Provo collaborates with local artist to rap about pedestrian and rider safety on city streets, sidewalks
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- An undated photo taken from a video screenshot shows local rap artist Scott Knopf aka Rhyme Time during a music video filming for a song promoting pedestrian and rider safety in Provo.
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- An undated photo taken from a video screenshot shows local rap artist Scott Knopf aka Rhyme Time standing near a police officer during a music video filming for a song promoting pedestrian and rider safety in Provo.
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- A person is pictured riding a bicycle along the Provo River Trail on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.
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- This graphic outlines where micromobility devices and vehicles are permitted throughout Provo’s streets, sidewalks and trails.
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- An undated photo taken from a video screenshot shows local rap artist Scott Knopf aka Rhyme Time on a bike along a city trail during a music video filming for a song promoting pedestrian and rider safety in Provo.
The city of Provo is taking a unique approach to get the message out about a concerning public issue, keeping mobility and motorized devices such as e-bikes, scooters, golf carts and ATV’s out of areas where they aren’t allowed.
Provo has collaborated with local hip-hop artist Rhyme Time, whose real name is Scott Knopf, to create a catchy music video that promotes pedestrian and rider safety on Provo’s streets, sidewalks and trails.
According to Provo’s Neighborhood District program coordinator, Rachel Breen, the production tackles growing community concerns about pedestrian and rider safety across the city, all done in a fun but informative fashion.
“Residents have voiced concerns about safety on sidewalks, trails, and streets–particularly with e-scooters speeding past pedestrians, e-bikes on the River Trail, and unauthorized vehicles, like golf carts, on city roads,” Breen said in Provo media release. “This video is a creative way to remind everyone of the rules in a format that’s easy to remember–and fun to share.”
Some of the key takeaways from the three-minute video are:
- No golf carts on Provo streets or sidewalks.
- Permitted bikes must adhere to a speed limit of 10 mph on sidewalks and 15 mph speed on city trails.
- Only licensed, registered and insured vehicles belong on city roads.
- Other key notes from the video emphasize that dirt bikes or ATVs are not allowed on sidewalks or any of the city’s trails. It also highlights the importance of wearing helmets.
In recent years, Provo updated its city code to allow scooters and bicycles on sidewalks, except in the downtown area of Center Street and University Avenue, which remains an area of the city where those forms of mobility are prohibited.
Knopf is known for his appearance on America’s Got Talent with his Provo-based group House of Lewis, numerous performances throughout Utah and opening for artists like Snoop Dogg, among others.
The video shows Knopf on various off-road vehicles riding along the pavement at Provo parks, river trails and golf courses.
Brett Borget, media services manager for Provo City, said he and Knopf met in 2016 through a city-led Christmas album project where they’d film music videos with each artist that was involved in the effort.
Borget said the two kept in touch, and when it came time for the current safety campaign, he felt Knopf could be the perfect talent to pull it off.
“We tried to think of a fun way we could get the message out without ruffling feathers,” he told the Daily Herald. “So we thought, let’s see if Scott would be willing to do this, and he was super excited.”
Borget said Knopf was given a copy of the rules and restrictions the city wanted to highlight in the video for him to write a selection that’s digestible and also accurately aligns with Provo’s safety messaging.
“Then once we got it all nailed down, he went (and) recorded the song (with) his producers here in Provo, and then we filmed the music video,” Borget said.
The video was produced by Provo City Channel 17 Media Team, which worked closely with Provo police and Provo’s Neighborhood District Program to ensure the production fit the city’s vision for the message it wanted to convey.
Though a serious topic, communicated in an engaging and upbeat manner, Knopf offered a humorous take noting: “Studies have shown that people best respond to PSAs from overweight, middle-aged white rappers so I partnered with Provo City to beg the general public to stay safe on our roads, mostly for my sake,” he said in the release.
The production builds on messaging initiated by the Provo Police Department last summer to reiterate the city’s regulations on micromobility as more people are using bikes, e-scooters and other forms of transportation aside from cars.
Janna-Lee Holland, public information officer for the Provo Police Department, said the idea was the result of an incident at a Provo City park involving a youth on a dirt bike who allegedly hit a toddler by accident, which she said prompted safety concerns.
“The family shared the story online, urging parents to talk to their kids about safe riding and awareness of others,” Holland said. “In response, the city launched the ‘What Tires Go Where’ campaign to prevent similar incidents and clarify rules around micromobility devices.”
The initiative also served as a means to clear up confusion about what micromobility devices are allowed and where.
“We wanted to help educate everyone by creating and sharing various graphics online, including a ‘cheat sheet’ that officers could use as a reference; because we even discovered a couple new items we weren’t aware of while doing our homework,” Holland said.
She noted that officers are seeing more e-scooters, e-bikes and even people on golf carts throughout the city — but she warned that those devices aren’t permitted everywhere.
“While I don’t particularly think there is a large increase in areas they aren’t allowed, there is definitely a larger volume of micromobility devices on our roads and sidewalks and not enough awareness of the rules or laws that come with those devices,” Holland said.
Ultimately, Holland said the goal is to promote safety awareness among pedestrians and drivers when sharing roads and trails.
“These rules can vary from city to city and state to state. Our goal is to help prevent accidents and serious injuries among pedestrians, riders and drivers while ensuring everyone can safely share Provo’s open spaces and roadways,” Holland said.
The video can be viewed on Provo City’s YouTube page.
