Scooters for College Drunks!

duneman · Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Posts: 20

I just read an article that scooter sales in college towns were on the rise in certain states because a 50cc scooter is not covered under DWI laws????? So, people are buying 50cc scooters when they get their licenses revoked. Not sure if it's true but interesting news blurb.

Duneman

Guest · Posted: Thu May 11, 2006 8:57 am Post subject:

Good Morning all. I just joined and this looks like a great forum.
You are correct in that you don't need a drivers license to operate on the street. In Missouri , here is the law. NOTE that they still can give you a ticket for dui/dwi if preformed while on an unlicensed vehicle:

"307.227. An operator of a motor scooter upon a public way is subject to the
provisions applicable to, and has the same rights and duties as the operator of any
other vehicle operating on highways as provided by chapter 304, RSMo, except to
those provisions that by their very nature can have no application."

Here is the complete bill:

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1270
92ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR YECKEL.
Read 1st time February 18, 2004, and ordered printed.
TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.
4582S.01I
AN ACT
To amend chapter 307, RSMo, by adding thereto eleven new sections relating to motor
scooters, with penalty provisions.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 307, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto eleven new sections, to
be known as sections 307.225, 307.227, 307.229, 307.231, 307.233, 307.235, 307.237, 307.239,
307.240, 307.241, and 307.243, to read as follows:
307.225. As used in sections 307.225 to 307.243, the term "motor scooter" shall
mean a device with two tandem wheels, one which has a brake, that has
handlebars, is designed to be stood or sat upon by the operator, and is powered by
an electric motor or internal combustion engine that is capable of propelling the
device with or without human propulsion at a speed no greater than twenty-five
miles per hour on a level road.
307.227. An operator of a motor scooter upon a public way is subject to the
provisions applicable to, and has the same rights and duties as the operator of any
other vehicle operating on highways as provided by chapter 304, RSMo, except to
those provisions that by their very nature can have no application.
307.229. No driver's license shall be required to operate a motor scooter.
307.231. No person shall operate a motor scooter at a speed greater than is
reasonable and prudent under the existing conditions nor shall such operator
exceed the legal speed limit for the roadway while riding upon the roadway. In no
case shall the operator of a motor scooter operate such device at a speed greater
than thirty miles per hour.
307.233. A motor scooter shall have at least one caliper, disk, or drum brake
on at least one wheel, which is able to cause the tire to skid on a dry, level, paved
surface from a speed of approximately ten miles per hour. A motor scooter with
an internal combustion engine shall have a functionally effective muffler as
original equipment or an original equipment manufacturer replacement part;
provided that any replacement muffler shall not cause the engine to make more
noise than it did when it was originally manufactured.
307.235. Every motor scooter when in use at nighttime shall be equipped
with and shall use a lamp on the front which emits a white light visible from a
distance of at least five hundred feet to the front and with a red, white or yellow
reflector on the rear of a type which is visible from all directions from fifty feet to
three hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of
headlamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance
of five hundred feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector.
307.237. No person under seventeen years of age shall operate or be a
passenger on a motor scooter unless the operator or passenger wears protective
headgear which properly fits and is fastened securely upon the head of the
operator or passenger. The headgear shall meet or exceed the impact standard for
protective bicycle helmets set by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission,
the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Snell Memorial Foundation
or the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM).
307.239. Any person operating a motor scooter shall obey the instructions
of official traffic control devices applicable to vehicles, unless otherwise directed
by a law enforcement officer.
307.240. Any municipality or county shall have the authority to impose
additional regulations on the operation of motor scooters which are consistent
with the provisions of sections 307.225 to 307.243, however no county or
municipality may ban or prohibit the operation of motor scooters in their entirety.
307.241. Every person operating a motor scooter, upon a highway, roadway
or alleyway shall ride as near to the right side of the highway, roadway or
alleyway as practicable and shall exercise due care when passing a standing
vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.
307.243. Any violation of the provisions of sections 307.225 to 307.243 shall
be deemed a class C misdemeanor.
T

DSMLVR · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 2

Wow, looks like I stated off on the wrong foot already with a GUEST posting when it should have been a regular posting. Since I can not delete the guest posting, I would appreciate it if a moderator would delete it.

Thanks