Accidents Cause City Council to Look at Injury Claim Laws

By BILL RICHMOND, City editor
Published: Friday, June 11, 2010 11:36 AM EDT
Winchester City Council Monday evening got its first look at a proposed new law to regulate the use of scooters, mopeds and "pocket bikes" on city streets. Several council members said they would like to read through the sample ordinance, based on a law now in effect in Richmond, before acting on it.

"The mayor brought this to my attention," said Winchester Police Chief Mike Burk. "He said it should be regulated. We've had two personal injury accidents involving scooters in the past week. We need to regulate them and be sure these vehicles are safe for users as well as for pedestrians and other motorists."

Burk said the proposed ordinance would require moped and scooter operators to abide by many of the same traffic laws a passenger vehicle must follow.

It would require a simple registration process to be completed at the police department. The purpose of this process is make sure each vehicle is mechanically sound. Owners will be given a registration plate or sticker on completion of this inspection.

Burk said the exception to this rule is pocket bikes which are not legal on the streets.

"We're still working on conducting registration/training sessions for minors through the director of ABATE," he said. "A helmet and eye protection will be required.

"What we're looking at as a whole is the vastly increased number of these vehicles that are out there."

The proposed ordinance would require a $25 a year moped registration fee. Burk said although moped operators will not have to have a drivers license, they must have a state-issued ID card.

The ordinance, if approved by council in three consecutive readings, will go into effect 30 days after final approval.

"This is an issue that is being addressed in more and more communities across the nation," Croyle said.

Council member Bill Peden said council will conduct the approval process in a manner that allows public input along the way.

In other business:

• Croyle said 25 local young people participated in the first day of the Second Harvest Food Bank summer lunch program. The program provides basic sack lunches for kids during summer break from school.

The lunches are distributed from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the number one shelter house at Goodrich Park, Winchester.

• Croyle said courthouse architect Bob Taylor approached him about a proposal to possibly eliminate most parking from the north side of the courthouse square (but not the north side of Washington Street). He said Taylor feels adding green space to this (now) parking area would improve drivers' and pedestrians' view of the renovated courthouse facility.

"It would be nice, but we have problems with parking the way it is," said Council President Todd Schroeder.

City Water Treatment Plant Supervisor Chris Martin said there are manholes in that area that cannot be covered with grass and decorative brick as Taylor's plan suggests. Martin said he will inspect the site before council acts on the recommendation.

"If it's not going to work, what's the use of even looking at (voting on) it," Peden said.