VIDEO: Cane-swinging pedestrian wants e-scooters, bikes off Surrey sidewalks<\/p>\n
Published 1:50 pm Thursday, September 24, 2026<\/p>\n
Tired of scooter and bike riders crowding his space on sidewalks, Robert \u201cBob Dog\u201d Stierle urges police and government to enforce rules of the road before he gets seriously hurt, or worse.<\/p>\n
The Guildford resident, 65, doesn\u2019t own a vehicle, has mobility issues and walks everywhere.<\/p>\n
Surrey sidewalks are no longer safe, he says, as pedestrians face \u201chigh-speed traffic, collisions and physical threats from illegal e-scooters, motorbikes and bicycles on pedestrian walkways.\u201d<\/p>\n
Electric scooters aren\u2019t allowed on public property in Surrey, including roads, bike lanes and sidewalks, but that doesn\u2019t seem to stop riders from zooming by Stierle when he\u2019s out for a walk.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been injured and threatened so many times, more than once a day,\u201d he said. \u201cI confront them, yeah, and have to defend myself with my cane. After being assaulted, insulted and sworn at, I\u2019m tired of it. It\u2019s a bad situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
VIDEO: Cane-swinging pedestrian Robert \u201cBob Dog\u201d Stierle wants e-scooters and bikes off Surrey sidewalks, which he says are no longer safe to walk. <\/p>\n
STORY: https:\/\/t.co\/w97zXzNo5i<\/a> via @SurreyNowLeader<\/a> and @BlackPressMedia<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/hyPMrKJeKx<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Tom Zillich (@TomZillich) September 24, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Pushing for action, Stierle launched a petition to Take Back Our Sidewalks<\/a> on change.org and wrote the Now-Leader about the dangers of vehicles on sidewalks.<\/p>\n On social media, both Surrey Police<\/a> and City of Surrey<\/a> recently reminded e-scooter riders that such vehicles are allowed on private property only in Surrey, not roads or sidewalks, and riders must be 16 years of age under provincial law.<\/p>\n \u201cBanning them is not the answer but educating them is,\u201d one person commented. \u201cProtecting them is the answer, treat them as a bike and let them use the bike lane. Fine whoever doesn\u2019t follow rules.\u201d<\/p>\n At a Sept. 21 meeting, Surrey Councillor Rob Stutt urged the provincial government to develop a comprehensive plan to regulate e-scooters B.C.-wide<\/a>, saying safety concerns are \u201cconsiderable\u201d and need to be addressed.<\/p>\n Meantime, Guildford Park Secondary principal Marti Player reminds families that Surrey Schools does not permit the use or storage of e-scooters on school property<\/a>.<\/p>\n When the Now-Leader went to interview Stierle in Guildford on Sept. 17, he swung his cane at an e-scooter rider who crossed his path on a crosswalk, and doesn\u2019t apologize for such confrontations.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is entirely unacceptable that I must navigate my own city in constant fear of injury or physical retaliation,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n \u201cI want this to be an election issue.\u201d<\/p>\n Stierle says Surrey council needs to co-ordinate \u201ca sustained, high-visibility enforcement initiative between Surrey Bylaw Enforcement and police services to strictly penalize violators, restore public safety and protect pedestrian rights\u201d in the city.<\/p>\n \u2014with file from Tom Zytaruk<\/p>\n