Published March 6, 2026 at 1:10PM
“Dear PoPville,
On Tuesday my car was struck by a Capital Bikeshare E-bike rider while it was parked in front of my home. These are big heavy bikes, so it smashed the taillight and scratched the side of the car. The bike was also significantly damaged and abandoned in front of our car. I am surprised the person was able to walk away. I have security camera footage of the incident and the rider appeared to be a young teenager, presumably under the age to rent an e-bike per Capital Bikeshare’s policy.
I reached out to Lyft (the operator of Capital Bikeshare) to discuss the incident and
they indicated they are not liable for injury or damages caused by their bikes, they would not release the identification of the rider, and they would not otherwise hold the rider accountable for the damages. They indicated they only share that information with a subpoena. They told me to file a claim with my insurance.
I find it very concerning that someone who has been injured or had their property damaged by a rented bike or scooter would not be able to hold the rider accountable if they have substantial evidence. If the person that hit my car was able to break the taillight, I’m sure they could have really hurt a person. I filed a police report, but I’m sure nothing will come of it. Has anyone had similar issues with rentable bikes and scooters, and were you able to get help from the company or MPD?“
