"Motor Scooters" on the news

Fred /

Apr 23, 2001 07:35PM

There will be a TV News story on in a few minutes about "Motor Scooters" in the Detroit area on our Channel 2... WIth the normal intro implying that "YOU MIGHT BE ILLEGAL !!"... Holy Cow !... I imagine they will be calling out the National Guard any minute to put down the uprising.

It was just on... they called them "Motor Scooters"... what they showed was a guy on a "moped" lookin thing... with real small wheels... no pedals that I saw... and a seat that the guy was sitting on.... (almost like one of those "fold-up" mopeds..maybe)

But I am sure that what they were really talking about was ... Gopeds !

They featured interviews with one police department with the officer stating ..."These "things" are not legal anywhere but on private property with the owners permission... they are not legal on roads... or sidewalks either"

The News girl also read that the MI State Police was going to be cracking down on the illegal operation of these "Motor Scooters".

But I am sure that the cop (and the MI State Police report) was referring to Gopeds.

But with our usual crappy halfassed media job on misinterpreting and misunderstanding what was being said... they went out and got pictures of somebody riding a damn Moped... which as us Michiganders know are NOT illegal on public roads.

And you can bet there are parents at home watching that who will be telling there kids they can no longer ride their peds .... because of this misinformation.

Idiots.

Re: "Motor Scooters" on the news

Peggy /

Apr 23, 2001 09:11PM

It does indeed sound like they were talking about go-peds. I can understand why go-peds are illegal on public roadways, etc. But it's still aggravating to listen to the media refer to them as mopeds--which are legal! Why don't you call the station that ran the story and complain--or else write a letter to your local paper and explain that mopeds are legal and that they are NOT go-peds...

Re: "Motor Scooters" on the news

Jim C. /

Apr 23, 2001 10:21PM

Out here in California they are street legal, but only in 25MPH and less zones. As soon as they became legal in January 2000, some of the news stations made the obligatory "Are They Safe?" piece.

Needless to say if you worry about that, stay off of them!

Peggy's right. News Shows (Not newscasts anymore) need to be set straight as they often provide much misinformation and are seldom challenged.

Jim C.

Re: "Motor Scooters" on the news

Reeperette /

Apr 23, 2001 11:16PM

Here's a good start to look at and possibly have some discussion with the press over.

This is a free press article that really shoulda been done better.

http://www.freep.com/news/metro/scoot23_20010423.htm

-Ree

Re: "Motor Scooters" on the news

Peggy /

Apr 24, 2001 10:54AM

I wrote to the author of that news article and received the following reply:

Dear Peggy,

Thank you for your feedback. The article is indeed referring to motorized

scooters, not mopeds. If I'm not mistaken, GO-PED is a copyrighted name and

refers to scooters made by that company. But we are in fact referring to the

scooters that look like a skateboard with handlebars. Mopeds are definitely

a different category. Also, in the photograph we picture a young man with

one of these scooters to help clarify for readers. I hope that helps. Please

write again if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Sally Tato

Re: "Motor Scooters" on the news

Miguel /

Apr 25, 2001 01:52AM

you should write to them and suggest they do a story on how good mopeds are for the environment, how much fun they are, etc. that would "balance" out the media coverage.

Re:Spoke too soon

Me Again /

Apr 29, 2001 02:07AM

From the Associated Press, 4/27/2001:

LOS ANGELES:

Every fad usually a home on the Venice Boardwalk, but the city is telling the latest -motorized scooters- to buzz off. The City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to ban motorized scooters from the Venice Beach bike path and boardwalk. The Council is also studying a ban in other areas.

Last year the state Legislature passed a law permitting motorized scooters on bike lanes unless prohibited by local ordinance.

Council woman Ruth Galanter said proliferation of motorized scooters in recent months has "created a risk to public health and safety on the bikepath and nearby Oceanfront Walk".

"Scooter operators bob and weave through foot and bicycle traffic at breakneck speeds, causing collisions on a regular basis" Galanter said...

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT, FOLKS. The typical highminded government solution: Make a name for yourself by banning a "dangerous" activity. Not just where a problem exists, but anywhere else as the last sentence of the first paragraph states.

Re:Spoke too soon

Miguel /

Apr 29, 2001 02:15AM

to be fair, though, i think motorized scooters (those things like skateboards w/ handlebars and loud little engines) are, in my opinion a bit dangerous. they shouldn't be in the same areas as foot traffic, just as mopeds shouldn't be on sidewalks.

but we have to be careful they don't write the laws so vaguely that mopeds (or even scooters) can be banned.

MOPED ARMY

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