Man stopped for driving electric scooter on public road 'shocked' to learn the law
By Trail Champion
On Saturday, March 9, at 11:07 a.m., a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer was on a routine patrol in a marked vehicle when he spotted a 50-year-old Trail man allegedly riding an electric scooter between 40 to 50 km/h in the 1500 block of Second Avenue in Trail, according to Trail RCMP Top Cop Sgt. Mike Wiceentowich. The officer detained the man and scooter roadside.
Wicentowich said the officer asked the man for a valid BC driver’s licence and proof of insurance. The man allegedly declined to identify himself, produce his licence and insurance, and stated that his electric scooter was a bicycle
. The officer informed the man that his scooter did not contain pedals and was capable of travel over 32 km/h thus qualified as a motor vehicle under the law. The man allegedly became upset, rude and uncooperative with the officer as he attempted to leave the scene with the scooter. The officer prevented the man from leaving, and was able to convince the man to provide his information. The man did continue his protest when he tried to rip up the violation ticket issued to him. A second officer attended the scene and helped the first officer manage the incident.
The officer issued the 50-year-old Trail man a Notice of Driving Prohibition under Section 95 of the BC Motor Vehicle Act and had his scooter impounded. The man was also issued $679 in fines for driving without insurance contrary to Section 24(3) BC MVA and for not having a valid driver’s licence contrary to Section 33(1) BC MVA.
Operating an electric scooter, such as in this incident, requires a valid driver’s licence and insurance. Anyone driving a lower-powered electric vehicle must know the law, and how it applies to the vehicle should they operate it on a public road. Ignorance of the law is not a defense. Just a heads up, the new ticket paper is a lot tougher to tear up that the old ones. You may want to carry scissors if you plan to do this in the future,
Wicentowich said.
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