¡FAVOR, TEN CUIDADO! (Please, be careful!)
[HN PHOTO NOTES]
So, I look up and I see several adorable little children, apparently riding with their mothers on e-scooters. And my first thought is “how cute!” But then my immediate second thought upon seeing the little faces, hands, and feet – not to mention my memories of the horrible crash scenes I witness on a nightly basis – is “¡FAVOR, TEN CUIDADO!”
Back in July, I responded to a car vs. e-scooter crash where a woman was badly hurt. That scooter also had a separate seat for a child but thankfully there was no child onboard during that particular crash. The crash happened on West Main Street at around 12:40 a.m. Cape Cod Hospital was alerted regarding the incoming scooter operator, described as a 33-year-old female suffering multi-system trauma. And one can only imagine what would have happened to a helmetless toddler, or any young child, had they been onboard during that nasty crash. I get a horrible shiver up my spine just thinking about it…
Suddenly wondering what the current laws are regarding e-scooters, I called and had a brief discussion with Sergeant Jeffrey Jackson of the Barnstable Police Department. Sgt. Jackson informed me that e-scooters are considered to be “motorized scooters” when they’re operated on a public way. He then pointed me toward Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 90, Section 1E, which reads:
“A motorized scooter shall not be operated on any way by a person not possessing a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit, nor at a speed in excess of 20 miles per hour. A person operating a motorized scooter upon a way shall have the right to use all public ways in the commonwealth except limited access or express state highways where signs specifically prohibiting scooters or bicycles have been posted, and shall be subject to all traffic laws and regulations of the commonwealth and the regulations contained in this section, except that: (1) a scooter operator shall keep to the right side of the road at all times, including when passing a motor vehicle which is moving in the travel lane of the way; and (2) the scooter shall be equipped with operational stop and turn signals so that the operator can keep both hands on the handlebars at all times. No person shall operate a motor scooter upon any way at any time after sunset or before sunrise.
A person operating a motorized scooter shall wear protective headgear conforming with such minimum standards of construction and performance as the registrar may prescribe. No person operating a motorized scooter shall permit any other person to ride as a passenger on the scooter.
A person convicted of a violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $25 for the first violation, not less than $25 nor more than $50 for a second violation and not less than $50 nor more than $100 for a third or subsequent violation.”
I looked online for an official translation of Massachusetts General Laws in Spanish but was not able to find one. I then tried to translate the law as best as I could. Note: this is NOT an official translation:
Busqué en línea una traducción oficial de las Leyes Generales de Massachusetts en español pero no pude encontrar ninguna. Luego intenté traducir la ley lo mejor que pude. Nota: esta NO es una traducción oficial:
Scooters motorizados; reglamento de operación
Capítulo 90, Sección 1E. Un scooter motorizado no podrá ser operado de ninguna manera por una persona que no posea una licencia de conducir válida o un permiso de aprendizaje, ni a una velocidad superior a 20 millas por hora.
Una persona que opere un scooter motorizado en una vía tendrá derecho a utilizar todas las vías públicas del estado, excepto las carreteras estatales de acceso limitado o rápidas donde se hayan colocado señales que prohíben específicamente los scooters o bicicletas, y estará sujeta a todas las leyes y regulaciones de tránsito de el estado libre asociado y las regulaciones contenidas en esta sección, excepto que: (1) un operador de scooter deberá mantenerse en el lado derecho de la carretera en todo momento, incluso cuando rebase un vehículo de motor que se esté moviendo en el carril de circulación de la vía; y (2) el scooter deberá estar equipado con señales operativas de parada y giro para que el operador pueda mantener ambas manos en el manillar en todo momento.
Ninguna persona podrá operar un scooter de ninguna manera en ningún momento después del atardecer o antes del amanecer.
Una persona que opere un scooter motorizado deberá usar casco protector que cumpla con los estándares mínimos de construcción y desempeño que el registrador pueda prescribir.
Ninguna persona que opere un scooter motorizado permitirá que otra persona viaje como pasajero en el scooter.
Una persona condenada por una infracción de esta sección será sancionada con una multa de no más de $25 por la primera infracción, no menos de $25 ni más de $50 por una segunda infracción y no menos de $50 ni más de $100 por una tercera o violación posterior.
* Again, please be careful out there!
* Otra vez, ¡tengan cuidado!
P.S. – Today’s Hytown Vignette is a brought to you by Mi Banda El Mexicano … [CLICK IT/CRANK IT! HEADPHONES ABSOLUTELY OBLIGATORY!]
