The proposed ban has been put to the state legislature several times in the past seven years and aims to halt the rentals in the name of safety.
One of the Island’s representatives in the Massachusetts State House testified in support of a bill Tuesday that would ban moped rentals in Oak Bluffs.
State Rep. Dylan Fernandes threw his support behind the bill, H.3726, during a hearing with the joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government.
The proposed ban has been put to the state legislature several times in the past seven years and aims to halt the rentals in the name of safety. Oak Bluffs is the only town that has moped rentals on the Island, and residents have long backed efforts to remove them because of reckless drivers and fatal crashes.
“Over the past four decades at least nine people have died from moped crashes on Island, and others have been left with really serious injuries,” said representative Fernandes. “We really hope that this is the year that we can put an end to mopeds being [rented] in Oak Bluffs.”
Representative Fernandes explained that most rental customers are tourists who have little to no training on the vehicles or experience on Island roads.
“[The roads] are very very sandy — this is a beach community,” he said. “And [renters] are very often getting into accidents where they’re losing limbs.”
On Sunday, a mother and daughter riding a moped rented in Oak Bluffs crashed near the roundabout. The mother said she slipped on loose sand, hit the curb and fell from the moped, according to an Oak Bluffs police report.
The mother suffered a broken collar bone, five broken ribs and a bruised lung, police wrote. The daughter hurt her knee.
At Tuesday’s hearing committee chair and State Rep. Carole Fiola emphasized the challenging nature of the bill since it protects public safety but eliminates a popular method of transportation that many vacationers rely on.
“I understand the concerns that are being raised,” she said. “It’s difficult being a vacation haven for everyone, [with people] just trying to figure out how to get around.”
Representative Fernandes added that e-bike rentals would not be regulated by the bill.
The ban likely faces an uphill battle in the state house. Oak Bluffs residents voted overwhelmingly in 2018 to petition the legislature for a home rule law that would enable the town to prohibit rentals. Mr. Fernandes and State Sen. Julian Cyr have filed the bill at least three other times in the past, but the home rule petition has struggled to gain traction and died in committee.
If the current bill is passed by lawmakers, it would go back to town meeting where voters would have to make a final change to town bylaws.
Comments
State Rep. Carole Fiola said:
Christins SengeState Rep. Carole Fiola said:
“I understand the concerns that are being raised,” she said. “It’s difficult being a vacation haven for everyone, [with people] just trying to figure out how to get around.”
Is Rep. Fiola, unaware that the island has a fleet of electric buses, running over the entire island, island taxis, as well as designated bike paths throughout most of it, and, electric bikes, would still be permitted? Given the services for transportation that we have on-island, her comment makes no sense.
People on vacation do not
Albert Hess GosnoldPeople on vacation do not want to ride busses or taxis.
They want to go when and where they want.
Electric bikes?
Bike paths?
40 miles per hour?
Rather than putting a stop on
Jesse Dennerlein Clearwater, FLRather than putting a stop on things and reducing our freedoms and the freedom of others how about promoting the option, electric bikes and scooters. Make them such an obvious choice to use that no one would bother using a mopeds. I've had one for 2 years now and love it, I very rarely drive my car anymore. It is so much easier to get places on the scooter.
What is the difference
Albert Hess GosnoldWhat is the difference between a scooter and a moped?
E-scooters and eBikes are
Laurence Vaughn EdgartownE-scooters and eBikes are slower and most cannot carry a passenger.
It's about time these
Vivian Spiro ChappaquiddickIt's about time these dangerous vehicles were taken off our roads! No special license or experience needed to drive one. Makes about as much sense as throwing someone who doesn't know how to swim into a pool.
No special license or
Albert Hess NaushonNo special license or experience needed to drive a forty mile an hour electric bicycle.
A lot more accidents and
Charlie Callahan So Boston/EdgartownA lot more accidents and injuries are caused by idiots that are drunk and high than by people on mopeds.
According to the state law, a
joe boston massAccording to the state law, a moped is defined as a motorized bicycle that has a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour. However, many of the mopeds on the island can go much faster than that, making them more like motorcycles than mopeds. This means that they should be subject to the same requirements as motorcycles, such as having insurance and inspection stickers.
However, rental mopeds do not have to have any insurance or inspection stickers, leaving the customers and other road users unprotected in case of an accident. This is irresponsible and unethical. The customers may not be aware of the risks they are taking when they rent these mopeds, and they may end up paying a lot of money for damages or injuries that they cause or suffer.
this should be proposed also
joe boston massthis should be proposed also if you can not stop rentals
An Act to Require Insurance and Inspection Stickers for Rental Mopeds in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 90 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 1B the following section:-
Section 1C. No person shall rent, lease, or otherwise provide a moped to another person for use on any way, as defined in section 1 of chapter 90, unless such moped is insured under a policy of motor vehicle liability insurance, as defined in section 34A of chapter 90, and has a valid inspection sticker issued by the registrar of motor vehicles or his authorized agent, as provided in section 7A of chapter 90. The person renting, leasing, or otherwise providing the moped shall ensure that the insurance policy and the inspection sticker are clearly displayed on the moped at all times.
SECTION 2. Whoever violates this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500 for each offense.
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