– A few people feel it expands to include all of the counties mentioned above and further. – “If your county has a metro station in it, it’s in the DMV” was a very popular response that many agreed with. Places like Waldorf, MD, Annapolis, MD, and Woodbridge, VA.– Some think the DMV expands to include the entirety of the counties surrounding DC, plus some of the counties beyond that, t his includes : As far as Rockville, Gaithersburg, etc.– Most feel that the DMV expands beyond the areas bordering D.C., including: Oxon Hill, Temple Hills, Suitland, Capital Heights, Hyattsville, College Park, etc.Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, etc.This includes places like Bethesda and Silver Spring in MoCo.– Almost everyone feels that the areas immediately surrounding DC are part of the DMV: Almost everyone familiar with the term considered all of DC as being in the DMV. Below are some notes based on the feedback we received: §§ 4513.21, 4513.23, few weeks back we wrote a piece that told “The Story Behind The DMV.” This led to a fun debate on what the area referred to as the DMV is actually made up of. We took all of your thoughts and opinions, threw in some of ours, and put together the map in our featured photo that shows a general opinion of what people think the DMV actually consists of. Ultimately, Columbus riders should enjoy the scooters while they are here and hope that state and local legislators resolve these legal issues in favor of the new multimodal transportation option. This statement declines to comment on what legal category the scooters do fall under, but it again hints at a more lenient approach. Similarly, a spokesperson for the BMV stated that the Bird and Lime scooters do not fall into any of the applicable categories for titling and registration. This statement ignores the harder legal question of whether Bird and Lime scooters qualify as motorized scooters to begin with but it is a promising sign that the City Attorney is not taking a firm stance against the scooters. The Columbus City Attorney’s office has indicated that there is currently no license or permit requirements for motorized scooters within Columbus. Some Ohio agencies and law enforcement organizations have been slow to criticize the scooters’ legal status. It is unclear what additional steps these jurisdictions are taking against the companies.ĭespite legal questions, there may be some hope for Bird and Lime’s future in Columbus. Bexley police noted scooters parked on the sidewalk violated city of Bexley regulations involving transient dealers. For example, Upper Arlington and Bexley impounded several Bird scooters within days of their deployment in Columbus. Some local jurisdictions have already taken an aggressive stance against Bird and Lime Scooters. Further, although both companies encourage users to wear helmets when operating the scooters, Ohio law also requires that motorcycle riders wear protective eyewear if the vehicle does not have a windscreen. However, neither company’s scooters would qualify as “roadworthy” motor scooters under Ohio law, because they lack side and rearview mirrors, turn signals, and horns. Alternatively, if the scooters are classified as “motor scooters”-a subset of motorcycles-then operators would need a motorcycle license or an endorsement on their driver’s license, and each scooter would need to be titled. If the scooters are deemed “mopeds” or “motorized bicycles,” the Ohio BMV will require registration, license plates, and rear-view mirrors, all of which Bird and Lime’s scooters lack. ĭepending on how these scooters are categorized, state license and title requirements could drive Bird and Lime out of Ohio entirely. For example, under state law, they are not “motorcycles” because they lack a seat or saddle, nor are they “low-speed” or “under-speed” vehicles, as they only have two wheels. Currently, the scooters do not conform to any of the existing categories of motor vehicles set out in state and local law. However, additional legal requirements and restrictions surrounding their use will remain unclear until city and state officials determine a more specific category for the scooters. While these scooters may be a new and exciting transportation alternative, questions over their legal status under current law makes it difficult to discern whether their time in Columbus will be short-lived.īoth companies’ scooters fall under the broad category of “motor vehicles” as defined by Ohio law, and riding them on sidewalks is prohibited throughout the state. Bird and Lime are the latest companies to introduce innovative and disruptive technologies that challenge longstanding laws, which can be slow to adapt to technological change. This month, start-up companies Bird and Lime added Columbus to the list of cities with access to their electric scooters.
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