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UW Police crack down on scooters

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Prompted by a number of complaints for riding on sidewalks, not stopping at stoplights and riding with a passenger, the University of Wisconsin Police Department is starting an education and enforcement effort aimed at motor scooters.

“There is no such thing as a two-seater moped,” said UW Police Officer Jean VanDenBogart.

VanDenBogart said Thursday the department had already issued 80 warnings by 12:45 in the afternoon for scooter violations.

Police are also warning riders who are passing other drivers on the right side of the street and are riding in bike lanes.

After the department received the constant flow of complaints about moped riders they started to work on the current warning phase of their effort. Next week officers will start to ticket, VanDenBogart said.

“We want to warn students we will be citing them in the future for violations,” VanDenBogart said.

A ticket for riding two to a scooter is $181. VanDenBogart explained moped riders are never allowed to ride on sidewalks, even if mopeds may be parked on sidewalks or near bike racks. Also, she said drivers must yield to pedestrians at both controlled and uncontrolled intersections.

Moped operators are also not allowed to pass other drivers on the right side of the street or ride in bike lanes, VanDenBogart said.

In addition, moped drivers must have all lamps and lights working properly, supplementing the maintenance of all the scooter’s equipment.

During the enforcement effort, officers will have pamphlets titled, “Mopeds and the law: what you need to know to be safe,” and will give them to drivers they warn.

A combination of not knowing proper scooter laws and not believing there will be consequences for violators has caused the large number of moped violations, VanDenBogart said.

Moped dealers do not have any requirement to educate buyers on safety or laws, she said, which may lead to students being unaware of the proper regulations.

Dennis Jones, assistant sales manager for the Engelhart Center — a Madison scooter dealer — said they do not provide students, who buy between 300 and 400 scooters every year, with any formal safety or legal education.

“We certainly answer any questions and go over controls and the owner’s manual, but it’s their responsibility to know the laws of the road,” Jones said.

Only a quarter of the students who buy a moped also buy a helmet, Jones said.

Some moped dealers, however, take a more proactive approach to customer safety and legal responsibility.

Jane Trumm, director of marketing for Vespa Madison, which opened last May, said 100 percent of their customers leave with a helmet and must test drive the moped before buying it. Also, customers learn how to ride safely at night and what clothes to wear. Trumm said they also recommend completing a motorcycle-training course at Madison Area Technical College.