More criminals ride scooters than motorcycles

wheelbender6 · Post by **wheelbender6** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 7:13 pm

According to this article, the scooter/moped community contains more criminals, by percentage, than the motorcycle community. No, its not from The Onion.
http://www.camelcitydispatch.com/new-st ... peds-6873/
"In that study, Miller and her colleagues found 49% of moped drivers having a prior history of DWI compared with only 8% of motorcycle drivers. Additionally, 64% of moped drivers were previously convicted of a crime, which is 44% more than motorcycle drivers. 28% of moped drivers had revoked drivers’ licenses compared with 6% of motorcycle drivers."
-Great to have friends in low places.
-If the scooter/moped community is so saturated with criminals, why is
"Son's of Anarchy" about a motorcycle gang, instead of a scooter gang?
-On the other hand, after visiting mopedarmy.com a few times, I can see some validity to that study.

still shifting · Post by **still shifting** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 9:10 pm

Oh this is too sweet! And a great place to announce my yet to be written script, Small Wheels, Big Deals, The Story of Mild Depravity on a Tight Budget.... R

ohiotj · Post by **ohiotj** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 9:21 pm

I suspect those stats will vary wildly, state to state, depending on scooter/moped laws in each state. NC laws were pretty loose with that kind of thing.

Here in OH, all scooters must be titled and registered in order to be ridden on the street. Mopeds (real mopeds, not 49cc scooters), even have to be registered, they just don't need a title. None of them are allowed to be ridden by someone with a suspended license. Around here, they don't have the liquorcycle reputation.

In neighboring Indiana and Kentucky, the laws are less restrictive, and the sub-50cc stuff does have a bit more of a reputation as being DUI bikes. In KY, you can't even title a 49cc scooter, so theft is a lot easier to get away with.

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:16 pm

ohiotj wrote:I suspect those stats will vary wildly, state to state, depending on scooter/moped laws in each state. NC laws were pretty loose with that kind of thing.

Here in OH, all scooters must be titled and registered in order to be ridden on the street. Mopeds (real mopeds, not 49cc scooters), even have to be registered, they just don't need a title. None of them are allowed to be ridden by someone with a suspended license. Around here, they don't have the liquorcycle reputation.

In neighboring Indiana and Kentucky, the laws are less restrictive, and the sub-50cc stuff does have a bit more of a reputation as being DUI bikes. In KY, you can't even title a 49cc scooter, so theft is a lot easier to get away with.

Yep. I suspect sub-50/proper moped laws have a good bit to do with this. TJ pretty much nailed it: "DUIcycles", titling/reg/general proof-of-ownership issues...

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:03 am

As the least-expensive powered vehicles on the road we're going to get some folks that are just making it...

COYOTE102076 · Post by **COYOTE102076** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:39 pm

Does not really apply much to Tennessee. Here, even with a 40cc scoot you still have to have a valid drivers license, keep valid license plates, and must be insured for at least liability. 'Tis the law.
Also, like many areas, 49cc'rs are not allowed on the 55MPH roads.
(Yes, I break that law often on the low traveled back roads here.)
Since I break that law, I guess that makes me a criminal.
Hmmmmmmmm.
Maybe they have a point.

Elder Scoot · Post by **Elder Scoot** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 2:27 pm

I suspect that a number of people who have their licenses revoked are riding smaller scooters. Some states allow this. The manager of my favorite ice house lost his license a long time ago and rides a small Yamaha scooter. He told me the police don't stop him and when they do they don't really care all that much.

craftynerd · Post by **craftynerd** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 4:42 pm

I live in Indiana, and the general public's opinion of 50cc scoots is that they're liquorcycles. Heck, I even had one lady who was riding a 150cc Scarabeo say "Oh, my friends and I call those DUI-scoots!" when I was attempting to compliment her on her scoot and she asked how big mine was. However, now that all scoots need to have a plate (still no need for a license, but you need to have a Motor Driven Cycle Class B endorsement on your state ID), I've seen a lot less liquorcycles on the road - no nearly destroyed Metros toting two old guys around, no 150cc TaoTaos with the 1 in 150 scratched off... I guess paying for registration is keeping some of the less savory characters off their scoots?

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 5:02 pm

"Mopeds"?

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 5:21 pm

Humorous names, same game, folks can much more easily "slide" under the law's reach with 'scoots and mopeds.
Moped's technically have pedals for human propulsion. When I restored a PUCH and Honda Hobbit, I found it a bit niggling that people use both terms for 'scoots.

wheelbender6 · Post by **wheelbender6** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 1:49 am

"Additionally, 64% of moped drivers were previously convicted of a crime, which is 44% more than motorcycle drivers."
Great news - I finally have some street cred!