Is it me or are 50cc scoots dangerous? By rurc (Read 3,568 times)

[earlylight160]

JR,
I agree with your post.      It is spot on in my book!

[rurc]

I really want to thank everyone that has taken the time to comment. there are some really thoughtful people out there.

I guess I used poor wording on the poll. Maybe I should have gone with "should ALL riders of motorcycles and scooters be made to get endorsements to ride on all public roads?"

[crazedfox]

I'm sure you can still edit the title, as creator an' all.

[scooden]

I ride a 50cc scooter here in Florida where I live. I bought a 50cc scooter (just because) anything bigger requires me to plunk down $200 bucks to take a class to learn what I already know. That would amount to about a quarter of what my scooter cost new. In my previous life, I rode large motorcycles as daily commuters on California freeways so a 50cc is duck soup for me to ride and handle safely. My scooter will do about 40 mph max so I limit my riding to secondary streets and roads that are posted for no more than 35 mph. Before I bought my scoot, I got a fresh new copy of the Florida DMV's motorcycle handbook and studied it from front to back to make sure I was familiar with the latest laws and accepted procedures for riding motorcycles or scooters no matter their size or capabilities in today's world. I got a DOT approved helmet from a reputable, manufacturer which is on my head when the kickstand goes up. I ride defensively and responsibly. I have the scooter licensed and insured just as I would if it was that brand new Harley I have always dreamed of owning. You are right. There are some real yahoos out there doing all they can to ignore or break the rules. That doesn't mean I should have to pay for them however. Therefore, I had to vote NO in your poll.

[crazedfox]

That's good to hear Scooden.
So do you have a motorcycle license?
If not, isn't there a choice to go take a dmv test & get one?
_

[amac1680]

Apr 23, 2014 17:30:36 GMT -6 crazedfox said:

That's good to hear Scooden.
So do you have a motorcycle license?
If not, isn't there a choice to go take a dmv test & get one?
_

Good question. The poster talks about all the big bikes he rode in CA. Must have been braking the law there or he would have an endorsement in FL.

In Florida you must take the course no way around it.
In time the 50cc law will change and it will help keep those that can't pass the test off the road. In the meantime those without an endorsement will be forced to ride their weedwackers on roads that they have no business being on.

[crazedfox]

LOL.
The reason I asked about the course was to find out if he had his license still.
Or he let it lapse when moved to Florida,
-
Dose one have to take a mandatory test to get a motorcycle stamp in Florida,
even if you had it on your license in another state?
_

[amac1680]

When I got here 15 years ago my endorsement transferred with the DL.

I'm sorry I got so harsh in my last post but I decided to look close at what the scoots around here were doing at say rush hour. I left my last post as it was because if I make an azz of myself I don't go back and remove it.

In the beginning of the thread I had little issue with a 50. Matter of fact I thought the issue here was "fast 50s". I was terribly wrong. In a 8 mile stretch I saw 2 small scoots crawling up a bridge and one after clogging the right lane of a two lane 45 mph road. Eight miles.

So now I think short of a college campus I'm no longer a fan. Just my .02

[crazedfox]

All is alright, gotta vent somewhere- eh?
-
With them being in right-lane, there are with'en the rules of the road.
BUT, they need to find a safe spot & pull over & occasionally let traffic pass.
Just as any slow vehicle "needs" to do.

I myself when on 45-55 Mph roads,
do keep an eye on how many are behind me.
& safely pull over to let heavier faster traffic by when need to.

If I can help keep everyone a little more happy,
then I'm a safer traveler for doing so.

There's enough selfish buttwipes out there refusing to pull-over for even for a ambulance.
( Yes I've seen these types.)

When I go donate plasma, I have to travel 30.5-miles one way.
according to my GPS this trip would take about 1-hour 15-minutes.
But even without traffic, it takes me 1-hr. 20 to 25-min. to travel because I'm pulling over @ least 3 times during that stretch.

So I make sure to add a 1/2-Hr. on top of my ETA.
to ensure that I have no need to be a jerk & hold up traffic.
_

[sirfinne]

I realize I am late entering this thread but I have to comment. In MD, You need a valid drivers license for anything 50cc< and 35 mph<. If it is bigger or faster than that you need a Motorcycle license. All 2 wheelers with motors must be tagged and insured. Like some have said here alrdy, It is not the Bike/Scoot that is dangerous but the driver that might make it so. Should you have classes yes. Should you pay 100 - 300 dollars and wait 6 months for a class opening No. That is my opinion. I have ridden 50 CC scoots and mopeds for many years and recently moved up to a 150CC. I have been in 2 accidents and in both cases I was stopped at a red light and rear ended by somebody on their F'n cell phone not paying attention to the lights. The last accident occurred about 20 minutes ago and yes I am fine. I was thrown about halfway across the intersection and my bike made it all the way across. It is fine as well , minus the mirrors and speakers. lol , police was actually at the cross section of the light when I got hit. So it's not the vehicle one drives that is dangerous, it is the idiots that drive them.

[frankenscooter]

I do not currently have a license, though at one time I had a class A with tank and hazmat and motorcycle endorsements, I paid my Debt to the state, and am still paying, I need my 50cc to get to work everyday, to keep my job and my house, so don't give me any crap,about a free ride, you,have no idea what my situation was or is, I ride safe, and put about 70 miles a day on my little scoots, thanks

[scooden]

Good for you Frankenscoot. I just got my second Chinese 50cc scoot. I like 50s because they are cheap to run, insurance and tags are quite reasonable, you don't need a motorcycle endorsement on your license (if you have a license) and you can upgrade the 50cc to a 60cc, 72cc or 80cc at a very reasonable cost to get a little more speed and power out of the little buggers if that's your bag. As far as safety? 50cc scooters are probably safer than say a 150cc or higher because IMHO the 50cc scoots don't reach the speeds to hit things at the same velocity as more powerful scoots, motorcycles and such. There are those who say, 50cc scoots are a hazard because they are too slow. Well the way I look at that is we are just keeping those guys behind us out of trouble.

[crazedfox]

.
It's good to know we still got some folks out there with some good sense.
- 
Out where I live I still plenty of dim-bulbs riding these 50cc's with no regard to their own safety let alone respect towards others on the roads out here.

[frankenscooter]

I will say, after 40 years of Harleys, my 50cc scoots are so nimble and fun to ride, I took one of my motorcycles around the sub to keep her running and it was only a 750cc which is not my bigger Harley 103ci and it used to feel like a toy, now it is cumbersome. I cant wait to ride my big bikes again, but I now have a love of these little puddle jumpers

[bandito2]

Not quite sure where to come down in the poll, but sirfinne is right though. Mostly it is not the scooter that is dangerous. The danger in a large part is the nut that holds the handlebars. It is up to the rider whether they purposely put themselves in harms way or not. Riding 30mph on a 55mph posted road with traffic and without at least rudimentary safety gear (helmet, long pants and footwear to protect the ankles) and knowledge of the laws in their state or using safe riding practices is just tempting fate too much IMO. That includes bikes of any size BTW. Just because they can go out there and ride willy-nilly doesn't mean that they should.

Laws, in general are intrusive in that they may limit one's activities, But often (in most cases) they get put in place by the consent of the public for the general safety and well being of everyone. Things are OK until they aren't when events occur enough to upset the society and compels them to insist on some kind of change. When enough people complain of the hazards, costs and inconveniences of a particular activity, actions in the form of rules and laws get instituted to at least give some relief.

Laws and rules often include (or certainly should) ways for the public to comply using means that can accommodate and satisfy the broadest range of people affected. For riding scooters, that may include, but not be limited to requirement for being trained in rider skills and safety training, requiring knowledge of laws and at the very least passing a knowledge test. (some may require passing a rider skills test as well) Public awareness can sometimes be a challenge as well as it seems even there, things just get ignored or the knowledge is just not there at all.

Anyway, some changes come excruciatingly and frustratingly slow. As they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. If one would like to see things changed, they'll need to make some noise about it. (sometimes a lot of noise) So it really is up to John Q. Public to get things going if they see a problem serious enough to need attention. So is it wrong that Florida seems to have lax laws in regard to 50cc scooters and their use? Maybe, maybe not as the OP may see with the responses given on both sides of the issue. As it is now, it appears not because so far the laws in force now do not seem to reflect a need for MC endorsements for 50cc scooters.

I personally would tend to think fair and common sense regulations would indeed be needed if things really are that bad down there. And I would behave as if they were, even if they were not... But that's just me YMMV.