In a Voice of the People published in Wednesday’s edition of the Chesterton Tribune, John Hayduk raised an excellent point about scooter operators, now that that mode of transportation is becoming increasingly popular among teens and those trying to beat the spiking cost of gasoline.

Know the law.

“Parents, you seriously should make sure the scooter-driver in your family knows the rules of the road,” Hayduk wrote. “Police officers, you seriously should stop these reckless young drivers.”

Indiana Code is abundantly clear, and surprisingly concise, about the use of scooters, or “motorized bicycles” as IC refers to them.

A motorized bicycle—any device 50 cc or under—may not be operated under any of the following conditions, according to IC 9-21-11-12:

•By a person younger than 15 years of age.

•By a person who has not obtained an identification card, permit, operator’s license, chauffeur’s license, or public passenger chauffeur’s license under IC 9-24.

•On an interstate highway or a sidewalk.

•At a speed greater than 25 miles per hour.

In short, if you’re 14, if you’re at least 15 but have not obtained an ID card or a permit, if you’re driving your scooter on I-94 or on a sidewalk, or if you’re driving it at 26 mph or faster, you’re in violation of state law.

There’s more, though. A person younger than 18 who is otherwise legally operating a scooter must wear protective headgear or a helmet and protective glasses, goggles, or a transparent face shield.

Violators commit a Class C infraction and are subject to a citation.

Chesterton Police Chief George Nelson noted a few other things. The CPD has no authority—as Hayduk also suggested in his Voice of the People—to confiscate the scooters of teens or anyone else found in violation. An officer may impound a scooter but must then notify the teen’s parents and give them the opportunity to retrieve the machine.

The CPD does have full statutory authority to issue a citation to a person younger than 15 found operating a scooter but is not required under state law to notify that person’s parents. “We’ve notified parents in the past,” Nelson said. “We’ve tried to. It’s not very effective. When we’ve done it, we’ve more often than not gotten heat from the parents.”

Nelson did note that any scooter in excess of 50 cc must be properly licensed.

For the record, bicyclists—just as much as motor-bicyclists—must observe the same laws as the operators of motor vehicles must do.

“There’s some misconception about bicyclists,” Nelson observed. “If a bike is on the road, the bicyclist must follow the same rules as a driver. You’ve got to stop at stop signs, hand-signal turns, yield to other traffic.”

Samples from state law on bicycles:

•Bicyclists may not ride more than two abreast on a public right-of-way except on path or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.

•A person who rides a bicycle may not carry any item which prevents that person from keeping both hands on the handlebars.

•Bicycles must be equipped with a bell or other device—but not a siren or whistle—capable of giving a signal audible for at least 100 feet.

•A bicycle operated from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise must be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from at least 500 feet to the front, and with a lamp on the rear exhibiting a red light, or otherwise a red reflector, visible from at least 500 feet to the rear.

Posted 8/1/2008