<p>A tragic accident last weekend has led to a renewed call to ban or restrict mopeds on the Vineyard. Meanwhile, two young women are recovering from injuries.
A tragic accident last weekend has led to a renewed call to ban or restrict mopeds on Martha’s Vineyard.
Early Saturday afternoon, two young women riding a single moped lost control and collided with a large dump truck on Barnes Road. Both young women suffered serious injuries.
Noelle Lambert, 19, of Manchester, N.H., was driving the moped. Her passenger was Kelly Moran, 19, of Newfields, N.H.
Ms. Lambert lost her lower leg in the impact. She was flown by medical helicopter to the trauma center at Boston Medical Center, where she was listed in fair condition Thursday.
Ms. Moran was admitted to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital for treatment of injuries, and released on Monday.
When Oak Bluffs ambulance and fire chief John Rose arrived with two ambulances at about 12:35 p.m. Saturday, he found a traumatic scene, with bystanders trying to help the two victims of the crash. Chief Rose said days later, trained first responders and paramedics were still dealing with the aftermath.
“It was an extremely difficult scene to arrive at,” the chief said. “Everybody handled themselves extremely well, with what they were faced with. I’m very proud of everything they did. Not an easy thing to process. Everybody’s working on dealing with it.”
An investigation led by Oak Bluffs Det. James Morse concluded that the driver of the 10-wheel dump truck — Augustus (Brant) Ben David of West Tisbury — was not at fault.
The accident sparked a flood of traffic on social media sites and served as a reminder that a long-running push to ban mopeds on the Island has not ended. At press time Thursday, more than 100 comments had been posted to a story on the Gazette website.
Records show far fewer mopeds on Island roads today.
Records show far fewer mopeds on Island roads today.
An online petition asking Gov. Charlie Baker and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to require motorcycle licenses for mopeds was signed by nearly 700 people.
“We can all sit here and show how terrible it is,” said Nicole Friedler Brisson of Edgartown, who organized the petition. “But unless we take a step to make it better, or at least make some notice so somebody pays attention, then changes aren’t going to happen.”
Records show there are far fewer mopeds on Island roads today than in recent decades.
In 1988, there were eight moped rental dealers in Oak Bluffs and three in Vineyard Haven, with approximately 1,000 mopeds for rent. That year, according to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, there were 59 moped accidents requiring medical treatment in July and August. In one week, 13 people were treated in the emergency room.
By 2001, following more than a decade of protest from Vineyard residents, the number of rental mopeds had fallen to 629, with seven rental shops in Oak Bluffs and one in Vineyard Haven.
Currently there are four dealers in Oak Bluffs and one in Vineyard Haven, with 348 mopeds for rent, according to records. Both towns have capped the number of licenses allowed. Dealers in both towns are required to conduct a supervised road test for riders, provide safety information and make sure riders are wearing proper footwear.
In Oak Bluffs, moped rental dealers pay a $500 application fee and $20 for each individual moped license. A required building inspection and fire inspection costs another $95.
In Tisbury, dealers pay a $400 application fee and $25 for each individual license.
The five dealerships are controlled by three individuals.
In Vineyard Haven, Jason Leone is the only licensed dealer, doing business as Island Adventure Rentals on Beach Road. The business is authorized for 90 moped licenses.
Mr. Leone is also a licensed dealer in Oak Bluffs, doing business as King’s Rentals and Island Hoppers on Circuit avenue extension. The two dealerships have 98 mopeds for rent.
According to Oak Bluffs town records, Mr. Leone is in arrears with the town for $3,750 in licensing fees. Most of the unpaid fees are associated with moped rentals, but some are for licenses for car and motorcycle rentals. The licenses were renewed and fees due on April 1.
Mr. Leone did not return telephone calls from the Gazette.
Another Oak Bluffs moped dealer is Aguimar Carlos, doing business as Ride On Mopeds on Oak Bluffs avenue. He has 120 mopeds for rent.
The moped involved in Saturday’s accident was rented at Ride On Mopeds. In an email to the Gazette, Mr. Carlos’s wife Penny Wong said her husband owns half the business, having sold half to the Leone family. She also defended the integrity of her husband’s business, writing in part: “There is a lot of misinformation out there and I can tell you that he is very responsible, working seven days a week from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. or later making sure the mopeds are mechanically sound and supervising the running of the shop. He makes sure all laws and town bylaws are followed and does not hesitate to turn down people who he feels should not be on a moped.
“We understand the community’s reaction to Saturday’s accident. But instead of demonizing the shop owners, wouldn’t it be better to work together to see if adjustments can be made to make the roads safer?”
The fourth moped dealer in Oak Bluffs is Sun ‘N’ Fun on Lake avenue, owned by Donald Gregory with 40 mopeds for rent.
Two summers ago an employee of Sun ‘N’ Fun, was killed when he lost control of the moped he was driving on State Road in Chilmark.
A witness to last Saturday’s accident who was following the moped just before the collision described to police what he saw.
“The moped went too far toward the right, over corrected to the left,” the witness said, according to the police report.
Mr. Ben David, the driver of the dump truck, described the accident in similar terms, telling police that he could see it coming.
“He stated that he saw the moped appeared to start to lose control and start to head toward the center line,” the police report said. “Ben David realized that there was going to be a collision so he pulled to the right as far as he could and began to brake.”
Routine field sobriety tests administered to Mr. Ben David found no indication of alcohol use or other impairment. His commercial driving license and vehicle registrations were all in order.
Both the young women injured in the accident are division one college athletes and just finished their first season with the University of Massachusetts-Lowell women’s lacrosse team. Both were named to the all-conference rookie team at the end of the season this spring. Ms. Lambert was honored by her team as rookie of the year.
“We’re all pretty much in shock,” lacrosse coach Carissa Mederios told the Gazette by telephone this week. “The severity of Noelle’s injury is certainly heartbreaking. Our family dynamic is shaken to the core.”
Coach Medeiros said she and team members visited Ms. Moran at her New Hampshire home, and Ms. Lambert at Boston Medical Center where early this week she remained in an intensive care unit.
“She’s still the same feisty girl,” Ms. Medeiros said. “When I was there, it was a full house, a long line of people who wanted to see her. She wants to be with people. She is absolutely looking forward to the next journey.”
Through the years, efforts to limit the use of mopeds in Massachusetts have been mostly unsuccessful.
In 1981, the town of Provincetown adopted a bylaw to ban moped rentals to nonresidents, but it was overturned by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
In 1988, Tisbury selectmen voted not to renew licenses for four moped dealers operating that year, but the dealers refused to stop operating. The town asked for an injunction, but the Dukes County Superior Court ruled the town had overstepped its authority in refusing to issue licenses.
In 1999, Vineyard resident Sam Feldman who led the Mopeds Are Dangerous movement, organized a trip to the state house in Boston with police chiefs from all six Island towns. At the time, legislators were considering a measure that would require motorcycle licenses for moped operators. The bill never emerged from the joint subcommittee on public safety.
Warnings about the safety of mopeds on Martha’s Vineyard appear in the popular Frommer’s travel guide.
“Many Islanders are opposed to these vehicles. If you rent one, be aware they are considered quite dangerous on the island’s busy, narrow, winding, sandy roads,” the guide warns.
Chief Rose, and Lieut. Tim Williamson of the Oak Bluffs police department both said this week that moped accidents appear to be waning compared with a decade ago.
“Maybe people are wising up to the fact that it’s not a safe mode of transportation,” Lieutenant Williamson said. “I have a motorcycle license, and prior to getting my license, I had a permit. Part of the permit is you can’t carry passengers and you can’t operate at night. It’s a six-month period to make sure you learn how to operate a motorcycle safely. With a moped, you don’t need a license or any experience at all, you can just jump on. These people may not have ridden a bicycle in years, then they put a passenger on the back, that’s a whole other learning curve. I share everyone’s frustration. Along comes a tragedy like this, it breaks your heart. I can’t imagine how heart wrenching it is for the girls and their families.”
Comments
Coming from a place where
Leo Block IslandComing from a place where mopeds are used as a main source of transportation, I understand the islanders concerns but, I do not grasp the idea to ban the vehicles. As a company it is illegal for them to tell people they can not rent the mopeds that goes against fair trade, they do I am sure give them a demonstration and at that point they can make a accurate session weather to allow the driver to go out on the road or not. Once out, the owners have no idea what the people are doing, possible they are drinking or partaking in other recreational drugs, maybe they are sensitive to the sun or the heat, or maybe the plum have accidents. If it was a car there would not be a out cry to ban cars, no accidents are called "accidents" for a reason otherwise we would call the a "on purpose". For the majority of people that use mopeds to get around they can tell you it is a fuel efficient way to accomplish your daily chores, whilest keeping your carbon footprint light. Mopeds can be a very fun way to explore your island, as millions of people do In Europe and in the majority of the rest of the world. As for the owners of these companies they are nearly providing a activity/service in the same way night club owners, kayak rentals and Jetski companies, if someone drinks to much and gets into a fight now we should shut down the bars too? Yes accidents are terrible and do awful things to people, but we can not live in fear or take away the opurtuntiy to give other people a chance to try the activity. 99% percent of people go out on mopeds, tour the island, boost the local economy and head home, head full of happy memories. For the few people that have had miss haps my heart goes out to them and I wish them a speedy recovery.
Hi Leo - I think the issue is
Jane Norton ChilmarkHi Leo - I think the issue is that your island and this island are very different in many ways. We have over 100 square miles, and 6 separate towns. To reach the furthest point on the island, about 20 miles away from the moped rental shops, there is only one road. This road is a very narrow, two-lane road with no shoulder and many blind curves. On this one stretch of hilly, curving road pass huge tour busses, 18-wheel tractor trailers, vehicles towing trailers with landscaping equipment or large boats, passenger cars, bikes, pedestrians, and mopeds. All at the same time. While many drivers are regulars on the road, and like Mr. Ben David look out for mopeds, even his best efforts meant an accident could not be avoided. New arrivals on the island may not know about the curves ahead, the blind driveway pullouts, or the patches where sand puddles up on the roadway after a rainstorm. There is no room for error in many places.
Another thing that differentiates MV from your beautiful island is that we have a terrific public transit system that traverses the entire island from the early morning until late at night. For a mere $8/day, a rider can see everything that can be seen from a moped with far less risk and for a lot less money. You can even transport a bike on the front of the bus to explore lesser travelled roads and bike paths. You're right that an outright ban isn't a good idea, but requiring moped riders to have a motorcycle license might make tragedies much less likely to happen. Should you ever come over from your island to ours, I hope you'll choose another alternative to renting a moped. (and no, I don't work for VTA, but have used their services quite a bit.)
It's past time to ban
TOM HODGSON WTIt's past time to ban passengers on rented mopeds. That's the least we can do.
Ban the rented mopeds on MV!!
MIT Gold EdgartownBan the rented mopeds on MV!!
The Solution is to make a
Coach New YorkThe Solution is to make a lane for the mopeds, the roads are too narrow and there are very little to no shoulders on the roads.
The roads are too narrow to
James pi3 New Haven/edgThe roads are too narrow to make a lane. Something has to give. Get rid of the mopeds.
It's the roads here on MV
PaulliD EdgartownIt's the roads here on MV that are part of the problem. There are no shoulders, the lanes are narrow and the rugs along side the roads are a hazard. There is no room for error of any kind. Also do the mopeds move at the minimum speed limit?
I am not saying we need to change our roads but for mopeds to be allowed should we not take this into consideration?
People are putting rugs on
Ed Edgartown and Saratoga SpringsPeople are putting rugs on the shoulder of the road? This madness has to stop!
Prohibit having two people on
Michael ChilmarkProhibit having two people on these rented mopeds. The second person adds too much weight and slows the moped to a crawl. A moped with two - a driver and passenger - is a significant part of the problem.
A five min demo does not
kirk sawmiller tisburyA five min demo does not qualify a person to operate a motorized two wheeler in heavy traffic!
Want to share a GoFund me
BensonWant to share a GoFund me page to help with purchasing a prosthetic for Noelle: https://www.gofundme.com/2k73bp3w.
I drive a Scooter nearly
Jesse Dennerlein Clearwater, FLI drive a Scooter nearly everyday in a beach community. It is an excellent way to get around with significant advantages over 4 wheeled alternatives. The Vineyard has significant traffic and parking issues, embracing mopeds/scooters would reduce those issues. Instead of calling for banning mopeds/scooters how about making the Vineyard a safer place for them: Provide lanes for them, teach people to be respectful of them, make sure people know the risks.
Kirk is right. The problem is
Andy Thorpe West TisburyKirk is right. The problem is one of experience on a motorized two wheel vehicle. Even when people take motorcycle classes the truth is that individual has been riding a two wheeled vehicle for some time. Most of the people I see on these mopeds have zero clue what they are doing. they are not used to a throttle grip instead of a break. They are not used to the breaks at all, and the worst thing i see... Feet out while moving!!
What a great article -
Harvard EdWhat a great article - comprehensive and shares many different perspectives. Tough issue, for sure.
the only problem with mopeds
Massimo O.B.the only problem with mopeds is the speed limit. If they can go fast like cars, they do not slow down traffic and are not dangerous. If all of us commute on two wheels, we would have less traffic and less pollution. You should limit the use of huge cars with one person on board.
I would think that if mopeds
JJ OBI would think that if mopeds were "in the flow of traffic", meaning that they traveled with the other vehicles on the road at the set speed limits, there would be far fewer accidents. The fact that the roads here are narrow with no breakdown lanes, puts moped users and vehicle drivers at risk. Drivers of cars and trucks trying to overtake slower mopeds, puts them in danger for having a head on collision with oncoming traffic or they risk hitting a moped driver trying to pass. I also think that mopeds should only be allowed to be rented to licensed AND insured drivers. It protects the driver as well as the moped rental business.
I get the concept of the
Mark NHI get the concept of the requirement of a motorcycle license for moped renters. But just so everyone is clear such a requirement would put the rental shops effectively out of business as we know it. I suspect that's the idea but let's at least be honest about what the true agenda is begind it
Well only if your plan of
CAPT Everett ChappyWell only if your plan of action is reaching out to prospective moped inclined visitors and informing and offering alternative forms of touring the island. Normal Political and regulatory solutions will not work. The dealers clientele have to be redirected before they step foot off the boats and onto MV.
Although we may not be able
JustTheFacts MVAlthough we may not be able to ban these outright, there are some obvious violations occurring that the Police can address. I suggest you Google MGL Chapter 90 Section 1. You will see definitions on that page. We are talking about motorized scooters here. Page forward a bit from that page (you should be on the official Massachusetts website) and you will see clearly that passengers are prohibited. Knowing this, you could make a dent in the business by asking police to stop these vehicles with passengers. Further, you could make a strong argument for not renewing business licenses based on the history of these shops renting to people with passengers. I was really quite surprised to read the other regulations on these motorized scooters and motorized bicycles. This has been MV as usual...lots of "minor" laws ignored to ease commerce...and we are not powerless at all.
I was with 4 others on our
Daryl Mortek White Bear LakeI was with 4 others on our visit to Martha's Vineyard last Saturday, July 30th, 2016. We rented 5 mopeds, around 1 pm and headed out to explore Martha's Vineyard. We soon discovered some very disgruntled automobile operators that harassed 2 of the slower moped riders, at the end of our group. I was the lead moped driver, I carry a CDL for driving motor coach and I'm an experienced motorcyclist. When we were heading back to return the mopeds, my arm was grazed by the mirror of a pickup truck as he passed me. He was going the speed limit, 45 mph and I had a moped with a top end speed of 30 mph. A little closer and I may have been killed or another patient at the Island hospital. We didn't have a clue that we were driving into a war zone. I see now in the article above there's a warning in the Martha’s Vineyard popular Frommer’s travel guide AND what are the odds that every tourist will see this warning before they rent a moped and risk their life? We were also harassed by a group of young men in the Edgar Town Center parking lot. They accused us of parking the mopeds in the wrong place. There was no sign that said no moped parking and we parked all 5 in one parking spot. Later on, when we were returning our mopeds there was another couple, both on one moped. They looked as if they had seen a ghost. They had just had a similar experience traveling on their moped touring around the island. Although we had heard the sirens earlier in the day none of us were aware of the accident with the two 19 year old ladies until a few days later.
My question to all of the authority's who are responsible for the safety of everyone on the island, especially tourists who are not aware of this ongoing safety issue...WHY IS THERE NOT A BETTER WARNING SYSTEM IN PLACE WARNING TOURISTS OF THE RISKS THEY TAKE WHEN DRIVING A MOPED ON THE ISLAND? WHY CAN'T THERE BE A MINIMUM SPEED LIMIT POSTED OR DON'T ALLOW MOPEDS ON ROADS WITH A SPEED LIMIT 15 MPH FASTER THEN THE SPEED THEY CAN TRAVEL.
My group of friends will never return to Martha's Vineyard and will discourage anyone we know that plans to visit your Island. I hope you can resolve this problem before someone else is seriously injured. It would also be tragic if one of the disgruntled residence of the Island goes to prison for man slaughter.
Regretfully,
Daryl M.
All main roads should have a
RD WTAll main roads should have a minimum traveling speed, and if you cannot meet that speed on a motorized vehicle then you shouldn't be allowed on that road. EDG/WT Road is 45 mph with most people traveling just slightly above that. With a moped traveling just over 20mph I have seen 20+ cars back up in back of it If the speed limit is 45, then perhaps the minimum should be 35 - no need to ban them, they just won't be able to travel on the main roads of EDG/VH, EDG/WT, Barnes, State, Seaview etc...
Accidents happen everyday
John Aldeborgh Edgartown, MAAccidents happen everyday that never make the news but are equally as tragic yet no one calls for the banning of whatever concvence was being used. The point is all modes of transportation involve risk and it's the operators responsible to both not get in an unsafe vehicle or operate on beyond ones limits. In many countries no special license is required for bikes below 126cc's so the MA laws of 49cc's and 30mph are conservative. No law can prevent accidents which are essentially pilot error. So why penalize the rest of population.
Time to ban tourists
AriTime to ban tourists altogether. They aren't paying real estate taxes.
How about making a 25 year
Abby Normal The rockHow about making a 25 year old age minimum. Just like renting a car.
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