The silliness of scooter laws

By adamg - 7/30/09 - 8:00 am

Scooters parking legally - see if you can spot the problem in this photo, taken at this morning's Boston Common Scoot-in by organizer Jeff Cutler.

Comments

The motorcycle parked along

By anon (not verified) - 7/30/09 - 9:13 am

The motorcycle parked along with the scooters?

I don't see a motorcycle; however, even if one is there, it would have to park the exact same way. Boston's parking laws are absurd and pushing more small 2-wheeled vehicles into a "plated" designation isn't going to help anyone at all (except the RMV and BTD coffers).

Sure, the parking commissioner *says* they're going to take a "common sense" approach, but tell that to the first plated 2-wheeler to get a ticket and has no recourse since the law doesn't reflect what Tinlin has *said*, only what's written.

I respectfully disagree that

By roadman - 7/30/09 - 4:25 pm

"pushing more small 2-wheeled vehicles into a "plated" designation isn't going to help anyone at all"

Hypothetical situation time: Let's say I'm crossing the street in a marked crosswalk with a walk signal and one of these 100 to 200 pound MOTOR VEHICLES blows through the red light and nearly hits me. Without a plate, I have no way to reasonably report this reckless bufoon that's endangering others on the road to the police.

I respect the fact that scooter drivers have the legal right to share the road with others. However, I also believe it's time they start accepting some of the legal responsibilites (like registration fees and insurance) that owners of all other motor vehicles that share the road have as well.

Nothing would happen

By merlinmurph - 7/31/09 - 8:08 am

I'll answer that with the same answer I tell people that demand bicycles be required to have to register and have a plate.

1. Chances are slim to none that you would be able to see the numbers/letters on the plate (which is a small one) by the time you actually decided to look at it.

2. If you did report a near-accident to the police, what exactly do you think they would do? I'm guessing "nothing".

I don't own a scooter and really don't know which way I lean on this issue. My only point is that reporting transgressions by others to the police would be fruitless.

is it the fact that the

By tania (not verified) - 7/30/09 - 9:44 am

is it the fact that the scooters are parked parallel to the curb like cars and not perpendicular, the way that motorcycles park?

It is illegal to park your

By JJJ (not verified) - 7/30/09 - 12:29 pm

It is illegal to park your smart car, motorcycle or scooter perpendicularly, regardless of how much better it may be for everyone involved

The city said they would not

By anon (not verified) - 7/30/09 - 9:45 am

The city said they would not activly ticket scooters as long as they are parked properly. I see it everyday walking home from work in Allston. Learn to park your scooters and not block the sidewalks!! It's also time for accountability. Scooters should not be riding down the center lane and blowing red lights.

I see it everyday walking

By anon (not verified) - 7/30/09 - 2:00 pm

I see it everyday walking home from work in Allston. Learn to park your cars and not block the sidewalks!! It's also time for accountability. Cars should not be riding down the center lane and blowing red lights.

Fixed it for you.

scooters take up less space

By meghan (not verified) - 7/30/09 - 11:43 am

How about the fact that parking "legally" means taking up a rediculous amount of space if it is metered parking as shown in the picture? I agree that all vehicles (bikes, scooters, motorcycles) should follow traffic laws and shouldn't block sidewalks, but it makes no sense to require a scooter to park in a space big enough for an SUV. If we want to require legal parking for scooters, perhaps there should be appropriate parking spaces.