Senate votes to ban mini motorcycles from streets, trails
Monday August 22, 2005

SACRAMENTO (AP) Miniature motorcycles known as pocket bikes would be barred from roads, sidewalks and public trails under a bill approved Monday by the state Senate.

The measure by Assemblyman John Benoit, R-Palm Desert, was approved 27-9 and returned to the Assembly for a vote on Senate amendments.

Pocket bikes are about 18 inches high and 4 feet long and can travel at speeds of more than 50 mph. They don't meet federal or state safety standards or air quality requirements, but there is no clear-cut law banning them from public roads, supporters of the Benoit bill said.

Law enforcement officers are using other laws, such as equipment and registration requirements, to cite drivers of the vehicles, but those tickets are often dismissed by courts, according to a Senate analysis of the bill.

Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Northridge, characterized the bill as a ban on dirt bikes, but Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-La Mesa, said the bill was narrowly drafted to affect only the smaller pocket bikes.

``It's very specific to ones that are not safe to be on public streets,'' he said.

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On the Net: Read the bill, AB1051, at www.senate.ca.gov

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

They don't meet federal or state safety standards or air quality requirements

Translation: They don't contribute to the revenue of the state-approved parts program.

Jackasses.. I think they're annoying, but damn it this is just silly.

Quoted: They don't meet federal or state safety standards or air quality requirements Translation: They don't contribute to the revenue of the state-approved parts program. Jackasses.. I think they're annoying, but damn it this is just silly.

Personally, I think it is good law, I almost ran over a kid one of those things coming around on a corner. Just because they are small the kids are pretty reckless, and zero ideas on safety.

Quoted: Personally, I think it is good law, I almost ran over a kid one of those things coming around on a corner. Just because they are small the kids are pretty reckless, and zero ideas on safety.

I agree. I am glad to know that such annoying toys would be banned from public roads and sidewalks.

Indeed, these kids (no matter little ones or older ones) are extremely reckless. I almost hit one at a blind corner. These pocket bikes are fun but need regulated.

Quoted: Quoted: Personally, I think it is good law, I almost ran over a kid one of those things coming around on a corner. Just because they are small the kids are pretty reckless, and zero ideas on safety. I agree. I am glad to know that such annoying toys would be banned from public roads and sidewalks. Indeed, these kids (no matter little ones or older ones) are extremely reckless. I almost hit one at a blind corner. These pocket bikes are fun but need regulated.

 They were already illegal based on a number of different things. Instead of creating more assinine legislation, they should figure out how to keep the charges of unregistered vehicles and improper equipment from getting tossed out of court. Instead, they decided to just heap more crap into the lawbooks.

  There are racing leagues for these, both for grownups, and children. They set up courses in parking lots, some of which may be public property. I hope they at least worded the law so as to not affect these racing series. But it is the government, so I won't expect too much from them.

 I'm not into these myself, but I know some people who like them, and I've even seen these "reckless kids" ride it down their street. The "reckless kids" I know that own them, are 30-70 years old, employed, insured, and have been riding full size motorcycles for years. They are very aware of traffic around them on a bike, the only thing that is different is the bike got a little smaller.

 But we might as well ban these things for everyone, since a few people can't seem to figure out how to behave responsibly with these things.

+1

Zapp: Wait until you run down one of those things, and they reflect on your DMV record. I don't like govt regs anymore than anybody else on this board, but when those things are tearing up and down a residential street doing more that 40+MPH, and come around a blind corner, that's my limit.

With the auto insurance companies looking for any little excuse to raise rates.....

Quoted: Zapp: Wait until you run down one of those things, and they reflect on your DMV record. I don't like govt regs anymore than anybody else on this board, but when those things are tearing up and down a residential street doing more that 40+MPH, and come around a blind corner, that's my limit.

 Why would it reflect on your DMV record any more than anything else you can run down? If they are tearing up and down a residential street doing more than 40mph, they are probably already in violation of a few laws, including speeding.

 Like I said, the guys I know that own them, have years(decades in many cases) of riding experience, and know how to keep in their lane. If you hit one of them, odds are it's your fault for talking on the cell phone/eating/applying makeup/playing video games/ or whatever else people do instead of paying attention to the road.

If some 6 year old kid gets whacked because daddy bought him a new toy, and didn't supervise him playing with it, thats a sad story. But it'd be equally sad if the kid was driving a car, or playing with a loaded gun. But for guns and cars, instead of just banning them outright, there are laws regarding their use by minors. An adult not supervising their kid on a new toy like that should be considered criminally negligent. That little 6 year old will die just as quick if he is on a pedal bike and pops out in front of you in a blind corner.

Quoted: With the auto insurance companies looking for any little excuse to raise rates.....

 If you are ruled not at fault, then wouldn't it fall under uninsured motorist(assuming the bike isn't insured)? Plenty of people get hit by uninsured motorists every year. There are already laws against operating vehicles without insurance.

 If they are outside of their lane in a blind corner and you run them down, it'd be a bit less body work to have to get done than if you hit a reckless rider on a full size bike, right? And if they are in their lane, well, you shouldn't hit them going around a blind corner, or else you are the reckless/ inattentive driver who needs to be banned, not them.

 

I am really surprised at the reactions to these little bikes by many, especially on this forum and more so in this Hometown. Some are so easily calling for an outright ban of these bikes because they are considered a nuisance and dangerous to both adults and kids. Banning the bikes instead of addressing the real problem or using existing laws is oversimplifying the problem. Remember that it only took a few instances, most notably the Stockton elementary schoolyard shooting that led to the outright ban of "Assault Weapons" for all law abiding citizens of the State of California. The Legislature did not just target badguys who used the rifles illegally, but instead decided that the guns were inherently bad, a nuisance, and dangerous to both adults and kids. Be careful what you wish for because you may get it but in more areas than what actually makes sense for everyone. While the rest of the country is back to more sensible gun laws after the AWB sunset, we in California are denied these same weapons because someone felt that they should be banned for the public good because of a few idiots who misused them. Many  here on this forum, including myself, already own our registered "Assault weapons" and can continue enjoying our freedom to participate in an activity that we enjoy. Trust me, just because I have my rifles does not make me feel any better that you cannot have yours simply because someone felt that they should be banned for everyone.

By the way, I don't like these little bikes or for that matter, the motorized scooters with their loud 2 stroke engines which fly down my quite residential neighborhood street any more than anyone else. I am simply not going to support an outright ban to deny those who own and use them responsibly.

I had a problem with 4 kids on my block that were tearing around my corner on the street and on the sidewalk.  These "kids" were 16-21 in age.  They were always yelling obscenities on the street and basically acting like 12 year old fools.  All this stopped when I went and had a talk with them.  Basically, it went like this:

"I own the house on the corner, my Sister owns the house next door and she has kids.  If you come hauling ass around that corner and happen to hit one of my Nephews, or my Niece you won't have to worry about the police report, it'll be right to the funeral parlor.  If this continues I will call the police and hand over the surveillance video I have of you all tearing around on the sidewalk.  If you stop, We're all cool and there's no need to call the cops."

Now they putt by, wave and sometimes stop by and say hello when I'm washing one of the cars.

I didn't think that the conversation would work, but to my surprise, it did.  Most people in my area just start dialing the police for something as small as kids screwing around....


Oh, I know that there are kids out there that need their heads busted in order to learn too, so I don't expect a talking to always work... in that case, get a big tub of Crisco and grease down the "inside lane" of the turn they like to tear around. :)

Quoted: I am really surprised at the reactions to these little bikes by many, especially on this forum and more so in this Hometown. Some are so easily calling for an outright ban of these bikes because they are considered a nuisance and dangerous to both adults and kids. Banning the bikes instead of addressing the real problem or using existing laws is oversimplifying the problem. Remember that it only took a few instances, most notably the Stockton elementary schoolyard shooting that led to the outright ban of "Assault Weapons" for all law abiding citizens of the State of California. The Legislature did not just target badguys who used the rifles illegally, but instead decided that the guns were inherently bad, a nuisance, and dangerous to both adults and kids. Be careful what you wish for because you may get it but in more areas than what actually makes sense for everyone. While the rest of the country is back to more sensible gun laws after the AWB sunset, we in California are denied these same weapons because someone felt that they should be banned for the public good because of a few idiots who misused them. Many  here on this forum, including myself, already own our registered "Assault weapons" and can continue enjoying our freedom to participate in an activity that we enjoy. Trust me, just because I have my rifles does not make me feel any better that you cannot have yours simply because someone felt that they should be banned for everyone.

I see nothing wrong with these bikes, the problem is the irresponsible behavior. IE cutting corners too sharp/wide and ending up in my lane, speeding. Would you wait until one of those people injures a loved one?

For me the noise of these things irritate me. Now where did you say you live so that I can refer these people to your neighborhood?

Quoted: I am really surprised at the reactions to these little bikes by many, especially on this forum and more so in this Hometown. Some are so easily calling for an outright ban of these bikes because they are considered a nuisance and dangerous to both adults and kids. Banning the bikes instead of addressing the real problem or using existing laws is oversimplifying the problem. Remember that it only took a few instances, most notably the Stockton elementary schoolyard shooting that led to the outright ban of "Assault Weapons" for all law abiding citizens of the State of California. The Legislature did not just target badguys who used the rifles illegally, but instead decided that the guns were inherently bad, a nuisance, and dangerous to both adults and kids. Be careful what you wish for because you may get it but in more areas than what actually makes sense for everyone. While the rest of the country is back to more sensible gun laws after the AWB sunset, we in California are denied these same weapons because someone felt that they should be banned for the public good because of a few idiots who misused them. Many  here on this forum, including myself, already own our registered "Assault weapons" and can continue enjoying our freedom to participate in an activity that we enjoy. Trust me, just because I have my rifles does not make me feel any better that you cannot have yours simply because someone felt that they should be banned for everyone.

+1

I'm really shocked too.

I agree with everything you said. It's the kids/adults behind these things that are acting irresponsible.

Quoted: <snip> I am simply not going to support an outright ban to deny those who own and use them responsibly. </snip>

+2000

Well said.

They're already banned from public roads.  I'd like to see the LEOs enforce that aggressively.  I've seen a lot of underage kids with no helmets riding around on them in the suburbs, oblivious to traffic laws and the danger posed by other vehicles.

Quoted: Quoted: I am really surprised at the reactions to these little bikes by many, especially on this forum and more so in this Hometown. Some are so easily calling for an outright ban of these bikes because they are considered a nuisance and dangerous to both adults and kids. Banning the bikes instead of addressing the real problem or using existing laws is oversimplifying the problem. Remember that it only took a few instances, most notably the Stockton elementary schoolyard shooting that led to the outright ban of "Assault Weapons" for all law abiding citizens of the State of California. The Legislature did not just target badguys who used the rifles illegally, but instead decided that the guns were inherently bad, a nuisance, and dangerous to both adults and kids. Be careful what you wish for because you may get it but in more areas than what actually makes sense for everyone. While the rest of the country is back to more sensible gun laws after the AWB sunset, we in California are denied these same weapons because someone felt that they should be banned for the public good because of a few idiots who misused them. Many  here on this forum, including myself, already own our registered "Assault weapons" and can continue enjoying our freedom to participate in an activity that we enjoy. Trust me, just because I have my rifles does not make me feel any better that you cannot have yours simply because someone felt that they should be banned for everyone. I see nothing wrong with these bikes, the problem is the irresponsible behavior. IE cutting corners too sharp/wide and ending up in my lane, speeding. Would you wait until one of those people injures a loved one? For me the noise of these things irritate me. Now where did you say you live so that I can refer these people to your neighborhood?

No need to send them my way as they are already here. My point is that as already mentioned, there are existing laws which make it illegal to ride these things on public streets, by kids not old enough to drive. I'm not saying that we have to accept this behavior from these kids or their parents for allowing them to break the law. A ban on them however is not the answer as it affects those who own and use these bikes legally and responsibly. Using your analogy, "Would you wait until one of those people injures a loved one?"  That is why it was a good thing that "Assault weapons" were banned in this state, right? Because sooner or later some idiot is going to do something stupid with one again and hurt someone's loved one so let's get rid of them all. You hit the nail on the head when you said that you didn't see anything wrong with the bikes but instead it was the behavior. My point is that we need to focus on the behavior of the bad people and not ban an object like a bike, or a rifle, because of how someone will use these inanimate objects. Remember our mantra? "Guns don't kill people, people kill people". Well, little bikes don't rip through our neighborhoods, people rip through our neighborhoods. Fix the people, fix the problem.

Quoted: They're already banned from public roads.  I'd like to see the LEOs enforce that aggressively at all.  I've seen a lot of underage kids with no helmets riding around on them in the suburbs, oblivious to traffic laws and the danger posed by other vehicles.

  Cops in my town won't do a damn thing about these bikes.  I guess we will have to wait untill someone gets killed for the cops to do their job.