AZE.US
Electric scooters are increasingly turning Baku’s sidewalks into conflict zones, as pedestrians complain about riders speeding through narrow walkways and experts warn that accidents will rise unless the city creates dedicated lanes and safer infrastructure.
What was initially seen as a convenient form of urban transport is now becoming a growing safety issue. Residents say scooters often pass within inches of pedestrians, strike people on crowded sidewalks, or force them to move aside suddenly. On narrow or broken sidewalks, the risk becomes even greater, because there is often no safe space left for people on foot.
The problem, however, is not limited to rider behavior. Scooter users themselves say Baku’s transport infrastructure is not built for this type of mobility. Dedicated sections are either missing or stop abruptly, leaving riders with two bad options: move onto the sidewalk among pedestrians or ride near cars on the edge of the road. That, in effect, pushes the danger onto everyone.
Transport experts say the issue reflects a deeper imbalance in the way the city is designed. According to mobility expert Rauf Agamirzayev, pedestrians should be at the top of the urban transport hierarchy, but in practice Baku still prioritizes cars far more than safe, continuous pedestrian space. In many areas, sidewalks remain incomplete, blocked or poorly connected, making everyday movement chaotic even before scooters enter the picture.
That is why the debate is shifting beyond the question of who is to blame. The larger issue is that Baku has added a new form of transport without creating a clear and safe system for it. Experts say the city needs dedicated scooter lanes, stricter speed controls in pedestrian-heavy zones and more serious enforcement of existing rules if it wants to prevent the current tension from turning into a wider safety problem.
At present, violations by scooter riders can lead to a 40-manat fine under Article 338 of Azerbaijan’s Code of Administrative Offenses. But specialists argue that fines alone will not solve the problem if the physical environment continues to force pedestrians and scooter riders into the same space.
The urgency is rising because micro-mobility use in Baku is growing fast. It was noted in the discussion that the relevant network has expanded by more than 50 kilometers over the last two years and is approaching 60 kilometers in total, while the number of users rose from 7,000 in February last year to 63,000 this February. In February alone, 83,220 rides were recorded. Those figures suggest scooters are no longer a marginal trend in the city. They are already part of everyday movement, and the city is struggling to catch up.
Unless the capital of Azerbaijan clears sidewalks, builds continuous pedestrian routes and creates separate infrastructure for micro-mobility, experts say the current friction on the streets will only deepen. In that case, today’s warning about rising accidents could quickly become the city’s next transport reality.