Parking
Are scooters bikes or motorcycles?
District law accommodates bicycles and automobiles together on urban streets, but scooters sit in a gray area. Some are classified as motorcycles and others motorized bicycles, which enjoy greater flexibility. To encourage this alternate mode of transportation, regulations should treat scooters more like bicycles than motorcycles.
Photo by the author.
In February, I purchased what I thought was a scooter. And then I thought it was a motorcycle. And then, a scooter. Now, I can say with certainty that my Vespa LX 50 is classified in the District of Columbia as a motorcycle.
According to a guide from the DC government, a scooter is a motorcycle if it has any of 5 characteristics: wheels under 16 inches in diameter, an engine greater than 50 cc, the ability to travel in excess of 35 mph on level ground, more than 1½ brake horsepower, or a manual transmission. If a scooter has none of those, it's a motorized bicycle.
So why does this matter? Motorized bicycle owners are not required to pass a motorcycle skills test or wear a helmet and can ride in bike lanes. Most importantly, motorized bicycles can park in a bicycle rack or on a street curb "so as not to impede pedestrian traffic," while motorcycles must park in the street.
These parking restrictions cause problems for scooter owners because scooters are easily movable and they must be locked to something (a post or sign) or else they can easily be stolen, unlike a motorcycle. Because there is nothing to lock a scooter to when parked on the street, most scooter owners park on sidewalks, in violation of DC law. They frequently get tickets for doing so.
Because of the complexity of the rules, some scooter owners are unaware that they actually drive a "motorcycle" and cannot park on a sidewalk. Believing themselves to be unfairly ticketed, they resort to tactics like this owner, who posted the DC chart on a sign reading "PLEASE DON'T TICKET":
Photo by the author.
Scooter theft is a real concern. While there are no publicly available statistics about its incidence in DC (an inquiry to both the DC DMV and MPD went unanswered), seemingly every owner I've met has either had a scooter stolen in the past or knows someone who has.
It's time for city officials to understand the consequences of these regulations and to grant scooter owners the right to secure their property, or at least not write a ticket them for doing so.
Jeremy Barr is a graduate journalism student at the University of Maryland. He previously worked in non-profit communications and has interned in politics on several occasions. In the last year and a half, he has lived in Adams Morgan, Logan Circle and Mount Vernon Square. Email him at jeremy.m.barr@gmail.com.   |
Comments
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by Leigh Bailey on Jul 3, 2012 1:51 pm • link • report
by Drock on Jul 3, 2012 2:01 pm • link • report
2. The girlfriend owns a 150cc Vespa ET4 and parks it out of the way on the sidewalk all the time, so she can lock it up. She has had it for a year and a half in DC and hasn't gotten a ticket yet. So I'm not sure how much the cops really care about people parking their scooters on the sidewalk, and I'm not sure even they understand the distinction.
by MLD on Jul 3, 2012 2:06 pm • link • report
Why would we want to encourage scooters? Sure, scooters are cheaper and use less gas, but those are things that benefit the scooter owner, not the rest of us. A scooter emits more local air pollution than a car. It causes just as much traffic congestion as a car. And it's more of a hazard for pedestrians (I've never seen a car driving on a sidewalk in DC, but I see scooters driving on sidewalks a lot.)
by Rob on Jul 3, 2012 2:07 pm • link • report
Maybe we can get around the scooter problem by just providing anchor points for motorized vehicle locks.
by MMDC on Jul 3, 2012 2:15 pm • link • report
by Kevin Diffily on Jul 3, 2012 2:20 pm • link • report
A better headline and theme for this article is that DC needs to do more to accommodate the legal parking of scooters in DC, regardless of how they're licensed.
As lack of decent/safe scooter parking is something that DC has done little to address, because you need to lock up a scooter in DC, and with lack of secure scooter parking, many scooterists have no option but to park somewhere they can secure to a signpost or parking meter (which is usually on the sidewalk).
by dcvoterboy on Jul 3, 2012 2:25 pm • link • report
FWIW, I don't think scooters belong on the sidewalk, period, regardless of your parking difficulties. Find a nice quiet place in an alley where you can throw a chain around something solid, like a light pole. That's what I do with my 500-pound BMW. No one's bothered it yet. And use a nondescript cover, i.e., one that doesn't say "Vespa" (or in my case "BMW") on it. And another thing, why don't y'all wave? Motorcycles wave at each other, nearly without exceptionm except those stuck-up Harley riders. ;-) I've given up waving at scooters. They never wave back.
by Paul on Jul 3, 2012 2:45 pm • link • report
The safety concerns for scooters are really paramount for me, not that I want to create parking hassles and other regulatory burdens for scooter owners. I regularly see scooter drivers run red lights, ride between traffic lanes, etc., but with much greater mass and acceleration than bikes (i.e., much greater potential to cause injury)
And I don't know the pollution facts, but anecdotally they seem to create a lot of emissions for such a small machine.
by tim h on Jul 3, 2012 3:00 pm • link • report
by Crickey7 on Jul 3, 2012 3:02 pm • link • report
by MrTinDC on Jul 3, 2012 3:20 pm • link • report
Just to put some numbers out there: in terms of VOC emissions, a 4-stroke scooter emits about 4 times as much pollution per mile as a car, and a 2-stroke scooter emits more than 20 times as much pollution per mile. For carbon monoxide, the difference is smaller, but a scooter still emits about 3 times as much pollution per mile as a car. Those are big differences.
by Rob on Jul 3, 2012 3:47 pm • link • report
If you are still too scared of it being stolen, just suck it up and get a real motorcycle or stick to biking/walking.
Now that I know what the definition of a scooter is, I will call the DC non-emergency # and report it as a motorcycle illegally parked on the sidewalk. I hope they don't tow it.
by Dave on Jul 3, 2012 4:40 pm • link • report
For those who are going to belly ache about the above, suck it. Get yourself a scooter, get 100 mpg and enjoy all the above benefits. Regardless of the laws in DC, because VA and MD have different laws there will never be enforcement.
by CornFieldTransplant on Jul 3, 2012 7:22 pm • link • report
by mch on Jul 3, 2012 8:34 pm • link • report
@ tim h I have never seen a scooter run a red light, and would never do so. If I did, I would expect to be pulled over. I've always operated under the assumption that scooters are subject to the same driving laws as cars...unlike bicycles.
I also have rarely ever seen scooters drive on sidewalks....though the man who is perhaps D.C.'s most well-known scooter drive, Tucker Carlson, readily admits to doing so in this article: http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowldc/tucker-carlson-tools-around-town-on-a-vespa_b72231
by Jeremy Barr on Jul 3, 2012 11:24 pm • link • report
Shout that from the rooftops.
We discussed the issue of scooters/bikes at a Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting (and electric bikes, which is a whole other can of worms). For parking we decided that we really didn't care if they parked at bike racks. We just need a lot more bike racks. But we don't think they should be riding in the bike lane.
by David C on Jul 4, 2012 12:09 am • link • report
Warning PDF
http://dmv.dc.gov/info/forms/NontraditionalMotorVehiclechart_pdf.shtm
Use of the bike lanes is an excellent perk for scooters, I just am considerate about it and dont attempt to pass bicyclists when Im using them.
by ons-star on Jul 4, 2012 9:10 am • link • report
@ons-star riding your scooter [motorcycle under DC law] in the bike lane isn't a 'perk', it's illegal.
regardless of registration requirements, are all these scooter riders [who are actually riding motorcycles, under DC law] also operating them without a motorcycle endorsements on their licenses? I believe this is an arrestable offense in DC, though so is operating an unregistered vehicle, which many folks seem to be OK doing.
by ontarioroader on Jul 4, 2012 10:54 am • link • report
by Richard Layman on Jul 4, 2012 8:43 pm • link • report
An even greater concern should be the large number of helmetless riders/passengers riding mopeds (i.e., "motorcycles" according to DC law) at high speeds through the District.
by Randolpho on Jul 4, 2012 8:56 pm • link • report
the DMV knows the address of where the bikes are registered - so it should be fairly easy to decide which blocks need locking posts the most.
by andy(2) on Jul 5, 2012 8:41 am • link • report
Motorcycles get stolen a lot too. I've known at least a dozen that have had their motorcycle stolen. Theft is not a justification for sidewalk parking.
I think there should be more motorcycle/scooter parking zones throughout the city. That is the solution. And equip them with lockable devices. Motorcyclists as well as scooters want to be able to lock their bikes up.
Classifying scooters as motorized bicycles is bad because if you are on a scooter, you need to be required to have a motorcycle license. The way you ride a scooter in traffic has more in common with a motorcycle than a bicycle and not being licensed/trained is a bad idea.
Scooters and motorycles should be encouraged. They relieve congestion and bridge a critical gap between cars and bicycles. Providing proper parking is key to this.
by brookland_rez on Jul 5, 2012 9:57 am • link • report
I say this as a motorcyclist who uses his motorcycle as his "daily driver" and Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor of ten years.
by Phil on Jul 5, 2012 10:53 am • link • report
I agree. Also, having ridden scooters, they are much, much less stable than motorcycles. When you hit a pothole or bump, they bounce around all over the place. This is due to the small wheels and light weight. I agree on the lack of gear. I scooterists wearing nothing more than a skirt or shorts and tshirt most of the time. I can't think of once where I saw a scooterist wearing an armored jacket.
As far as stopping inches off the bumper of a car and careless filtering, that supports my argument that scooterists should be required to go through the same training and licensing as motorcycles.
The issue that GGW brings up is regarding parking and encouraging motorized transport on something that takes up less room than a car. Why not solve the problem directly by providing secure parking? Reclassifying scooters as bicycles and minimizing the already minimal regulations surrounding scooters is not the answer.
by brookland_rez on Jul 5, 2012 11:03 am • link • report
by Ward 1 Guy on Jul 5, 2012 11:09 am • link • report
I agree. Loosening the already minimal standards is not the answer. I teach in the rider safety course in VA, and several sites around the state offer instruction on scooters, but none of them in Northern Va do to my knowledge. Since the risks are higher, motorcycles and scooters demand a higher skill level on the part of their operators than cars. One of things we focus on in the course is the level of risk acceptance. People have a vague notion that riding a motorcycle is "scary"--but we help them realize where the risks really lie, and the kinds of skills that need to be developed to lower those risks. Scooter riders are more than welcome to come take our course--they will have to master use of the clutch and the different braking controls, but the concepts are the same. If they pass, the students will receive a license riding-test waiver that's good in Va and DC.
by Phil on Jul 5, 2012 11:12 am • link • report
Splitting lanes on a motorcycle or scooter is foolish, you have little reaction time and either is harder to maneuver than a bicycle. And I don't often see people doing it in the city.
As for the full leathers argument, I only see this kind of hand-wringing about it in the USA and not in countries across the world where all kinds of people ride scooters in cities. I can easily ride my bicycle at 18-20MPH on city streets, and on a scooter I'm not going much faster (city speed limit is 25). I don't think people expect me to wear a crash-proof getup (beyond a helmet) on my bicycle so what's the difference when I'm in the same exact traffic?
by MLD on Jul 5, 2012 11:22 am • link • report
Most parking garages don't allow motorcycles/scooters. This should be changed as well. And since motorcycles/scooters don't take up as much space, parking should be cheaper than a car.
The city has some metered motorcycle parking areas throughout the city. We need more. And the fees for the meters should be cheaper than a car since the bikes take up less space. You can fit 4 motorcycles in a car space, so the cost for parking a bike should be 1/4th that of a car.
By providing proper parking, more people will be inclined to ride a motorcycle downtown. Provide a steel ring that one can attach a lock to as well. With more people on motorcycles and out of cars, this reduces congestion for everyone.
by brookland_rez on Jul 5, 2012 11:27 am • link • report
To answer your question about what's the difference between gear and no gear? If you have armored gear, you don't get road rash. If you're wearing shorts and a tshirt, you do. Personally, I don't like road rash so I wear gear. It doesn't matter how you get to 25mph, whether it be a bicycle, scooter, or motorcycle. When you hit the ground, it's gonna feel the same.
Bicyclists don't wear armored leathers because due its more physical nature, leathers would be uncomfortable. Given a choice of 25mph on a scooter/motorcycle with armored gear and 25mph on a bicycle in spandex or a tshirt, I will take my armor, thank you.
by brookland_rez on Jul 5, 2012 12:46 pm • link • report
My only problem with the suggestion is the way it is often presented is "wear leathers or you will die," this is how I see it presented by Phil. Many people find leathers impractical/uncomfortable for scooting around town in the same way you say about bicycle riders. So they choose not to wear them, in the same way that I choose not to wear my cycling spandex when I'm riding my bike down to meet friends at the bar.
Blanket statements like Phil's are unhelpful:
by MLD on Jul 5, 2012 1:06 pm • link • report
I would suggest you're the one making "blanket statements." I said nothing about wearing "full leathers" or that you would "die" if you didn't. Appropriate dress can prevent or minimize injury, discomfort, multiple visits to doctors, time off work for recovery, etc. I would recommend a jacket (there are air mesh models that flow air very well), decent gloves, jeans, sturdy shoes or boots that cover the ankles and won't fly off. Another thing to consider is that bicycles don't weigh 200-500 pounds, carry flammable fluids, and it's no biggie if your bicycle falls on you. In short, I encourage people to wear the gear appropriate for job.
by Phil on Jul 5, 2012 1:20 pm • link • report
That's a valid point. Fortunately, in the world of motorcycle gear, there is more than just leathers. Leather protects the best, but sometimes riding conditions justify less gear, IMO. Motorcycle gear manufacturers have responded with a wide variety of gear.
Personally, my gear choice goes something like this:
Extended periods of highway riding (55mph+), tempertature below 70 = full armored 2 piece leathers.
Extended periods of highway ridiing (55mph+), temperatures above 70 = full armored 2 piece kevlar mesh.
In town riding = armored jeans and armored jacket (leather jacket below 70, mesh jacket above 70).
In town riding, temp below 40 = full leathers (just because the leathers keep me warmer in the winter).
Apart from these variables, I always wear full face helmet, boots, and armored gloves.
In 45,000 miles of riding experience, I've only been in one accident, I hit a slick spot on a back road in WV. No other cars around, I low-sided at about 45mph. I had full leathers on, even though my bike had almost $5000 in damage, I walked away and got a beer without even a scratch. (Fortunately the damage to the bike was all cosmetic and I was able to ride it back to where I was staying.
by brookland_rez on Jul 5, 2012 1:28 pm • link • report
by Bob Fairlane on Jul 5, 2012 1:29 pm • link • report
I agree with Phil in that scooter riders tend to wear less gear. I can't think of the last time I saw a scooter rider with anything more than ordinary street wear. A lot don't even wear helmets.
Add into that the fact that scooters are less stable and don't incorporate the latest technologies, therefore are inherently less safe.
by brookland_rez on Jul 5, 2012 1:36 pm • link • report
Why? Last July in DC, on 14th St, I was riding my vintage 225cc Vespa (yes it's faster than yours, yes it's cooler than yours, yes it's faster light to light than most anyone's motorcycle) home from a show. I signal with my left arm that I'm turning right. I look over my right shoulder to check for cyclists since there was a bicycle lane. I go to make my turn when I don't see one.
And then BAM. Some idiot on an illegal 50cc Chinese POS comes flying down the bicycle lane at 35mph and clips me.
Result? My one-off, 90 mph custom 1979 Vespa is wrecked and I end up with a fractured pelvis. Guy on scooter? Leaves.
Look I ride like a jackass. I ride better than you but also like a hooligan, but there are some things I don't do - that's ride on the sidewalk (though I will park on them and remove my plate) and ride in cycle lanes. Anyone who does is a shitbird.
Oh yeah, new Twist and Go scooters are the suck.
by Michael on Jul 5, 2012 2:14 pm • link • report
LOL!
Seriously that sucks about your loss though.
by brookland_rez on Jul 5, 2012 3:19 pm • link • report
Theft isn't a problem if your scooter's insured. Stolen? Insurance gets you a new one. More importantly, insurance is key if you get into an accident (judging by the scrapes on the sides of most parked scoots in DC, this is most of you), or if a scooter hits a pedestrian.
What I've noticed is that unlicensed scooterists have a tendency to break a lot of laws. Splitting lanes, not riding in a staggered single file, not wearing a helmet, failing to yield to pedestrians, riding on the sidewalk, etc. Frankly, I see this is a common issue with most bicyclists. There's simply no motivation to follow the law when everyone's breaking it.
Just like scooters, bikes should be registered and insured as well. DC's becoming a more bike reliant city, meaning more accidents and thefts as time goes on. In Europe, where bikes and scooters are commonplace, most cities require 100% registration for both. It tends to cut down on accidents, theft and scofflaw riders.
With the funds from registrations, the city could fund more bike lanes and set up more scooter/motorcycle parking on the street, where they belong. They can also ramp up enforcement, which would get everyone into line.
by EP Sato on Jul 5, 2012 7:10 pm • link • report
I have no doubt that liberalization of scooter laws would benefit me. But if you think scooters are a public good overall, you haven't spent time in an Asian megacity like Jakarta, and seen how bad traffic can get when a choking snarl of cars is augmented by a choking, smog-spewing, noisy snarl of scooters squeezed into every inch of space between lanes.
In general, I think it's likely that most scooters would replace mass transit and bicycles, rather than people trading down from cars. So no, that's not a public good.
by I'm a Prospective Scooter Owner on Jul 5, 2012 10:03 pm • link • report
It cuts down on thefts only if the police actually does something with the registration information - which hasn't been the case over here. It really takes a national effort - which is what the Dutch do. It does no good for DC to be aggressive about registration if bike thieves just sell the bikes in Baltimore or Philly. Registration is a tiny part of a massive national effort to reduce bike theft. Nonetheless nearly 700,000 bikes are stolen every year in the Netherlands.
But how does registration - which in Holland involves a bar code and a hidden security dhip on your bike - cut down on accidents or scofflaw cycling? I don't follow that at all.
by David C on Jul 5, 2012 10:36 pm • link • report
Also we have bike registries here in the USA, they are basically pointless because the cops don't bother to deal with bike theft at all.
Is there licensing for bicycles in the Netherlands? I do not believe so but I bet Jasper would know!
Bottom line: we already have 100% scooter registration, if you have a scooter in DC it is supposed to be registered! If people aren't doing it then your issue is with MPD not "we need this policy (that already exists), oh and bikes should be burdened with this as well."
What I've noticed is that unlicensed scooterists have a tendency to break a lot of laws. Splitting lanes, not riding in a staggered single file, not wearing a helmet, failing to yield to pedestrians, riding on the sidewalk, etc. Frankly, I see this is a common issue with most bicyclists. There's simply no motivation to follow the law when everyone's breaking it.
What I've noticed is that everyone on the road has a tendency to break a lot of laws. Right on red without stopping, not yielding to pedestrians, driving too fast, etc. And perhaps we should start enforcement with the people whose vehicles can cause the most damage? I think that puts bicyclists as the least of our concerns.
Again, there's always hand-wringing about this and that little group (people on scooters, people on bicycles) breaking the law and endangering people. Yet dozens of pedestrians are killed in this metro area every year by cars, and you could probably count the number killed by scooters/bicycles each year on one hand. So why do people in these minority groups shoot themselves in the foot by arguing that the "scofflaw" members among them are the problem?
by MLD on Jul 6, 2012 8:17 am • link • report
Scooters are legal in the bike lanes according to the DC DMV
18 DCMR §§ 1201.17 and 1209.
by one-star on Jul 6, 2012 8:29 am • link • report
The DC definition of "scooter/motorized bicycle" makes what most people consider a scooter to legally be a motorcycle.
Your two wheeled vehicle is a motorcycle if it has/does ANY of the following:
- wheels under 16 inches in diameter
- an engine greater than 50 cc
- the ability to travel in excess of 35 mph on level ground
- more than 1½ brake horsepower
- a manual transmission
Because of #3 and #4 most things you would consider a "scooter" (vespa-style sit up 50cc bikes) are motorcycles under DC law. So they cannot ride in bike lanes.
by MLD on Jul 6, 2012 9:35 am • link • report
I disagree with you completely on this. Scooters, mopeds, and all other motorized bicycles should be treated as motorcycles. The driver should be licensed and required to wear a helmet and the vehicle should be registered, parked on the street and be required to follow all traffic rules that apply to automobiles. Being a motorized vehicle means that it accelerates more quickly, goes faster and takes longer to stop than a bicycle. The current classification creates an environment wear owners feel they can ignore the rules of the road. I have seen scooters both run red lights and lane split.
The sidewalks are small enough in DC, scooters shouldn't be allowed to park on them. I would agree other that have said more designated motorcycle/scooter parking should be added throughout the city should be considered. Afraid of theft? Try disc locks, insurance and lojack.
Ignorance of the specification for a motorized bicycle versus a motorcycle is no excuse for violating the law.
Also, for those of you that affix your tags with velcro, I am perfectly fine with your scooter having a large orange "Tow Immediately" sticker affixed and being towed and would like to see parking enforcement do more of it.
BTW, I am a DC Resident and motocyclist who parks his motorcycle on the street 24/7.
by Dan on Jul 6, 2012 2:40 pm • link • report
A Honda Ruckus meets all of those criterion
As does the Metropolitan and the Vino
I cant speak to the 2 stroke cheap Chinese imports though--you get more torque and a higher RPM off a 2 stroke engine but they burn out much sooner
See you in the bike lanes
by one-star on Jul 6, 2012 11:16 pm • link • report
Those bikes have more than 1.5HP, go faster than 35 (barely) AND have wheels under 16 inches.
That means they are motorcycles. Any one of those criteria means it's a motorcycle.
That means you can't ride them in the bike lanes.
by MLD on Jul 7, 2012 2:05 pm • link • report
But this business about parking? Er, it depends. Carry a big kryponite lock, for your own scooter's security. But parking on the sidewalk? Er, well, sure, I've never done it but I still feel shame because it is one of the perks I envisioned in owning a scooter. I park free at work, but after hours, parking's in no-man's land areas downtown on the street; between cars, at the end of the block, in those neat bulging curb things where no car can park. Parking's a public welfare sort of issue, isn't it? For that you have to beat up your local representatives to force the change. Face it, we're in an energy crunch and the scooter set has seen the signs of the times. Let's get on board to advocate for the kinds of changes we want to see. Don't just gripe. Agitate and vote.
by Scooter commuter on Jul 7, 2012 4:19 pm • link • report
I imagine when scooters (mopeds) are involved in collision accidents - things are even grayer. I guess it would be treated as if the person on a scooter is on a bicycle? Does anyone have any insight?
by DPC on Jul 9, 2012 7:11 pm • link • report
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