Community •

First Ride Safety Event Helps Bar, Restaurant Workers Navigate At Night

When waiters and bartenders get off work late at night, there aren’t always great options to get home. Lime is hoping to change that.

Earlier this month, Lime hosted a special late-night First Ride class to help D.C.’s bar and restaurant workers discover why scooting can help fill the gaps when transit stops running in the evening. Members of the D.C. Bar and Restaurant Workers Alliance (DCBRWA) took part in the class with guided rides and free helmets provided by Lime. The event raised awareness of how to best navigate roads, traffic and pedestrians at night as well as responsible parking practices.

“Lime understands that safety means different things for different people,” said Laura Miller Brooks, senior public affairs manager at Lime. “This event ensured the mobility needs of D.C.’s bar and restaurant workers aren’t overlooked -- whether it’s feeling safer carrying tips home after a late shift, or not getting cat-called at a bus stop late at night.”

Lime and DCBRWA held the First Ride class from 9:00 p.m. until close during a weekly “Industry Night” gathering of managers, staff and patrons at popular D.C. restaurant Roy Boys. The event highlighted the need for more transportation options late at night when transit isn’t running reliably. Late-shift employees like bar and restaurant workers rely on these options and admit they often feel safer taking a scooter rather than walking.

“Workers are often limited to a finite selection of safe transportation options when trying to commute to work or on their way home after a shift,” said Zachary Hoffman, vice president of DCBRWA, who took part in the event.

While some cities have implemented curfews on scooter usage, and others are considering similar measures, San Antonio recently peeled back a ban on night-riding, specifically highlighting the transportation needs of service workers.

Lime data shows that globally, about 12% of all rides occur between the hours of 9pm and 5am. This may seem like a small portion, however as Lime recently hit its 100 millionth ride, late night riding accounted for more than 12 million rides around the world.

You can learn more about safety initiatives happening near you by checking outLime’s community pageor bysubscribing to 2nd Street.

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