Getting DC law changed

[DCdude]

Hi,

 

As of now DC law only allows Segways to be driven on the street. The unicycle is fuzzy and the electric kick scooter is not legal. I have been stopped. I am in contact with a board member but need some laws to reference. I have seen Main and California. So looking for laws and in particular good laws I can point to and say "Just do this". Also is anyone aware of safety studies with one wheel electric scooters.

 

Thanks all

[dmethvin]

I don't think that is right, or if it is the rules are violated by the Segway tour operators. They ride on the streets, bike lanes, sidewalks on Pennsylvania Avenue, National Mall, every day I've been down there.

Here is the DC Law definition of a Personal Mobility device: (October 2015)

“Personal Mobility Device” or “PMD” - means a motorized propulsion device, designed to transport only one person or a self-balancing, two non-tandem wheeled device, designed to transport only one person with an electric propulsion system, but excluding a battery-operated wheelchair.

It seems to me that "motorized propulsion device, designed to transport only one person" is a fine plain-English definition of the EUC. Elsewhere in DC law it says a PMD is limited to a speed of 10mph, and can be operated on sidewalks outside the Central Business District (CBD) (here is a map). In the CBD you're supposed to use the bike lanes or streets. However, even inside the CBD there are areas such as the National Mall and monuments that are monitored by the Park Police, Secret Service, or the Capitol Police. I don't think they tend to enforce (or maybe even know) DC laws.

Did they say it had to be registered? I've wondered about the registration requirement but since I'm not a DC resident the wording of the law doesn't make it clear whether it would apply to me. I can't even find a place in the DC government where you can register a PMD, maybe it only applies to commercial tour operators?

I've ridden downtown several times, both alone and with groups, and ridden past the various polices many times. The only time we were stopped by police is when we inadvertently rode through the FDR Memorial, which is kind of easy to do because the path leads you into it. The guard there said that it was fine to ride around the memorials but not through them. Basically if you see a "No Bikes" sign then you should assume no EUCs or hoverboards which seems reasonable.

 

[Jeffrey Scott Will]

Washington state(inventist home state) had the first law and it's good:

http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2015-16/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Laws/House/1884.SL.pdf

electric unicycles are specifically mentioned and are allowed on sidewalks and residential streets that have speed limits 35mph or under. 

[edwin_rm]

DC streets have bicycle lanes which we can use. And sidewalks which are more fun than the streets. But I ride on the car lanes in less busy streets (such as those near Georgetown University for example) with no harassment from the cops. I think if a road is not a busy one, you can ride on the car lanes all day long, no problem. Otherwise stick to bike lanes or sidewalks.

[DCdude]

Thanks guys. The law in DC has a segway pic and says non tandem two wheel. Thus electric kick scooters are not legal. The one wheel my or may not be. I got stopped near the capital 4 years ago on a razor. They may or may not start in-forcing these laws but if we want them to be part of future planning along with bikes they should be legal. I am getting my first one wheel in a week but come from planning and transportation.

[dmethvin]

1 hour ago, DCdude said:

Thanks guys. The law in DC has a segway pic and says non tandem two wheel.

I quoted the law above with a link to the DC web site. Yes it says "two non-tandem wheeled device" but right before that it says "a motorized propulsion device, designed to transport only one person". Those two phrases are connected by "or" so it seems to me that either fits the DC definition of PMD.

As for the "segway pic", you are probably talking about page 4 of his brochure. It shows a Segway because it was written in 2013 and many of the recent devices like EUCs and hoverboards did not yet exist. It is a summary of the law and not the law. They didn't put any pictures in the law, and the brochure only shows representative vehicles in each class. 

When you were stopped, which police stopped you and what did they say?

[DCdude]

I was stopped near the Capital. They said segways are OK but electric kick scooters are not. I rode by there many times with no problem. No one knew about one wheels ect. at the time. It may have been the capital police. I am not a lawyer but your interpretation seems good. If that is the case less work for me. Looked again on the web found this. http://dccode.org/simple/sections/50-2201.04a.html

This is the law.

 

The term "Personal Mobility Device" or "PMD”

means a motorized propulsion

device designed to transport one person or a self-b

alancing, two non-tandem wheeled device,

designed to transport only one person with an elect

ric propulsion system, but excluding a

battery-operated wheelchair.”.

 

http://www.openlims.org/public/L16-224.pdf

 

So there is an OR in the law. The registration is also in the law. So you are not legal right now in terms of registration. I still don't now about non segways but I think you are correct.

[MetricUSA]

Well, they damn well better get used to it, these devices and bike is the only way I travel now days, no more cars...

[Vanopolis]

I have been riding all over DC this week with no hassles from anyone. Sidewalks, bike lanes, car lanes and in the parks on and off the grass. The only comment from police was when I passed a few officers right next to the White House and one turned to his cop buddy and said "hipster Segway" 

it's all about how you ride, if you are hopping curbs and darting in and out of traffic / pedestrians like an unsupervised kid you are likely to be hassled no matter what you are on.