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Moped riders face ire of police
Alex Mitchell and Eamonn Duff
September 24, 2006
MOPEDS are the vehicles of choice for unlicensed drivers and motorists whose
licences have been suspended, the State Parliament's Staysafe Committee says.
NSW Police said moped riders had been caught speeding and running red lights,
and warned that it was illegal to ride some
moped models on the road.
Police said they had legal advice that, while it might be legal to sell them, it
was illegal to use mopeds anywhere except on private property.
"There is a potential road safety problem that we need to address sooner, not
later," Staysafe chairman Paul Gibson said. "We are starting to see deaths and
injuries through inexperience, lack of knowledge and non-compliance with road
rules."
The mopeds are bicycles powered by an electric motor with an output of less than
200 watts.
The riders of electric-driven bicycles don't need licences and are supposed to
confine their bikes to off-road use.
Mr Gibson said some electric-powered bikes were almost indistinguishable from
fully fledged scooters.
"For some [moped] brands the power-output ratings by the manufacturer don't
correspond to the alleged power output," he said.
A working party from the Roads and Traffic Authority, the Police Ministry and
the Office of Fair Trading is conducting a review into mopeds after a spate of
arrests.
NSW Traffic Services Commander Chief Superintendent John Hartley said: "There is
debate as to whether they are legal. That's because the main source of power is
a motor and not pedals."
He said there was potential to "to injure, maim, or kill someone" when mopeds
were ridden on footpaths.
Editor of motorcycle magazine Two Wheels Jeremy Bowdler said the bikes could be
bought over the internet for as little as $400.
"The kids then go howling down footpaths or side roads with little or no
protective clothing. It only takes a person to walk out of a gate, or a car
pulling out of a driveway, and you are left with potentially disastrous
consequences," Mr Bowdler said.
Source: The Sun-Herald
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