future of rules for scooters in the U.S. remains an open question. [03:24.57]I'm John Russell. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM