mopeds

No, mopeds and motorized scooters are not allowed on bike paths

Brett — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:04:51 +0000

Ride a moped? Aside from the massive amounts of pollution they spew - yes, even your 4-stroke modern scooter): it seems an increasing number of you need a refresher in where you're not allowed to operate your scooter or moped in Massachusetts:

Any pedal bicycle which has a helper motor or a non-pedal bicycle with a motor [...] Cannot be ridden on off-street recreational paths but can use bicycle lanes along roadways.

Contrary to the popular belief of a number of hipster idiots, this means you can't ride your blue-choking-smoke-billowing Puch on the Paul Dudley White Bike Path (the paths that run on either side of the Charles River), nor the Southwest Corridor, nor the Minuteman path.

Even if state law didn't cover it - the majority of parks and paths in the area specifically exclude any motorized vehicles save emergency or maintenance crews, so leave the motorized skateboard/scooter contraption at home or keep it on the street.

Question: "Pass on right" scooter law and State Police

Kaz — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 04:34:46 +0000

I'm in a bit of a quandary. MGL 90-1b states in part that all moped drivers:

...shall be subject to the traffic laws and regulations of the commonwealth and the regulations contained in this section, except that: (1) the motorized bicycle operator may keep to the right when passing a motor vehicle which is moving in the travel lane of the way...

What happens when a mob of corking bicyclists runs into a mob of corking mopedists?

adamg — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:54:11 +0000

Critical Mass bicyclists like to block, or "cork," intersections so all the participants can get through, traffic signals be damned. Chan reports on a similar moped ride yesterday:

... about 30 of us on mopeds swarming through the streets of Boston...blocking intersections, blowing through red lights and pedestrian filled crosswalks...for once, as a mass unit, taking over the streets usually very unfriendly to moped riders (although we have every right to be on the street...just as much as cars, trucks, busses and taxicbs)...

Does Brookline know what mopeds are?

adamg — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 17:39:00 +0000

You might wonder after reading Heather Parker's complaint about trying (and so far failing) to get some idea where and how she can park her moped:

... i called and spoke to a traffic officer at the police station who said they don't really have an answer and to look it up in the law books. i pleasantly explained that there should be some sort of policy and people knowledgable on this policy - the response i got was i don't give a fuck. i wish i had written down their name. it really wasn't my goal to get anybody angry because i knew it wouldn't benefit anybody, i was simply looking to see if everyone was on the same page and what is acceptable and what is going to earn me a parking violation, or impoundment! ...