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Post by 90GTVert on Mar 22, 2012 11:10:20 GMT -5
Those of us in the state of Maryland may have to make a few changes soon. Mandatory helmets and eye protection, titling, and liability insurance may be required. More : www.wboc.com/story/17214114/new-requirements-could-soon-come-for-mopeds-scooters-in-marylandI agree 100% with the helmet law. We have a helmet/eye protection law for motorcycles in MD, scooters should be no different IMO. Insurance is never a bad idea, all of mine are insured. Titling isn't a bad idea either IMO, but it really sucks for me. T1 I bought it new from a dealer, so I have it's paperwork. T2 was bought from a mechanic after being abandoned by a customer for a long period of time, no title or any sort of documents. The Venus was bought from a friend of my father. He told me he'd get the paperwork to me, never did. He was moving away, so I'm sure it would never be found. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2012 11:56:33 GMT -5
how does a title make anything safer? what a crock. its about $$$$ so a sticker and a piece of paper makes 35mph less deadly? this is all about money..nothing more nothing less. Maybe she means the helmet part. if this bill was really about safety it would simply be to mandate helmets....and not a mandatory $20 title fee and $5 decal fee and making older scooter owners come up with titles and crap...this is all a money grab under a cloak of 'safety'. Dont be fooled. The only thing they want to protect with the helmet part is keeping your ability to pay the fees alive...if you are dead you cant pay. Titling .....really sucks for me. The Venus was bought from a friend of my father. He told me he'd get the paperwork to me, never did. He was moving away, so I'm sure it would never be found. Dont worry. They will find a way to get you a title so they can get the title fee from you. You cant pay if you are not on the road....so they will find a way to let you ride....for a price. some of the comments on that page are great lol heres a good one: Next the state will want to title and register and insure your shoes. That way if you are crossing the street and you trip over your shoe lace and fall on someones car and damage it you will be covered. And dont forget your walking helmet! |
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Post by 90GTVert on Mar 22, 2012 17:01:46 GMT -5
The helmet stuff I won't argue with. As I have said before, I have crashed and damaged my helmet in a way that I'm very glad I had it on. Fine by me, I'm wearing it without the law.
I honestly support it all. I don't mind paying the $25. Would be nice if they could keep the shoulders clean for me so I'm not popping tires lol, but hey, I'm using parts of the road just like other vehicles and paying much less than them.
I'm mainly just not happy I have to figure out how to title 3 scoots with no titles, 2 with 0 paperwork. The other part is, before I've kinda figured they can't do much about my loud pipes. I mean no title or registration or inspection, worst I figured they'd really do was tell me to quiet it down and maybe a fine for noise pollution or whatever it is. Now it seems like they could probably revoke the registration/sticker or something. I dunno, I just think there will be more coming if they do see an opportunity to cash in on other areas of scooting. The one real bright side is I'd think it would be easier to deal with stolen scoots with them titled and registered.
At least I am thankful for one thing. Some time ago they were considering the helmet law and a law to keep "mopeds" off of any road with a speed limit greater than 35 IIRC... coulda been 40MPH? At any rate, I kept in contact with my rep for a while and voiced my concerns about that one, then I just never heard any more about it anywhere. That would end my riding the way they had it layed out in the bill. Happy to see that was tossed out and they're just focusing on this stuff.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2012 18:28:53 GMT -5
for me much of the joy of small scooter ownership is the gov doesnt have their hands in it....one of the few things in life they dont..and i will fight any sort of fees and crap tooth and nail  |
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Post by one1 on Mar 22, 2012 19:26:59 GMT -5
TN requires a helmet for anything with wheels and an engine, nothing else for under 50cc. Once I put my RayBans and my half shell on I am good to ride my *cough* 50cc Geely. No paperwork.
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Post by stepthrutuner on Mar 22, 2012 19:53:07 GMT -5
for me much of the joy of small scooter ownership is the gov doesnt have their hands in it....one of the few things in life they dont..and i will fight any sort of fees and crap tooth and nail Good point. One does have a sense of being unfettered by gov. rules and regs. in states with liberal "moped" laws. Here in Arkansas all I have to have at this time is a valid auto license. If gas prices remain high and more people go to scootering more regulation and fees are pretty much just a matter of time till more states fall in line with more regulation. I think requiring seat belt use while allowing motorcyclists to ride w/o helmets is insanity. But yet I ride w/o a helmet while scooting around this one horse town with less than 2 mi. of four lane (with central left turn lane) in the city limits. I nearly always lid up when I leave town though to do some serious riding. |
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tango
Scoot Enthusiast
Ad agendum semper parati
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Post by tango on Mar 22, 2012 23:27:14 GMT -5
As if being a "motorcyclist" automatically makes one an authority on safety and speed. She is clearly a misinformed/underinformed motorcyclist. So 35mph is the magic number? Okay...fair enough. But how does she explain the number of pedestrians walking at less than 5mph that get killed on our streets annually? Safety is not black or white and no amount of legislation will make riding a motorcycle safer than it can ultimately be. A helmet can help, but if you fall in a bad way, helmet or not, you could break your neck. As for insurance, I hate those bastards with a passion so I don't agree with them getting in on the mix.
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Post by larry001964 on Mar 23, 2012 9:59:26 GMT -5
As for insurance, I hate those bastards with a passion so I don't agree with them getting in on the mix. I have no problem with the insurance concept, it's actually a good idea I think to carry insurance.. It's the measures insurance companies go thru to not pay that I find disusing.. God forbid I'm riding a long and there is an unforeseen accident where a child was harmed, today's medical bills are not a couple hundred dollars, they are thousands for even the smallest of accidents. I carry insurance that will cover me or anybody Else's hospital bills, and cover damages.. But when you make it mandatory Insurance companies know they have a captive group and can do as they wish. And they do. Often leaving us out in the cold.. |
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Post by one1 on Mar 23, 2012 22:45:57 GMT -5
IDK, but I can definitely tell when I cross over 35 mph. The wind speed seems to double and things seem to exponentially increase. I feel the same increase about 55. Over 55 I feel the forces pushing against me pretty hard such as wind or cornering forces. I don't know what a magic number would be, but I personally can tell changes at those speed points where things kick up a notch. Up to 35 I just feel like I am playing around. |
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Post by blacknotch on Jun 6, 2012 16:40:46 GMT -5
Registration and insurance protects other motorists. Scooters can cause damages to other cars by crashing or swiping them. Then what? They can just run away and can't be traced due to no license tag. Someone in a scooter being reckless or even just making mistakes can cause cars to swerve or such and perhaps cause multiple cars pile-up...resulting in serious injuries and fatalities.
If they're forced to carry liability insurance like everyone else, it would cause them to be extra careful....like everyone else. And at least it would help cover the accidents and injuries that they've caused.
Also, insurance would help keep less responsible people off the road. Many with bad driving records opt for scooters. Now they're also rated for higher insurance due to their record. Before that, it didn't matter to them as much.
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\\-olf
Scoot Enthusiast
Iowa
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Post by \\-olf on Jun 6, 2012 23:30:48 GMT -5
"or even just making mistakes can cause cars to swerve or such and perhaps cause multiple cars pile-up...resulting in serious injuries and fatalities."
Pedestrians and "space cadets" in cross walks do that all the time, and pedestrians don't have to buy walking insurance...
"If they're forced to carry liability insurance like everyone else, it would cause them to be extra careful....like everyone else. And at least it would help cover the accidents and injuries that they've caused."
I disagree there, for when you are insured and know your behind is fully covered, you get LESS careful and more CARELESS, that is why you see idiots texting and driving, people eating and driving- they know if they damage someone's car or whatever the INSURANCE covers it.
If they knew THEY PERSONALLY would have to cough up $75,000 cash or sell their house to get it when they are sued, they'd drive more carefully. I know that's how it was in Vermont around 1984 when I lived there- insurance on automobiles was NOT required, and I drove like I'd have to pay the bill out of my pocket if i had a wreck.
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dr1445
Scoot Enthusiast
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Post by dr1445 on Jun 7, 2012 6:07:46 GMT -5
the only reason i own a scooter is because a 50 needs no paper work here in ct. i am working on a 1974 bultaco 250 for the street, it weighs about the came as my scooter and for sure can do 50mph. if paper work is required then why would i buy a 50 other than no shifting? i have been back on my bicycle recently, in fact i am updating my 90's vintage bianchi to a 9 speed, will they be next? oh he!! where did i put that bicycle paper work.
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Post by 2strokd on Jun 7, 2012 7:24:53 GMT -5
Lol, "walking insurance" . Makes sense. Better add bicycle insurance and breathing insurance to that as well.
No matter the laws, responsible or not, I guarantee people will still be on the road.
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dr1445
Scoot Enthusiast
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Post by dr1445 on Jun 7, 2012 9:02:01 GMT -5
those bicycles promote more co2, a green house gas, says the mighty epa. once the paper work is in place there is no place government can't or won't go collecting taxes and fees.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2012 12:24:34 GMT -5
Registration and insurance protects other motorists. Scooters can cause damages to other cars by crashing or swiping them. Then what? They can just run away and can't be traced due to no license tag. Someone in a scooter being reckless or even just making mistakes can cause cars to swerve or such and perhaps cause multiple cars pile-up...resulting in serious injuries and fatalities. If they're forced to carry liability insurance like everyone else, it would cause them to be extra careful....like everyone else. And at least it would help cover the accidents and injuries that they've caused. Also, insurance would help keep less responsible people off the road. Many with bad driving records opt for scooters. Now they're also rated for higher insurance due to their record. Before that, it didn't matter to them as much. I just saw some idiot jogging on the road and there was a sidewalk just over the curb...but this dude was ON the pavement. I was making a right turn and bang there he was, almost hit the fool. Since he was on the roadway I wonder if he has jogging insurance? oh wait if i hit him it would be my fault so i would be paying so i guess thats why he was doing it...or maybe his health insurance would be paying. ANYONE but 'OUT OF MY POCKET'...so why care right? Have you never heard the excuse...'I dont care, I have insurance.'? Thais how people think....not how you are suggesting. To most people having insurance is just a license to be reckless because 'hey its covered!' |
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