Since Christmas I have received many calls asking if there are any local laws addressing the increasing number of motorized bikes, scooters, go karts, etc. in the neighborhood. I contacted Chief Martin and the following is the text from the ordiancne.

Section 1: Title 9-1-103-Bicycles and off-street motor driven vehicles. No person shall operate or ride upon any off-street motor driven or battery powered vehicle on public streets or alleys at any time. All vehicles operated on publice streets and alleys (other than bicycles) shall be equipped with headlight, tailight, turn signals and proper registration and license for such vehicle. See 9-1-125 for further licensing requirements.

For questions or clarification please contact the Mount Juliet Police Department at 754-2550.

Scooters

Do you realize that this is going be mean open warfare among our neighbors? Think about what is going to happen if the cops start swarming over this place giving out tickets to kids. Neighbors will become suspicious over who turned their kid in, tempers will flare. Kids just ticketed will do drive by kickings of pedestrian kids who are just jealous they do not have wheels to motor around on. Pedestrian kids will start ambushing the motor kids. Chaos will reign.

A more sensible approach is to put in the newsletter a notice that the UPS man is not liable for running over a kid who is breaking the law while riding his Christmas present, that ironically the UPS man delivered.

Let the games begin!

By Razor Mom

Always someone else's fault

How true.

That's the problem with people today, they don't take responsibility for their own actions, or in this case the actions of their children. Obviously if the kid gets ticketed for breaking the law it's not their fault, it's the fault of the police for targetting them, or of the neighbor that called the police to begin with...

And when a kid does get hit, how long to you think it will take for the parents to file a lawsuit asking for milliions from UPS? Actually probably 2 law suits, 1 for running the kid over and another for having the audacity to deliver such a dangerous toy to begin with. And don't forget about the lawsuits against the manufacturer and retailer.

Parents, please keep your kids off the streets with these dangerous toys. It is illegal, and I really don't want to have to see a little white cross on the side of the street in our neighborhood.

By Cautious Driver

Minimum Age?

Did you ask Chief Martin if there was a minimum age to operate a motorized scooter like there is for a larger motorcycle?

How many violations can fit on a ticket? Operating without a drivers licensce; Operating without a working headlight; Operating without a working taillight; Operating without working turn signals; Operating an unlicensced vehicle. Are these kids running stop signs, using proper hand signals??

This law, Title 9-1-103 prohibits battery powered vehicles. This also eliminates the new Segways from operating anywhere in the city, except possibly neighborhood sidewalks, and it might also eliminate some of the new fuel cell cars that run on battery power. The city needs to revisit that law to clarify that law as we advace technologically. Vice Mayor Elam, are you listening?

By Reckless Driver