Stand-up motorized
scooters face ban
The City Council is one step closer to putting the brakes on stand-up motorized scooters on public streets and sidewalks.
The bill restricting gasoline-powered devices is headed for a final Council vote on June 4.
"We're dealing with the primary concern, that is, with these motorized scooters that pose a hazard on our streets and sidewalks as well as noise concerns," said Transportation Chairman Nestor Garcia, whose committee passed the measure yesterday.
The bill exempts a motorized device used by someone with a disability.
But there was concern that the bill does not go far enough.
"We notice that the electric engine-powered devices are not covered. This is a great concern to us," police Capt. Jose Gayatan told the committee yesterday.
Gayatan also said that if the bill goes through, "we will be back in the same position, namely, there'll be the electric devices that won't be covered by ... any law, and again we'll be in the dilemma of what we are going to do about it when children driving on the sidewalks and children driving on the roadways, there won't be any section or any enforcement action that we can take."
City Transportation Director Cheryl Soon asked the committee to take a little more time to work on the measure. "I think the current version leaves too many ambiguities, and you will end up revisiting it too many times."
Garcia said the bill targets scooters powered by combustion engines because that is what people have been complaining about. "We can do the electrical later if there is a concern."
The Legislature approved a bill this past session that allows the high-tech scooter Segway Human Transporter on sidewalks and bike paths.
Garcia said the Council waited to see what happened at the Legislature before proceeding with the motorized-scooter bill. The Council could still decide to regulate the Segway device if the governor vetoes Senate Bill 1051, CD1, he said. "We'll wait to see what she does."
City & County of Honolulu
