Motor Scooter

Question

Erika asked: I have a Tao Tao e-bike that looks like a small scooter.  I have seen these ridden on the sidewalk here in Hernando County.  I called the Sheriff’s Office to inquire on what they prefer here in Hernando and they never got back to me.  Are they legal in Florida and should I ride them on the sidewalk, if one is available?

Answer

Only vehicles powered by human power can legally operate on sidewalks or bike paths.

s. 316.1995 – Driving upon Sidewalk or Bicycle Path

(1) No person shall drive any vehicle other than by human power upon a bicycle path, sidewalk ….

(3) This section does not apply to motorized wheelchairs.

From the pictures on the web site, the TaoTao bike does not appear to meet the statutory definition to be considered a bicycle. It does not have pedals and can only be powered by motor.

s. 316.003 – Definitions

(2) Bicycle – Every vehicle propelled solely by human power, and every motorized bicycle propelled by a combination of human power and an electric helper motor capable of propelling the vehicle at a speed of not more than 20 miles per hour on level ground upon which any person may ride, having two tandem wheels, and including any device generally recognized as a bicycle though equipped with two front or two rear wheels.

See this post about motor scooters:

http://flbikelaw.org/2012/11/motor-scooters/

See the other posts under the tag “motorized bicycles” for more information on other motor powered vehicles.

2 Comments on “Motor Scooter

  1. The only Tao Tao ebike on that website, that’s able to be ridden in Florida (and only in the bicycle lane or in the road) is the ATE-501.
    Only because it has pedals…
    If you wish to ride it on the sidewalk, you would need to pedal it there..
    Otherwise, the road/bike lane is ok.

  2. Mostly in the UK you are not allowed to cycle on the pavement unless it is a designated cycle path. However, you can ride a mobility scooter on the pavement as long as it’s not over 4mph

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