Associated Press
OLYMPIA — Thinking of buying one of those cute little motorized scooters for the holidays? Well, they’re basically illegal in Washington state.
After receiving dozens of calls from cities and the public about the trendy toy, the Washington State Patrol is answering questions about whether scooters with motors are street-legal.
"The short answer is no," said Trooper Tom Foster.
Under state law, a motorized scooter is a vehicle. But it can’t be licensed, because it doesn’t meet safety requirements. So if you scoot on the street, you could be cited and fined for operating an unregistered vehicle.
Meanwhile, it’s illegal to operate a vehicle on a sidewalk.
The statewide fine in both cases is $71, although it could be more in some cities, Foster said.
You can’t even take the scooter off-road, legally. It meets none of the requirements for an Off Road Vehicle registration.
It’s still legal to buy and sell the scooters. But technically, the only place you’re allowed to drive one is on your own property.
"If you want to buy one and drive it on your driveway, more power to you," Foster said. "People just need to get the facts."
The old-fashioned, kick-powered scooters are still okay.
Copyright ©2000 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Talk to us
- You can tell us about news and ask us about our journalism by emailing newstips@heraldnet.com or by calling 425-339-3428.
- If you have an opinion you wish to share for publication, send a letter to the editor to letters@heraldnet.com or by regular mail to The Daily Herald, Letters, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.
- More contact information is here.