An Alert for Indiana!

GoldenMotor.com

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
26
36
Indianapolis
Alert for Indiana!

House Bill 1343 was signed 3/28/14 and will take effect 1/1/15. I work in the City County government and word reached me. I have copied-and-pasted the text of this new motor-vehicle law from this site:
http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2014/bills/house/1343/#
Here is the text of HB 1343:
"Motor driven cycles. Repeals obsolete provisions concerning an interim study of motorized bicycles. Defines "Class A motor driven cycle", "Class B motor driven cycle", and "motor driven cycle". Repeals the definitions of "motor scooter" and "motorized bicycle". Provides that the county motor vehicle excise surtax and the motor vehicle excise tax apply to motor driven cycles. Requires that motor driven cycles must be registered with the bureau of motor vehicles. Excludes motor driven cycles from titling requirements. Requires that a license plate must be displayed on a motor driven cycle. Provides that certain equipment requirements and traffic regulations apply to motor driven cycles. Requires an individual who operates a Class A motor driven cycle to hold a valid driver's license with a motorcycle endorsement or a motorcycle endorsement with a Class A motor driven cycle restriction and to provide proof of financial responsibility. Requires an individual who operates a Class B motor driven cycle to hold an unexpired identification card with a Class B motor driven cycle endorsement or a valid driver's license. Provides that a motor driven cycle may not be operated on an interstate highway. Provides that the operation of a Class B motor driven cycle may be a defense to certain motor vehicle offenses. Excludes motor driven cycles from: (1) the definition of "motorized cart" for purposes of certain natural resource laws; and (2) certain motor vehicle protection laws. Makes technical corrections. Reconciles a conflict with HEA 1006-2013 and other criminal law bills enacted in the 2013 legislative session."

Basically, in Indiana as of 1/1/15, any two wheeled vehicle with a motor riding on public roads will require a license plate, insurance coverage or proof of financial responsibility, and the rider must have a valid license with a motorcycle endorsement. I'm going to have a bit of work to do to remain legal. Consider this a long-range heads-up.
 

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
26
36
Indianapolis
House Bill 1343 was signed 3/28/14 and will take effect 1/1/15. I work in the City County government and word reached me. I have copied-and-pasted the text of this new motor-vehicle law from this site:
http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2014/bills/house/1343/#
Here is the text of HB 1343:
"Motor driven cycles. Repeals obsolete provisions concerning an interim study of motorized bicycles. Defines "Class A motor driven cycle", "Class B motor driven cycle", and "motor driven cycle". Repeals the definitions of "motor scooter" and "motorized bicycle". Provides that the county motor vehicle excise surtax and the motor vehicle excise tax apply to motor driven cycles. Requires that motor driven cycles must be registered with the bureau of motor vehicles. Excludes motor driven cycles from titling requirements. Requires that a license plate must be displayed on a motor driven cycle. Provides that certain equipment requirements and traffic regulations apply to motor driven cycles. Requires an individual who operates a Class A motor driven cycle to hold a valid driver's license with a motorcycle endorsement or a motorcycle endorsement with a Class A motor driven cycle restriction and to provide proof of financial responsibility. Requires an individual who operates a Class B motor driven cycle to hold an unexpired identification card with a Class B motor driven cycle endorsement or a valid driver's license. Provides that a motor driven cycle may not be operated on an interstate highway. Provides that the operation of a Class B motor driven cycle may be a defense to certain motor vehicle offenses. Excludes motor driven cycles from: (1) the definition of "motorized cart" for purposes of certain natural resource laws; and (2) certain motor vehicle protection laws. Makes technical corrections. Reconciles a conflict with HEA 1006-2013 and other criminal law bills enacted in the 2013 legislative session."

Basically, in Indiana as of 1/1/15, any two wheeled vehicle with a motor riding on public roads will require a license plate, insurance coverage or proof of financial responsibility, and the rider must have a valid license with a motorcycle endorsement. I'm going to have a bit of work to do to remain legal. Consider this a long-range heads-up.
 

Desert Rat

New Member
Jul 30, 2012
565
9
0
Apache Junctoin Az
Basically, in Indiana as of 1/1/15, any two wheeled vehicle with a motor riding on public roads will require a license plate, insurance coverage or proof of financial responsibility, and the rider must have a valid license with a motorcycle endorsement. I'm going to have a bit of work to do to remain legal. Consider this a long-range heads-up.
Typical government vampires, gotta get that last drop of blood from hard working citizens!
 

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
26
36
Indianapolis
UPDATE: It looks like we have "Class A" motor driven cycles (50cc and up) and Class "B" (49cc and smaller). I think mine would be Class B, which means no insurance obligation or special motorcycle endorsement, but I'd still need to plate it.
In Indiana we have a lot of minimum-wage commuters who have to work where the buses don't go, and college student who can't afford anything else either. This will hurt them. But, working in the courts, I can also say that we have far too many reckless drivers who've lost their license for life, yet bought a 49cc scooter and continue to cause accidents. This bill was put forth with the good intentions of making our streets safer. Even I don't like to drive in-town right now the way things are. I take a bus much of the time, especially to work. And I own a van.
 

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
26
36
Indianapolis
Oh no, wish you guys luck veto'ing it.
Too late to veto it. It was signed into law 3/28/14 and takes effect 1/1/15. It's not so bad really. For ten bucks I can plate my bike. Being a Class "B" motor driven cycle, I found I may not actually need insurance, but I'm sure the company that covers me & my van would extend coverage to my bike. I've told them all about it before. They don't foresee a problem. It'll be a pain at first, getting past all the bureaucratic busy-work, but then I should be okay. I've got till 2015 to learn more and plan.
Those of you in Indiana, please research this yourselves and know it well. The bit that I've posted is not the whole story. You will be glad you did some digging and learned it inside and out. Trust me on this.
 

Nashville Kat

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2009
1,501
55
48
Jacksonville, Florida
Typical retro thinking if you ask me-

The gang will blame the government-
I blame the "rule" of big business oil money

that always prefers to hamper the lower classes with an unspoken and denied
constant excuse that it somehow makes them labor more or levarage them into the military

uncorupted other places can begin to live better and actually more freer-

simply because they still have a spirit of cooperation and building a better place

while we dangle to the same old tired tunes the political correctness no longer lets us even discuss.

I was flooded out of Indiana - my home state a few years back- but I made a mistake ever going back there
because it is extremely hostile and abusive toward me

My degree in education from Indiana University means nothing when I have the opinions I've just expressed, but even still secondary to my gender identity.

watching a PBS special about it right now and thinking how absurd it was finally that they were always trying to teach the teacher "something"- and with a stick.
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Yeah the Government always paints with a broad brush, and its always said to be for the safety of the people.... horse pucky.!

Its about $$$$'s & CONTROL........ plain and simple.

This was once a free country, but now we're free to pay an illegal income tax, free to pay property tax, free to pay tax tax tax...etc...

free to get a license or permit for almost every single thing we do.... yeah we're better off than a lot of other countries in some ways but we aren't as much better off as many people think and its gonna just get worse, I dont blame it on big oil..... and some of those other lib talking points because without "big oil" we would be a third world country, but as with anything that include massive amounts of money there is corruption always involved somewhere, its just the nature of fallen mankind and will always be throughout this age and time.

Wisdom says that if someone is dangerous on the road ways, then deal with the dangerous ones and keep them off the road way, but instead what does government do..? lets punish everyone for what the few are doing... this logic in my thinking is like a school teacher seeing one student talking in class and then after class keeping the entire class over for a whooping with the paddle, because after all it wouldn't be fair to just punish the one who had actually committed the offense, laws are good and we need them, but city, state and especially federal government has way over stepped their bounds in many areas in this country and I think more and more the people are gonna get sick and tired of it, just wait until the buyers remorse kicks in with the socialist government "health care program" what an obamanation....! yeah I know this may be to political for some and I don't mean to offend, but I love my country and it just sickens me to see what it is becoming, $17 trillion in debt, sending our young people all over the world to die for no good reason in many cases, taxing the people plum to death, and sending billions to other countries while we have so many hungry and needy people right here that need help and all the government can seem to do is come up with new taxes and regulations to make the poor peoples lives even harder, while they continue to support our enemies overseas with the money they take from the poor and sometimes fairly helpless here... its all screwed up and hitting decent people who use a motorized bicycle with tax and regulation just ticks me off.... low income people figure out a way to add some pleasure and cheap transportation to their lives and here comes government to screw it up and make things harder for them in the name of safety because after all government knows what is best for all of us because we're a bunch of brain dead idiots that couldn't make it without their oversight and direction..... well.... they can suck my machine gun!

Sorry.........! I'm done now...

Peace, Map
.wee.
 

lucajo16

Member
Dec 12, 2013
100
2
16
cincinnati, ohio
Its the same way in ohio. If its under 50CC you need a license to drive one and if its over 50CC its a motorcycle period! I Don't argue with the government as long as I am allowed to enjoy the things I want. >.>
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Hope Texas stays the way it is.... if it has pedals and it cant take off under it own power its still a bicycle and seen as a bicycle.... as far as Im concerned that is the way it should be everywhere.

Map
.wee.
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
At least there is a way to make your bike legal. A worse situation, it seems to me, is where you just don't know where you stand and with no clear path to being in compliance with fuzzy motor vehicle laws up for interpretation... in other words being a kind of limbo state where you feel like some sort of outlaw subject to the whims of local law enforcement. I'd rather jump through some hoops or pay for a plate and know that I had some guaranteed rights to ride my motored bikes. And when you invest a lot of time and money in a build, you really do not want to see it confiscated simply because you are riding it. No problem here with sensible safety regulations and abiding by rules of the road. The worst situation is outright banning of home made motor bikes. Those are my thoughts anyway.
SB
 

allen standley

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2011
1,126
238
63
Bangor, Maine
No need to be sorry bout your outburst Map. Many Many people feel the same way as you---The question is when will it stop. How much can the working man tolerate? We are waiting for the straw that breaks the camels back. Maybe soon ---maybe 50 years. An alert for Indiana is an alert for all of us really.
 

Tyler6357

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2012
1,293
294
83
Santa Barbara, CA
Yeah the Government always paints with a broad brush, and its always said to be for the safety of the people.... horse pucky.!

Its about $$$$'s & CONTROL........ plain and simple.

This was once a free country, but now we're free to pay an illegal income tax, free to pay property tax, free to pay tax tax tax...etc...

free to get a license or permit for almost every single thing we do.... yeah we're better off than a lot of other countries in some ways but we aren't as much better off as many people think and its gonna just get worse, I dont blame it on big oil..... and some of those other lib talking points because without "big oil" we would be a third world country, but as with anything that include massive amounts of money there is corruption always involved somewhere, its just the nature of fallen mankind and will always be throughout this age and time.

Wisdom says that if someone is dangerous on the road ways, then deal with the dangerous ones and keep them off the road way, but instead what does government do..? lets punish everyone for what the few are doing... this logic in my thinking is like a school teacher seeing one student talking in class and then after class keeping the entire class over for a whooping with the paddle, because after all it wouldn't be fair to just punish the one who had actually committed the offense, laws are good and we need them, but city, state and especially federal government has way over stepped their bounds in many areas in this country and I think more and more the people are gonna get sick and tired of it, just wait until the buyers remorse kicks in with the socialist government "health care program" what an obamanation....! yeah I know this may be to political for some and I don't mean to offend, but I love my country and it just sickens me to see what it is becoming, $17 trillion in debt, sending our young people all over the world to die for no good reason in many cases, taxing the people plum to death, and sending billions to other countries while we have so many hungry and needy people right here that need help and all the government can seem to do is come up with new taxes and regulations to make the poor peoples lives even harder, while they continue to support our enemies overseas with the money they take from the poor and sometimes fairly helpless here... its all screwed up and hitting decent people who use a motorized bicycle with tax and regulation just ticks me off.... low income people figure out a way to add some pleasure and cheap transportation to their lives and here comes government to screw it up and make things harder for them in the name of safety because after all government knows what is best for all of us because we're a bunch of brain dead idiots that couldn't make it without their oversight and direction..... well.... they can suck my machine gun!

Sorry.........! I'm done now...

Peace, Map
.wee.
Right-on map, well said!!
usflg