*** Three Pierce County Cities Regulating Motorized Scooters ***

Tacoma, Washington -- 11/18/2004
Three Pierce County cities are following a trend set by others in
Western Washington: They’re tightly regulating motorized scooters.

You might want to think twice this Christmas before spending
$100 to $900 for the motorized foot scooter on your child’s wish list.

The cities of Tacoma and Sumner this week made it harder for
children to buzz around town on the popular stand-up vehicles,
and the City of Puyallup isn’t far behind.

The Tacoma City Council passed rules Tuesday forbidding
children under 16 from riding gas-powered scooters and spelled
out restrictions for electric-powered ones.

And the Sumner council this week cited safety and nuisance
concerns when it adopted restrictions on both kinds of scooters.

The Puyallup City Council expects to adopt similar rules on
Dec. 6. The council approved a preliminary draft of an ordinance
Monday night. Puyallup previously wanted to completely ban
motorized foot scooters, but it feared lawsuits.

The local rules cover everything from the times of day scooters
can be operated, to the places where they can be driven, to the
helmets and other equipment riders must have.

“I think quite a few kids will be upset,” said Tim Foster, a
17-year-old Sumner High School student. “A lot of kids ride
them. It’s a very convenient way to get around.”

Foster wondered how some parents would react if they’ve
already purchased gas-powered scooters for their young children,
who now won’t be able to use them. He said the internal-combustion
versions can be loud, but so can some cars and car stereos.

Officials in other Puget Sound-area cities with scooter ordinances
– including Auburn and Pacific – have said the rules seem to be
working as designed. There are fewer complaints, and police
officers now have a tool to educate children about the two-
and three-wheel gadgets.

In both Tacoma and Sumner, the councils singled out gas-powered
scooters for extra regulation. Both cities’ new rules treat them
essentially
like motor vehicles, with state driver’s licenses required and the
expectation that riders will obey the rules of the road.

Restrictions on the electric-powered versions aren’t quite as tough.
In Tacoma, they are limited to sidewalks and banned from places
like public schools and playgrounds. In Sumner, they can be driven
on low-speed roads, but not on sidewalks.

In both cities, there are no age restrictions on electric scooters
– unlike in Puyallup, where you still have to be 16 to drive one.

Sumner Councilman Matt Richardson spoke for the majority when
he likened electric scooters to bicycles that shouldn’t be as
restricted,
except they must follow traffic rules. He said gas scooters are
sometimes
too loud and travel faster, so they shouldn’t be operated by younger
children who often lack the maturity and judgment of older teenagers.

No one will be able to operate either kind of motorized scooter
in Puyallup or Sumner on streets with a posted maximum speed
limit greater than 25 mph unless there is a designated bicycle lane.

Sumner Councilman Mike Connor said allowing electric-powered
foot scooters, which he called “toys,” out on the streets was unsafe.

Sumner Police Lt. Wes Tucker said electric scooters can go up to
25 mph and are smaller and not as visible as a bicycle on the street.

None of the three ordinances addresses gas-powered mini-bikes,
or “pocket rockets,” which are banned on all public roadways,
according to the Washington State Patrol.

Gene`s BMX Applauds To The Crack Downs On Motorized Scooters
http://www.genesbmx.com/scooters.html
( concerns, laws & news ) "Motorized Scooters are NOT bicycles",

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