I was on my way to the Pimmit Hills 7-11 this evening, and twice I saw these guys zipping around the neighborhood streets on those mini-motorcycles (aka "pocket bikes").

It was getting sorta dark, and they're so low to the ground, they're actually very hard to see. If it weren't for the loud engine on those things, you might not even see one coming until it's too late (for them). It seems pretty dangerous and looks totally ridiculous. Are these things legal to drive on the street?? In fact I can hear one right now off in the distance as I'm typing this, I hope this ain't some kind of "new fad".

PS--> Here's what they look like. They actually do look like they'd be fun to drive, but not at night on busy, narrow side streets. Sooner or later somebody's gonna get clipped.
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theve been around as a new fad for at least 6 months. Yes I hate them. You can run them over and it will be their fault, but I am sure that they will get off on a technicality and you will get your license revoked.

Well that one posted doesn't look legal. No turn signals etc... The bike would need full registration and a license plate to use the road.

While I'm at it, Mopeds are also not legal to drive on the street using the engine without full registration.

July 7, 2006

You may have seen those mini-motorcycles zipping through the streets of Charlottesville in recent months. New laws say they won't be in traffic anymore.

Legislations all around the country have been trying to deal with this "pocket bike" craze for years. Virginia has taken the step to take these bikes completely off the streets.

"A lot of folks are getting hurt on these little conveyances. A lot cars are calling up and complaining that they didn't even see the person," said Sgt. Mike Farruggio.

A pocket bike or pocket rocket is a motorcycle designed for children or teenagers. Now, these bikes are illegal on the streets of the Commonwealth thanks to the new legislation.

"They were concerned about the safety--being able to be seen on that sort of thing. They were wanting to know how to relegate that," said Dave Munn with Moto Virginia.

The law was designed to target low riding motorcycles and not mopeds like this Vespa. The idea, get those low riding bikes off the streets and keep everybody safe.

"They are just a danger and an accident waiting to happen. We've already had some very serious accidents as history will show us in Charlottesville," Farruggio said.

That history includes the death of a 9-year-old girl in January of 2005. To be considered a moped and be legal for the streets, the new laws require the seat be at least 24 inches high and the motor be no more than 50 CC's. Munn says even though the pocket bikes are banned on the roads, they still have there place in culture.

"The pocket rockets are meant for riding in a parking lot somewhere on the weekends and having fun and not for transportation," he said.

A 50 CC engine will reach top speeds of 35 to 40 miles per hour. Any engine larger than that, reaching speeds higher than that will be considered a motorcycle and require a license, registration and VIN number. Charlottesville police say they will be issuing warnings and tickets for violations in the near future.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2007 09:41PM by ferfux.

"While I'm at it, Mopeds are also not legal to drive on the street using the engine without full registration."

Seriously? Where's that in the code?

KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
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> theve been around as a new fad for at least 6
> months.


New Fad?!?!?! what rock are you hidin under? These things have been around for over 15 yrs now!

ferfux Wrote:
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> July 7, 2006
>
> You may have seen those mini-motorcycles zipping
> through the streets of Charlottesville in recent
> months. New laws say they won't be in traffic
> anymore.
>
> Legislations all around the country have been
> trying to deal with this "pocket bike" craze for
> years. Virginia has taken the step to take these
> bikes completely off the streets.
>
> "A lot of folks are getting hurt on these little
> conveyances. A lot cars are calling up and
> complaining that they didn't even see the person,"
> said Sgt. Mike Farruggio.
>
> A pocket bike or pocket rocket is a motorcycle
> designed for children or teenagers. Now, these
> bikes are illegal on the streets of the
> Commonwealth thanks to the new legislation.
>
> "They were concerned about the safety--being able
> to be seen on that sort of thing. They were
> wanting to know how to relegate that," said Dave
> Munn with Moto Virginia.
>
> The law was designed to target low riding
> motorcycles and not mopeds like this Vespa. The
> idea, get those low riding bikes off the streets
> and keep everybody safe.
>
> "They are just a danger and an accident waiting to
> happen. We've already had some very serious
> accidents as history will show us in
> Charlottesville," Farruggio said.
>
> That history includes the death of a 9-year-old
> girl in January of 2005. To be considered a moped
> and be legal for the streets, the new laws require
> the seat be at least 24 inches high and the motor
> be no more than 50 CC's. Munn says even though the
> pocket bikes are banned on the roads, they still
> have there place in culture.
>
> "The pocket rockets are meant for riding in a
> parking lot somewhere on the weekends and having
> fun and not for transportation," he said.
>
> A 50 CC engine will reach top speeds of 35 to 40
> miles per hour. Any engine larger than that,
> reaching speeds higher than that will be
> considered a motorcycle and require a license,
> registration and VIN number. Charlottesville
> police say they will be issuing warnings and
> tickets for violations in the near future.

There are laws already on the books to take care of them, so typical of Va. same thing happens with gun laws, make more!!! The last paragraph has been on the law books for I dont know HOW many years already.

The debate on pocket bikes has been going on for a long time, but has been defined with law changes that have occurred over the last year. Pocket bikes (motor-driven cycle) can not be driven on the highway because they are not considered motor vehicles. They fall under the driving go-carts, golf carts, etc. on a road which is illegal (with certain exemption). Mopeds can be driven without a license or registration as long as they meet the statutory definition below. You can be arrested for DWI on a moped. If your moped is beefed up with a larger motor, than you are driving a motorcycle, and everything that applies on a motorcycle applies to you and your moped. Finally, Fairfax County Code requires the use of helmet and eye protection on mopeds.

§ 46.2-100. Definitions.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-100

"Moped" means every vehicle that travels on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground that has (i) a seat that is no less than 24 inches in height, measured from the middle of the seat perpendicular to the ground and (ii) a gasoline, electric, or hybrid motor that displaces less than 50 cubic centimeters. For purposes of Chapter 8 (§ 46.2-800 et seq.) of this title, a moped shall be a vehicle while operated on a highway.

"Motor-driven cycle" means every motorcycle that has a gasoline engine that (i) displaces less than 150 cubic centimeters; (ii) has a seat less than 24 inches in height, measured from the middle of the seat perpendicular to the ground; and (iii) has no manufacturer-issued vehicle identification number.

"Motorcycle" means every motor vehicle designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground and is capable of traveling at speeds in excess of 35 miles per hour. The term "motorcycle" does not include any "electric personal assistive mobility device," "electric power-assisted bicycle," "farm tractor," "golf cart," "moped," "motorized skateboard or scooter," "utility vehicle" or "wheelchair or wheelchair conveyance" as defined in this section.

A piano wire stretched across the street knee-high would end the pocket bike debate.

Pocket bike = good speed bump

pocket bike + mexican 10 pts
pocket bike + asian 8 pts
pocket bike + teenager 6 pts

I ride a pocket bike.
PS. You are exquisitely aggravating.

Thank GOD you revived an EIGHT-YEAR-OLD thread...

Crypt Keeper Wrote:
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> Thank GOD you revived an EIGHT-YEAR-OLD thread...

Its what kids do... the best part of him probably ran down the inside of his moms thigh 9 years ago...