Posted on 05/05/2019 4:29:04 PM PDT by Kaslin
If you've been to any major city recently, you've probably noticed people whirring by on motorized scooters to get from point a to be point b. At first what seemed like a convenient and affordable way to venture across a city has now become hazardous and annoying for pedestrians as more and more scooter rental companies pop up, leaving their riders all the more brazed in their travel on their rental transportation.
The Texas Senate just passed a bill "that would crack down on increasingly popular motorized scooters, including setting speed limits and banning the use of rented scooters on sidewalks."
“We are beginning to see more and more accidents that are occurring on the electrical scooters,” State Sen. Royce D. West said. “A lot of sidewalks and roadways were not designed for this particular purpose.”
"It’s like the wild, Wild West out there, without rules,” said Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen echoed in a similar statement.
Even Texas Republicans believe the scooters need more oversight. “I personally, here in Austin, almost have been hit three times — very close calls — by scooters, not because I wasn’t paying attention ... but because someone came so unexpectedly, and at such a high rate of speed,” Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston.
The following regulations would be placed into law if the House passes the bill and if Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs it into law.
- You must be 16 or older to operate a rented motorized scooter.
- Only one person at a time could operate a scooter.
- Speeds may not exceed 15 miles per hour for a standing scooter, or 20 mph “if the person is seated.”
- A scooter operator must yield the right of way to pedestrians.
- A scooter could not be parked in a way that obstructs a sidewalk, path, road or any feature designed to help people with a disability.
- Rented scooters could not be driven on sidewalks, though privately owned scooters could under an amendment that was added Wednesday by Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills.
- Scooters could be driven on roads without a bike lane only if the speed limit is 35 mph or lower and the scooter is ridden “as near as practicable” to the curb.
- Violations could be punished by a fine of up to $200.
Cutting into ticket revenue, apparently.
We have problems with seniors on their motorized wheelchairs on the street. I saw one stuck on the railroad tracks. These are not street legal, grandma.
[Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston]
“all the more brazed in their travel”
Brazed? Were they metallized? Don’t depend on spell check.
Quite a few years ago there was a fad at Montgomery, Alabama junior high schools.
Some oddity of the law allowed those students to legally drive those Cushman scooters which meter maids used. Probably been outlawed since.
My cousin had a used mail cart he drove in Montgomery that was in the very early 1970’s. I sure wanted one.
But wait a minute. These scooters are using less energy than cars and therefore reducing our carbon footprint. Isn’t that what the statists want?
So...
Steam powered giant mechanical spiders are still cool?
So... Texas wants to place rules on Scooter use. Makes sense. I see that they are copying the laws that China has for scooter use. Probably, after a contentious battle in the state capital, in four years they might get around to implementing something.
Walking through downtown Dallas, I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve almost been run over by those monstrosities.
There are around 15 different companies here in L.A and they are just SCATTERED around the streets here. It’s normal for people to just kick around the scooters out of their way because they ARE in the way..
Here’s where I get confused. They’re talking about standup scooters. Does that include Segways, which, if I’m correct, don’t have a motor. If not, why not?
Secondly, this isn’t talking about the motorized carts where fat-asses zoom around from city block to city block? If not, why not?
And, finally, what does the law say about golf carts and tuk tuks? Anything?
Some cities are already plagued by bicyclists who act as if the roads belong to them and have been emboldened by all these bike lanes that used to be automobile lanes. They’ve annoyed me for decades pretending to be Lance Armstrong with a death wish.
So either we crack down on ALL these alternate forms of transportation or let’s just have the “wild west” survival of the fittest. The problem, as I see it, is those with the least protection should not be allowed to act like they own the road (or sidewalk). The law of the jungle says you defer to anything bigger than you are, that includes bicycles, scooters, skateboards, ouija boards, carts, etc. Ignore that law at your own peril.
So they're being joined together with a torch or they're being cooked in a sauce? I'm sure the article meant "brazen".
"braised"
How much does it weigh? It looks a little heavy if you had to pedal it, if it’s capable of being pedaled that is.
That’s a great idea. No doodoo, flies, hay, currying, and he can sow his wild oat instead of feeding a horse.
Is that baby two-wheel drive, like the Rokon?
Looks like fun.
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