A proposal in July to temporarily ban rental scooters in Los Angeles sparked an outcry from transportation advocates and some lawmakers, who said the zippy devices were a transportation innovation that should be regulated, not banished.

During that debate, though, a crucial point went unmentioned: L.A. lawmakers had already backed a temporary scooter ban.

Five months ago, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a motion to place a moratorium on “dockless transportation systems” until officials could approve rules governing their use.

The motion was drafted to apply to the shared bicycles that can be rented and dropped off anywhere. Some City Hall officials realized only last week that the language was broad enough to apply to the hundreds of Bird and Lime scooters that have appeared in Venice Beach, Playa del Rey, Beverly Grove and other L.A. neighborhoods.

Read the full story at LATimes.com.