WARNING to all Englewood 49cc'rs... Stay off Broadway?

[LiteW8]

Well, I heard back from Officer O'Connor.  I included my phone number in the e-mail and much to my surprise he called me at 7:20am this morning.  He was very polite and it seemed very glad that I had answered his phone call.  The Englewood Police are now enforcing the Englewood City law that says no 50cc or smaller 'scooter' can travel on any road with a posted speed limit higher than 30MPH.  He said this law was enacted in 2004 during the Go-Ped craze so they (Go-Ped's) could not ride on the streets, and unfortunatly since we ride 'scooters' we are included in that law.  He did say that it is a high priority for the City Council to talk about 'real scooters vs GoPed's and such' and changing this law to be more inline with the other surrounding cities.  But unitll this happens they will continue to pull over ANYTHING without a plate on ANY road with a posted speed limit higher than 30MPH.  You could fight and win that case I would bet, but it may not be worth the hassle for some.  He did State that the entire Police Force has been updated on the new scooter laws that were enacted on July 1st of this year, so if your not legal you may want to avoid Englewood or get legal!

Now to what I was really concerned about.  The Englewood Police ARE NOT TAGETING THE RUCKUS!  They are targeting any scooter without a plate that they see on any street with a posted speed limit higher than 30MPH.  If the majority of scooters they see and pull over on Broadway happen to be the Ruckus than that it is a different story.  But he told me very firmly that they would not target a particular type of scooter over another, no matter what one Officer says that is not the desire of the Police Force as a whole while enfocing their city laws.  He used the word 'profiling' so that pretty much tells me that going after just Ruckus owner's or any scooter just for how it looks would classify as such.  

What one Officer does and what the Police Force has told them to do are two very different things.  That's why some Cops may not even give you a second look while others are gonna be assholes.

Riders Beware.

[Classico Aleks]

Is south Broadway 35mph or something?  I thought it was only 30mph - or is that only in the "old Englewood" part of Broadway?

[LiteW8]

Broadway is 35MPH except for the stretch through Downtown Englewood which is 30MPH.  Basically Dartmouth to Old Hampden is 30MPH, everything North and South of that is 35MPH.

[Classico Aleks]

Broadway is 35MPH except for the stretch through Downtown Englewood which is 30MPH.  Basically Dartmouth to Old Hampden is 30MPH, everything North and South of that is 35MPH.

Okay, I did't know.  I've just always assumed it was 30 - my bad.

[LiteW8]

No worries.  It's good info for people to know either way, no matter the scoot they are on.

[scooterburn]

I just saw two motorcycle cops at Sportique... I hope Colin is showing what 49ers SHOULD be allowed on Broadway right now.



and as a side note... I ride to and from work 5 days a week on Broadway. I think the cops recognize me by now (and don't bother with me anymore if I'm lucky) because I haven't been pulled over in Engelwood for a while now.

[LiteW8]

Maybe he can chime in with what they told him.

[scooterburn]

I passed a copper on the way to work this morning. He didn't care.  

[Uncle Lumpy]

State law trumps city laws, especially on a state road, such as Broadway.
Asking a police officer is like asking a pitbull what his territory is.  They assume that this is theirs, and it most definitely is not.
They may be awaiting some arbitrary city council correction on the matter, but ANY officer that would assume to ticket, or even harass a scooterist, would have hell to pay, should any county judge be bothered with a case entering his/her courtroom, doomed to be an omelette on their face.
If you are ticketed, fight it, and be sure to show up for the court date.  A nice dish of revenge is well plated upon the permanent record of an ass with a badge.  Any decent officer, deserving of their position, will obey the intent of the law, and keep their nose clean.  The letter of the law is, more often than not, riddled with flaws.
Ride safe.  Ride legal.  And, be sure to keep just enough of a chip on your shoulder to stand up for your rights.
Barney Fife can kiss my ever-stinkin' ass.

[scooterburn]

Still riding Broadway everyday with no problems. 

[Uncle Lumpy]

Ditto!

[mark]

Well, I heard back from Officer O'Connor.  I included my phone number in the e-mail and much to my surprise he called me at 7:20am this morning.  He was very polite and it seemed very glad that I had answered his phone call.  The Englewood Police are now enforcing the Englewood City law that says no 50cc or smaller 'scooter' can travel on any road with a posted speed limit higher than 30MPH.  He said this law was enacted in 2004 during the Go-Ped craze so they (Go-Ped's) could not ride on the streets, and unfortunatly since we ride 'scooters' we are included in that law.  He did say that it is a high priority for the City Council to talk about 'real scooters vs GoPed's and such' and changing this law to be more inline with the other surrounding cities.  But unitll this happens they will continue to pull over ANYTHING without a plate on ANY road with a posted speed limit higher than 30MPH.  You could fight and win that case I would bet, but it may not be worth the hassle for some.  He did State that the entire Police Force has been updated on the new scooter laws that were enacted on July 1st of this year, so if your not legal you may want to avoid Englewood or get legal!

Riders Beware.

i think i may call him. as i pointed out before, the state calls what we ride X, and the city specifically mentions X, Y, and Z in the statute but when it comes to the speed part it only mentions Y and Z, not what we ride, X. this should make X legal to ride since it isn't specifically pointed out to be prohibited.

or i may not since it sounds like a lot of time and effort and they probably have their interpretation set.

[LiteW8]

i think i may call him. as i pointed out before, the state calls what we ride X, and the city specifically mentions X, Y, and Z in the statute but when it comes to the speed part it only mentions Y and Z, not what we ride, X. this should make X legal to ride since it isn't specifically pointed out to be prohibited.

or i may not since it sounds like a lot of time and effort and they probably have their interpretation set.

I think the more people that call him will better our chances will be that they do something about this sooner than later.  This is the number that Officer O'Connor called me from:
303-781-7189

[Uncle Lumpy]

Only freeways have a speed minimum.