Security modifications made after TikTok video reveals LINK scooters touring on I-84 in Hartford

HARTFORD, Connecticut (WTNH) – LINK scooters were spotted on I-84 in Hartford last week. Now changes have been made to make sure this never happens again.

A TikTok video showing several people riding scooters on the freeway gained widespread coverage on social media.

“Fortunately, the technology is available to interrupt it very quickly, and it has already done so,” Mayor Luke Bronin told News 8 on Tuesday.

Mayor Bronin stated that these scooters have an internal GPS system that enforces both slow zones and no-ride zones by either automatically slowing down or stopping the scooter completely.

“In our parks, these are automatically slow zones,” explains Mayor Bronin. “If you get near water, it will stop automatically.”

It is now impossible to drive these scooters on the freeway.

“The LINK scooter team has never seen anyone on a freeway entrance or a motorway before,” said Mayor Bronin. “They didn’t add that geo-fence, but once that happened they quickly added it and made sure they couldn’t go there anymore.”

Both the Mayor and Hartford Police Department urge everyone to be careful and drive the scooters responsibly.

You must be at least 18 years old to drive and obey the same traffic rules as bicycles. These rules include driving in traffic, giving in to pedestrians and only taking one person on a scooter.

The scooters are very popular in Hartford with more than 40,000 trips since launch. It costs $ 1 and $ 0.35 per minute of driving time to unlock the device. Some drivers are entitled to reduced tariffs and can apply for LINK-Up.