noisebeam

More posting for curious interest than anything else.

This is about a guy who has been cited for speeding in a BL on a motorized bicycle. Police say he was going 28mph, SL for motorized bicycle is 20mph.

https://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepu...bikes0919.html

Al

Mos6502

Regardless of whether his vehicle was technically a moped or a motorized bicycle, he was travelling faster than the allowed speed. He should be ticketed for that.

The laws regarding what is considered a moped vary from state to state, there is not national uniformity - so it's not ever worth getting into the discussion of what a motorized bike is compared to a moped compared to a scooter compared to a motorcycle, you'd get over 50 completely different answers that are all right in their own state, but completely wrong anywhere else.

noisebeam

Agreed they should be ticketed if speeding. I do think it interesting that quite often human powered cyclists travel over 20mph in the BL.

Yes, the definitions can be confusing when trying to classify a specific device.

Here is the relevant AZ definitions/law:
"28-2516. Motorized electric or gas powered bicycles or tricycles; definition
A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title:
1. A certificate of title is not required for a motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle.
2. Registration is not required for a motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle.
3. Vehicle license tax is not imposed on a motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle.
4. A motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle is exempt from the provisions of section 28-964 relating to required equipment on motorcycles and motor-driven cycles and from the provisions of title 49, chapter 3, article 5 relating to vehicle emissions inspections.
5. A driver license is not required to operate a motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle
6. A motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle may use rights-of-way designated for the exclusive use of bicycles.
7. A motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle is not subject to chapter 9 of this title.
B. This section does not prohibit a local authority from adopting an ordinance that regulates or prohibits the operation of motorized electric or gas powered bicycles or tricycles, except that a local authority shall not adopt an ordinance that requires registration and licensing of motorized electric or gas powered bicycles or tricycles.
C. For the purposes of this section, "motorized electric or gas powered bicycle or tricycle" means a bicycle or tricycle that is equipped with a helper motor that has a maximum piston displacement of forty-eight cubic centimeters or less, that may also be self-propelled and that is operated at speeds of less than twenty miles per hour."

Here are other related definitions/laws:
"6. "Bicycle" means a device, including a racing wheelchair, that is propelled by human power and on which a person may ride and that has either:
(a) Two tandem wheels, either of which is more than sixteen inches in diameter.
(b) Three wheels in contact with the ground, any of which is more than sixteen inches in diameter."

"20. "Electric personal assistive mobility device" means a self-balancing two nontandem wheeled device with an electric propulsion system that limits the maximum speed of the device to fifteen miles per hour or less and that is designed to transport only one person."

"23. "Golf cart" means a motor vehicle that has not less than three wheels in contact with the ground, that has an unladen weight of less than one thousand eight hundred pounds, that is designed to be and is operated at not more than twenty-five miles per hour and that is designed to carry not more than four persons including the driver."

"30. "Moped" means a bicycle that is equipped with a helper motor if the vehicle has a maximum piston displacement of fifty cubic centimeters or less, a brake horsepower of one and one-half or less and a maximum speed of twenty-five miles per hour or less on a flat surface with less than a one per cent grade.

31. "Motor driven cycle" means a motorcycle, including every motor scooter, with a motor that produces not more than five horsepower."

"(i) "Motorized skateboard" means a self-propelled device that has a motor, a deck on which a person may ride and at least two tandem wheels in contact with the ground."

"35. "Neighborhood electric vehicle" means a self-propelled electrically powered motor vehicle to which all of the following apply:
(a) The vehicle is emission free.
(b) The vehicle has at least four wheels in contact with the ground.
(c) The vehicle complies with the definition and standards for low speed vehicles set forth in federal motor vehicle safety standard 500 and 49 Code of Federal Regulations sections 571.3(b) and 571.500, respectively."

Here is a speed law for "Motor driven cycles":
"28-705. Special speed limitation; motor driven cycles
A person shall not operate a motor driven cycle at any time provided in section 28-922 at a speed of more than thirty-five miles per hour unless the motor driven cycle is equipped with a head lamp or head lamps that are adequate to reveal a person or vehicle at a distance of three hundred feet ahead."

AZ Statutes

Al