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New scooter rules take effect in January [Evansville Courier & Press, Ind.](Evansville Courier & Press (IN) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 23--INDIANAPOLIS -- The first day motorized scooter operators can go into an Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch to register and plate their bikes as required by a new state law is Jan. 2. State lawmakers passed the tighter controls on motorized scooters during this year's legislative session. The law takes effect on Jan. 1, when BMV license branches are closed for the holiday. The Evansville Police Department will issue written and verbal warnings for all scooter violations during the initial days of the new law. Beginning Jan. 12, the department will start "aggressively enforcing the new scooter laws by issuing citations," according to Evansville Police Assistant Chief Chris Pugh. BMV Commissioner Don Snemis said Wednesday that the agency is working hard to implement the new law. "The creation of new vehicle classes is a significant event," Snemis said during a press briefing on the new law. "It's required a lot of work by the IT department to create new systems necessary to both register vehicles, issue them license plates and also to create new classes." The law breaks motorized scooters into two classes. Operators of motorized scooters with cylinder capacities of 50 cc or less -- which state officials say is the category most of the bikes fall within -- are in Class B. Operators must be at least 15 years of age and have at minimum a valid state ID with an endorsement. To receive the endorsement, an operator will need to pass a test over road signals and signs that the BMV is still developing. Operators of bikes above 50 cc are in Class A and are required to follow the requirements of a motorcycle, including holding a valid driver's license with a motorcycle endorsement or valid motorcycle learner's permit. In Class A, Snemis said it will be difficult to distinguish the difference between a motorcycle and motorized scooter, which will require a Class A restriction as well. Bikes requiring a Class A restriction are defined as engines producing no more than five-brake horsepower, and operators are asked to know the brake horsepower of their bike before visiting a license branch. A BMV spokesman deferred questions to local law enforcement agencies on when they would begin enforcing the new registration requirements. But the state agency hopes there's an understanding that scooter operators need time to be able to get proper credentials and registration, BMV spokesman Josh Gillespie said. The BMV can't anticipate whether there will be an increased volume of customers at license branches following Jan. 1 because the state doesn't have a number of how many scooters are on the road. "We just know we will be prepared for their arrival once they do come, and we'll try to make sure all the branches are adequately staffed to handle the influx of new customers," Gillespie said. State Rep. Dave Wolkins, a Winona Lake Republican, said it was important to lawmakers when crafting the bill that a person with a suspended license could still meet the requirements to operate a scooter 50 cc or less. An operator of a Class B bike is not required to have insurance under the new law, though Class A bikes must be insured. Wolkins, who carried the bill this year, said Wednesday he felt it was necessary that DUI offenders still had a way to get to work. The new regulations, supported by the Evansville Police Department, came after years of attempts by state lawmakers to pass legislation to address scooters. Evansville law enforcement officials told lawmakers that requiring registration would aid in determining the owner of a scooter and help with investigating crimes that involve bikes. ___ (c)2014 the Evansville Courier & Press (Evansville, Ind.) Visit the Evansville Courier & Press (Evansville, Ind.) at www.courierpress.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |