TALLAHASSEE - Motorized scooters can't legally be operated on streets or sidewalks, Attorney General Charlie Crist says.
But Crist's opinion, issued in response to a question from Ormond Beach police, is only advisory. And a spokesman for the attorney general said people shouldn't expect a crackdown.
"What we're hearing from a couple of members of law enforcement is there's not going to be a "scooter squad,' " Bob Sparks said Wednesday.
Motorized scooters, also widely known by the trade name Go-Ped, resemble push scooters, except they have an engine mounted over the back wheel. The standing rider uses motorcycle-like hand controls for braking and to vary the speed, which generally tops out around 20 mph but can get up to 30 mph or more on fancier models. The cost can range from $200 to more than $1,000.
Two years ago, the Legislature changed state law to exempt motorized scooters from a section of law dealing with safety requirements for motor vehicles.
Lawmakers, however, didn't exempt scooters from the definition of motor vehicles in other laws, including one that requires all vehicles operated on streets and roads to be registered.
Since there's no provision in the vehicle registration law for scooters, they can't be used on public roads, Crist concluded.
Another unchanged law bans motor vehicles from sidewalks, according to the opinion.
