SC Lawmaker introduces bill to outlaw mopeds on public streets.

I'll start. I know they can be annoying, but I think it's stupid. I could see some form of registration process, I could see a minimal insurance requirement, but to outlaw them is ridiculous. There are a lot of people that use them for inexpensive transportation. There are a lot of people that have no other way to get to work or even the grocery store. Some because they got busted for DUI, some because that's all they can afford. I'd much rather see them up the maximum speed they can travel and leave them in a gray area. If you leave people no choice but to break the law, that is what they will do.

Now, discuss. Should mopeds be outlawed from public streets.

As long as they are registered mopeds it would be a heck of a uphill battle to invalidate all of the registrations. Vespa's and the ilk meet federal rules.

Now if they are going after the DUI gas powered bikes that are built in somebodies garage and unregistered that are like locusts around here then more power to them.

Yes. Long over due. Too many around here and a lot have DUI records in which they should NOT be allowed on the streets period.

SC doesn't currently require any registration of a moped as long as it's less than 49cc and can't travel faster than 29 MPH. Anything over that is considered a motorcycle.

Here's some links; http://www.live5news.com/story/27633079/lawmaker-wants-to-ban-mopeds-from-south-carolina-roads

The bill's author; http://www.scstatehouse.gov/member.php?code=0848863535

Here's the bill (caps not mine); A BILL TO AMEND SECTIONS 56-1-1720, 56-5-3720, 56-5-3730, 56-5-3750, AND 56-5-970, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE OPERATION OF MOPEDS AND TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON MAY NOT OPERATE A MOPED ALONG THE STATE'S PUBLIC HIGHWAYS AND STREETS, TO DELETE THE PROVISIONS THAT PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF A MOPED OPERATOR'S LICENSE, AND TO DELETE THE PROVISION THAT ALLOWS A MOPED TO PROCEED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION ON A STEADY RED LIGHT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

Why is a Republican trying to basically make operation of a moped off of private property illegal when it's obvious that cars are much more dangerous in SC? Reference: http://www.southcarolinaradionetwork.com/2013/12/31/sc-highway-deaths-lowest-in-recent-memory-for-2013/

The obvious answer here is to ban cars. Also be in the party of smaller government which is known for banning things through government action.

my thought is:

• Less than 50cc no motorcycle license, no registration required, and no highway use (DL required).

• greater than 50 CC then motorcycle license required, registration required, highway use if it can meet the minimum speed requirement.

DUI and no license on a moped? Busted city.

How are you going to outlaw a "moped"? Some of those are just a different "style" of motorcycle (with decent displacements and top speeds).

I thought that most of the scooters out there could do ~ 35mph … I really wish they were slower .. then more folk would realize that they could pass them in the same manner as a bicycle …and with the same amt. of ease …

at 30+mph no one around here will pass them …

NC … unlicensed vehicles on the highway … pass anywhere … safely …which means you are allowed to cross the double yellow line to pass … just that it's on you to do so safely

I am sick of them being on 35-45+ MPH roads that mopeds have NO business being on.

There seems to be two types of moped operators around here - the people that can run 40 mph and stay out of the way, and the moron drunk redneck that feels the need to be in the middle of the road at 20 mph. I don't have a problem with the mopeds. I have a big problem with the idiots that ride around on them.

They don't call them liquor cycles for nothing.

Sounds like one of those frivolous bills that will never get passed. I suspect the AMA lobbyists are probably already on the job to squash it.

Human powered bikes which do 10-30mph depending on the skill is still legal.

Motorcycles without pedals are legal.

But motorcycle + bike is not legal?

I don't get it.

It's lot legal to drink and bike here in MI- but I've never seen a biker pulled over.

I live in SC and while mopeds are annoying, I don't think they should be illegal. Although I've seen plenty taking up the an entire lane. Some people have them as their sole source of transportation, public transit is minimal. Educate, then punish if necessary, but don't ban. IMO.

I think license, registration, and insurance should be required for any motorized vehicle on the road.

Sine_Qua_Non wrote: I am sick of them being on 35-45+ MPH roads that mopeds have NO business being on.

Hence my thought about getting them up to a reasonable speed. 45 sounds pretty reasonable to me. You could even go as far as banning them from roads with posted speeds over 45

My concerns are people have to go places. The grocery, work, whatever. Even the idiot who lost his license do DUI. Public transportation around here is a joke. A moped gives them a mode of transportation that probably won't get someone else killed. Take that away, they are still going to go where they need to, they will just use a car.

Last time we were at Carolina Motorsports Park, I was on my way to Camden and got behind the reason this law was proposed. For those unfamiliar with the road, it is a two lane through a rural area with a 55mph speed limit. Traffic moves at 60 unless they are behind a fat man on a DUIScoot going 24mph. Nothing would deter captain oblivious. As he hugged the dotted white line being passed by 30 year old school buses pulling LeMons cars, he couldn't be bothered with pulling over to let any of the 30 cars behind him pass. Unfortunately, SC is going to ban mopeds instead of idiots.

Crush them all, every last one of them! The berkeleying tards should not be on the street with cars trying to do 35mph and the tards on moped's doing 18.8mph and then they will not get out of the way. Motherberkeleyers.

the posted speed is a limit, there is no minimum, and off hwy there will never be one because of road legal agricultural equipment...

Outlaw mopeds and only outlaws will have mopeds.

outlaw all the mopeds you want … the tag less scooters will still be out there

Mopeds have pedals and are treated like bicycles with engines. Scooters are a whole different animal.

Trying to ban mopeds is close enough to banning bicycles that it will probably never pass. Besides, I don't think anyone actually makes a pedal to start moped any more. Anyone keeping an old one alive as an alternative to a bicycle is fine by me, even 20mph is faster than a fat guy on a WalMart bicycle.

Forcing scooters to be treated like motorcycles should be easy enough and I could get behind that.

In reply to madmallard:

Incorrect. Here is California's law, other states are similar

Minimum Speed Law 22400. (a) No person shall drive upon a highway at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, unless the reduced speed is necessary for safe operation, because of a grade, or in compliance with law. No person shall bring a vehicle to a complete stop upon a highway so as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic unless the stop is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

Seems silly to me, require registration and insurance? Sure, but an outright ban just screams "berkeley the poor" to me.

It's already illegal to impede traffic everywhere, if you have a moped/scooter problem in that regard, you need to take it up with the police(many departments now use "impeding traffic" as a revenue stop, catch all, non moving violation, ~$150 ticket), not lawmakers.

You guys are talking about mopeds: bikes with pedals and 49cc motors, right?

I haven't seen one of those around for a long time. Must be a more rural / college town thing.

Seems to me a moped on a road is essentially the same as a bicycle, just treat them the same. What happens when a bicycle goes down a 45 mph limit road?

(I can't imagine how small a collision policy on a moped would be, I mean, how much damage could you possibly do?)

Cotton wrote: I think license, registration, and insurance should be required for any motorized vehicle on the road.

This, Indiana just required registration for sub 50cc.....I think they need to require insurance and licenses though.