Motorized Bicycles Under Attack in Indiana!!!

GoldenMotor.com

woodsrat

New Member
Dec 29, 2008
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Indianapolis, IN
Well, poop. I made a lengthy post regarding the Indiana General Assembly's plans to require licenses for motorized bicycles and made the mistake of including an email address on my first post. I will redo the post when I have time and give you the full information on this. It's not looking good, to say the least.
 
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Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
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up north now
Actually, I would like it if Ohio made a reasonable law regarding these motorized bikes. Right now there is only one "legal" one, and that's a Wildfire, pre-built motorized bike. You can't make your own and have it be legal.

I ride anyhow. I haven't had any problems, but I live in the boonies of Ashtraybula county.
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
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up north now
Fo'Sho'!!

I even went to the site of the old Ashtabula bike factory but didn't find any treasure trove of parts, just a ratty building and a parking lot full of busted crack pipes and such.

Did you know that they were originally a company that made anchors and huge forgings for ore boats on lake Erie?

They made the famous (or infamous) blade type forks for Schwinn. The also made the very first BMX "conversion kits" for banana bikes.

Now the city is just a rotting sh1th0le...you can buy a house there for under 5000 dollars, complete with curbside drug service and all the crackheads you would ever care to meet. When they want to go "uptown" they start a meth lab.
 
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Spunout

MB Builder Extraordinaire
Jul 21, 2008
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coventry, RI
blog.360.yahoo.com
woodsrat posted this on another site, so i copy/pasted it:

"The Indiana General Assembly along with a motorcycle rights group that mostly caters to Harley riders, ABATE of Indiana, may be working together to require licensing and other new legalities for motorized bicycle users here in Indiana.

As currently written a motorized bicycle in Indiana is defined as a two or three wheeled vehicle with a motor of no more than 50cc, under two horsepower, an automatic transmission and a design top speed of no more than 25 MPH--fairly reasonable requirements. You must also be at least 15 years old to operate them and have either a State issued I. D. or driver's license, again not an unreasonable rule.

Unfortunately last year's high gas prices and increased motorized bicycle use has drawn attention from both legislators and ABATE of Indiana, who has said they would support licensing and further restrictions on motorized bicycle use.

What happened here is that motorcycle accidents are on the increase and legislators are talking about reinstating a helmet law for motorcyclists in Indiana. In an effort to keep this law off the books ABATE is willing to "throw motorized bicycles under the bus," figuratively speaking, and use them as a sacrificial lamb in this fight.

If you're as unhappy about this as I am I urge you to contact Mr. Jay Jackson, Executive Director of ABATE of Indiana, and let him know what you think about further restrictions and/or licensing of motorized bicycles in Indiana. He can be reached at [email protected].

Thanks for your help in keeping motorized bicycles on Indiana roads!!!

Tim W., a. k. a. Woodsrat"
 

stude13

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May 28, 2008
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north bend wa.
i wrote to the guy last night and had a reply by morning. his name is jay. he asked for further input. i think we ought to let him know how we feel. be civil but lay it on him, inumdate his e-mail from around the world. abate is nationwide and they stick together, we need to do the same. mitch
 
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Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
I used to belong to ABATE of Ohio, Chapter 13. I dropped my membership for those exact kind of things. They are a semi-powerful, very self important group.

I'm dropping him a line.
 

woodsrat

New Member
Dec 29, 2008
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Indianapolis, IN
THANK YOU Spunout for posting my message (and saving me time). I really appreciate it!!

We've got a long way to go. ABATE of Indiana has been a 500 lb. gorilla in the Indiana State Legislature for a long time. They have the respect of not only the lawmakers but the governor as well. I have supported them for the past 31 years despite not really fitting in as a stereotypical ABATE member (i. e., a "biker"--I'm just nuts about anything on two wheels). Their training program has done much to save lives here in Indiana but this time they're desperate to keep the lawmakers off their back regarding the increased accident rate in this state--and they want motorized bicycle users to take the fall for them.

PLEASE put the word out and keep the emails flowing!! He can also be reached next Monday, Jan. 5 at the ABATE State Office at (800)232-2283.
 

woodsrat

New Member
Dec 29, 2008
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Indianapolis, IN
Here's the reasoning :confused: behind the push for motorized bicycle registration/licensing in Indiana.

Sen. Ron Alting, State Senator from Logansport, IN is the legislator pushing for this legislation, according to the ABATE of Indiana Board of Director's meeting minutes from Oct. 18, 2008. Sen. Alting is pushing for this legislation as a result of a tragic accident Sept. 26, 2008. From the Pharos Tribune newspaper of Logansport, IN account of this accident a 59 year old man on a Honda Metropolitan 50 scooter (Indiana motorized-bicycle legal) was in the eastbound lane waiting to make a left turn into his driveway on U. S. 24, 7 miles west of Logansport when an eastbound dump truck came up on him and was unable to stop, swerving into the westbound lane. The dump truck clipped a westbound school bus causing it to flip onto it's side. The bus then slid into the path of another eastbound dump truck which hit the roof of the school bus, killing four special-needs children inside and seriously injuring the driver.

Based upon this common sense would say that had the Honda Metropolitan's rider had a motorcycle license or a license plate the outcome would have been no different. In fact, it probably wouldn't have made any difference if he been on a Harley-Davidson Road King. Although there was no information that I could find that gave the speed of the dump truck(s) again common sense and nearly everything we've all learned about traffic safety tells us to drive no faster than our vehicle can safely stop. Based upon the fact that neither driver could stop we can only guess that they were both driving faster than conditions would allow and the driver of the first dump truck was not paying attention to the road ahead else he would have seen the Honda in the road waiting to make the left turn.

Now--could someone please tell me how this accident relates to the need for registration/licensing for motorized bicycle users???

By the way, if you'd also like to send Sen. Alting an email there's a link at his web site. I tried to include it on this post but again it told me I have to become an active member of this forum before I can post links. Google "Indiana Sen. Ron Alting" and you'll see a link to email him on this page.

Sen. Ron Alting link........Senate Republicans: E-mail A Senator

Link to News article.....Pharos-Tribune - Routine trip turns to disaster
 
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woodsrat

New Member
Dec 29, 2008
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Indianapolis, IN
I obtained a copy of the accident report regarding this horrible crash. It stated that the rider of the Honda Metropolitan scooter was sitting in the eastbound lane waiting to make a left turn into his driveway. The dump truck driver came up on him and, being unable to stop, swerved to the left and clipped the special needs school bus, sending it on to it's side into the path of the second dump truck which hit it. The scooter rider was not given any blame in this crash and was lawfully being operated.

Could someone please tell me how this terrible accident somehow could have been prevented had the scooter had a license plate???
 

woodsrat

New Member
Dec 29, 2008
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Indianapolis, IN
Indiana House Bill 1030 was introduced by Rep. Wolkins that would do away with the 25 MPH top speed of motorized bicycles. No maximum speed was indicated in the bill.
 

reg454

New Member
Jan 11, 2009
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michigan
It does not have anything to do with the motor bike,it is just a way for the the county to get more money on registering vehicles because of the economy and to get the blame off of the dump truck. I'm sure when the court case comes up for the dump truck driver he will say that he could not see the person because their were no brake lights. The funny thing is that he was probable talking on the phone at the time of the accident.
 

woodsrat

New Member
Dec 29, 2008
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Indianapolis, IN
The "motorized bicycle" in this accident was an Indiana-legal Honda Metropolitan scooter which has DOT-approved lighting--the trucker won't be able to use any arguement about not seeing a brake light!
 

woodsrat

New Member
Dec 29, 2008
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Indianapolis, IN
HB 1616 was introduced by M. Smith and Tincher which would require you have a title, plates and insurance for motorized bicycle use after July 1, 2009. Since bicycles do not come with C of O's or titles this would require you to obtain a self-assembled vehicle title.

This is the one we've been afraid was coming. You folks in Indiana had better be contacting your elected officials.
 

Dave31

Active Member
Mar 1, 2008
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Aztlán, Arizona
The Wabash Plain Dealer Online

WPD: Laws apply to mopeds, scooters

By ROBERT BRYAN
Monday, March 23, 2009 9:50 PM EDT

With the coming of spring, area police are expecting mopeds and scooters to proliferate on the roadways.

Wabash police are reminding people that there are laws governing their use.

A moped or motorized bicycle is less than 2 horsepower and is manufactured not to exceed 25 mph. The operator must be at least 15, with a helmet and valid identification.

If it is manufactured to go over 25 mph on a flat surface and has a horsepower rating of at least 2, it is a scooter. Under Indiana law, scooters need to be registered, insured, and the operator is required to have a motorcycle endorsement on his or her license. Anyone on the scooter under the age of 18 must have a helmet.

Owners and users of these vehicles can contact a distributor or the manufacturer for the horsepower and speed rating. The laws are based on manufacturer's specification.

Every year, Chief Charles Smith said, many people feel they are on mopeds when in fact they are operating a scooter. If you are in an accident with a scooter and are not insured, chances are your driver's license will be suspended.

"As it is with any motor vehicle operated on the highways, you need to be aware of the laws that govern its use," he said.
 

Dave31

Active Member
Mar 1, 2008
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Aztlán, Arizona
Woman wants to change
mopeds rules


FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A local woman wants to change moped rules in Indiana.

Kara Post, 26, happened to be in a the wrong place at the wrong time as she drove home from work Monday morning.

As she drove eastbound on Glenwood Avenue, a moped, heading southbound on Carew Street, ran a yield sign and crashed into her.

"I did not see him at all," said Post. "I did not know what I hit, when I hit."

The man Post did not see is Jonathon Niswonger, 30. Post found him on the ground bleeding and called 911. He was taken to the hospital.

Post soon found out Niswonger did not have a license and his moped was un-insured. And when her car's damage was assessed, her insurance company found the estimated cost was not high enough to cover. Post either has to pay to get her car fixed herself, or drive it as is.

Under Indiana law, the moped didn't have to be insured or registered.

"That's decided by Indiana law which rates horsepower at the cylinder capacity," said Graig Lubsen, Deputy Director of the Indiana BMV Communications Department. "Generally if its under 50 cc's it doesn't need to be registered but it can be."

The costly situation is common in Fort Wayne. So far this year, the Fort Wayne Police Department has responded to 25 accidents involving a moped; 19 of those resulted in injuries. And police officials say, drivers of the small motorized bikes are often un-licensed and un-insured.

Post believes the law is unfair to people who wind up in situations like hers. "They need to be insured. They drive the streets just like vehicles," said Post. "I should not have to pay for somebody else's mistake."

The only way the law can be changed is through the legislative process. Post wants to get the ball rolling by calling her lawmakers.

See video.... Woman wants to change mopeds rules
 

Kevlarr

New Member
Jul 22, 2009
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I love how the media likes to hype this stuff "The costly situation is common" What a load of crap.
What's next, kid on a bike hits her car so bicyclists have to carry liability insurance. Kid is playing ball, ball goes into the road and damages her car so kids playing ball have to have liability insurance?

The motor on the guy's bike had nothing to do with the accident, his failure to yield did.

"And when her car's damage was assessed, her insurance company found the estimated cost was not high enough to cover."
So the damage was under a $500-$1000

She's probably just pissed because he's unemployed and broke so suing him for damages will get her nowhere so now she's got the "there aught to be a law" attitude.