50cc Scooters and motorized Bicycles

[TomW]

My wife and I both have 50cc Honda scooters and we ride them frequently around our college town neighborhoods. When weather permits, I ride mine 3 miles to work. They get just under 100 mpg! We intend to bring them with us when we eventually move to TV. I don't see many around but saw a few on our last visit in Feb. These do not require a license or plate. We plan to ride them on the roads and not the rec trails but I don't know what the requirements are for using the trails. Would they be welcome there as well? Top speed with a fair wind at our back is about 35. Much more pleasant at 20 mph though. Comments??

[redwitch]

My daughter has a scooter. You do have to have it registered to ride it on the streets here. No insurance is required (duh!). As long as you keep it under 20 mph, you can ride it on the trails. Personally, I think Florida has some dumb laws for scooters and motorcycles -- you have to wear eye covering (glasses, a helmet with eye protection) but you do not have to wear a helmet (double duh!).

As to being welcomed on the trails, no problem. Anything but cars and trucks seem to be allowed and all are shared. If you're going 20 mph, don't be surprised if you're passed by golf carts (even though I read today that the Sheriff's dept is going to start ticketing anyone going over 25 mph on the trails). The biggest problem my daughter has found is that some people pass too close and she's gone into the grass just to feel safe.

[TomW]

I called the Florida BMV a couple of months ago and they said a plate wasn't required for that class of scooter. Is there a separate registration for the county or TV? We have insurance on both scooters for liability protection and wouldn't dream of getting on them without a helmet. A while back I spent a week in the hospital after a (large size) motorcycle wreck and more than one nurse mentioned that they can fix arms and legs pretty well but they can't fix heads. Still have a little hitch in the gitalong from that one.

[redwitch]

I just know I called Sumter County DMV and they said it had to be registered if it was driven on the road. If you keep it on the trails and bike lanes, no problem.