The purpose of this short article is not to attempt to offer a legal treatise on the operation of motorized bikes and scooters on our streets and sidewalks, but rather to open everyone’s eyes to the potential disasters lurking on our roadways because of the relatively new sport of riding bikes and scooters that are motorized and are often ridden by people who look to be very young.
What bothers me most is seeing riders of these vehicles running red lights at busy intersections, running stop signs, entering busy local streets directly in front of oncoming traffic without seeming to notice the danger at hand, not signaling for turns, and moving without notice from sidewalks to streets and weaving in and out of traffic and pedestrians. This may be happening primarily on the back streets of the small towns dotting the coastline of South Florida, but the dangers and potential liabilities of families and municipalities could be enormous one of these days.
My suggestion to parents who are about to give in to their children’s begging for such a fun vehicle is first to ask your city hall for a copy of any laws and ordinances governing the equipment and operation of these vehicles, and also about provisions detailing where they are and are not permitted to be operated.
My suggestion to the municipalities is to make positively certain that these laws and ordinances are known to the community and that reminders are frequently provided on-line and in flyers available in local stores and government offices.
When we observe some of the reckless operation of these new “toys,” I fear that one day soon we will be reading about some unfortunate occurrence involving an automobile and a motorized bike or scooter with a child on board. Nothing good can come from that, but it may be avoided if law enforcement and parents alike discuss the “rules of the road” with their children and other riders. Let’s not be forced to take that action because of a tragedy.
