Police lay down the law for scooters
Aspen, CO Colorado
ASPEN ” Aspen police are reminding those who scoot around town that they must adhere to the rules of the road just like everyone else.
There’s a huge increase in the numbers of gas-powered scooters sharing the traffic and parking lanes in town this summer, police say. As a result, the Aspen Police Department is reminding the public what motorized scooters can and cannot do.
The city has a longstanding policy that allows motorcycles, and now scooters, to park for free downtown ” in areas at each end of city blocks signed “No Parking Here to Corner.” Elsewhere or in designated paid parking areas, scooters are subject to normal hourly parking fees.
Police are also reminding motorcycle and scooter users that safety precautions are the same as driving a car.
“You would not drive your car with someone sitting on your lap or have a child between your legs as you drive,” police said in a press release. “This is dangerous and illegal. Cars are not allowed to park on the pedestrian malls or on sidewalks, neither are scooters or motorcycles.”
A rundown of the rules:
The most common scooter has a gas engine is 49cc. Here are the legal issues to consider when driving a vehicle powered by that type of engine:
– You must be at least 16 years of age and possess a valid automobile driver’s license from your home state or country.
– You do not need to have a motorcycle license to ride any gas scooter sized 49cc or smaller.
– A scooter with this engine size does not need a license plate or mandatory insurance.
The legal issues to consider with a gas engine that is 50cc or larger:
– You must have valid automobile and motorcycle license from your home state or country.
– You are required to register your scooter and you must insure it.
– Colorado law states that if you cannot show proof of insurance for your automobile or scooter, your driver’s license can be suspended for one year.
Colorado is one of the few states in the country that does not have a mandatory motorcycle helmet law, but it does have a law, which was passed this summer, that mandates the use of helmets by motorcycle and scooter drivers and their passengers under 18 years old.
There is a mandatory eye protection law for drivers and passengers of scooters and motorcycles. Eye protection is defined as “clear lens or sunglasses or the shield on your helmet.”
The windscreen on a motorcycle or scooter does not legally qualify as eye protection.
For more information, contact the police department at 970-925-5400.
Bar Talk: Barraquito
On a recent trip to Spain, I discovered something that I believe tops the espresso martini. It’s called a barraquito.
