Scoot coupe return quashed by OC Council

This scoot coupe will remain inside Fun Cycles on 26th Street because the Ocean City Council voted against a measure that would allow the three-wheeled vehicles on city streets. (July 24, 2009) Two weeks ago, the resort's Police Commission, comprised of the mayor, three council members and police officials, supported a proposal to allow the scooter coupes to ride on city-owned streets. This week, all that changed and it is the end of the road for the threewheeled, two-seat vehicles.

At Monday's council meeting, what looked like a done deal went sour, as a council majority opposed allowing the small vehicles on the roads, saying they did not feel they are a safe way to get around. The vehicles were denied with a 4-3 vote.

"I have a lot of concerns with this," Councilman Doug Cymek said.

Cymek is on the Police Commission and initially supported the return of the scoot coupes, which were taken off the roads after just a few weeks when the city learned they are classified as a motorized minibike and are not allowed on state roads. The city then learned the vehicles can be permitted locally, but only if driven on city-owned roads.

Councilman Doug Cymek In Ocean City, that regulation removes Coastal Highway, most of Philadelphia Avenue and Baltimore Avenue south of 15th Street. With Fun Cycles, the store hoping to rent the scoot coupes, located on the east side of 26th Street, that would only allow the riders to travel on Baltimore Avenue from 15th to 32nd Streets because they can't even cross the state-owned roads.

"If we lock them in to 15th to 33rd, I think we're just asking for trouble, setting people up for a catastrophe," Cymek said.

Council Secretary Lloyd Martin, who also supported the vehicles at the Police Commission level, said Baltimore Avenue is one of the busiest and least safe roads in town and he didn't feel comfortable knowing the scoot coupe riders would only be able to use that road.

Only one Police Commission member, Councilman Jim Hall, maintained his support for the vehicles. The owners of Fun Cycles have been working closely with the police department to make sure the vehicles meet a level of safety acceptable to the police, he said, and did not want to deny them the right to rent the coupes after all their efforts.

"Obviously something's changed between the last Police Commission and tonight that nobody has told me about," Hall said. "This has been a really unfortunate situation. I wish that you all would let them try. Let's try to give a working family a break."

But his only real support came from Councilman Joe Hall, who said he would only support the scoot coupes if they were restricted to the Baltimore Avenue location to avoid other operators opening up and bringing more to town. Councilwoman Margaret Pillas also voted for Jim Hall's motion to allow the vehicles, but for a different reason: if the city outlaws these, it should also outlaw bicycles and scooters, because she said they are just as unsafe.

"I really don't see the difference between the scooters and bikes on the highway," Pillas said. "To be perfectly frank with you, I don't want to see any of these on the highways."

The other council members were concerned with the small size of the scoot coupes. It's hard for other drivers to see them, Council President Joe Mitrecic said, especially big delivery trucks that could severely injure the riders in a collision.

"You could put a flag on it 20 feet in the air and the chances are they're not going to see it," he said.

Capt. Mike Colbert of the Ocean City Police Department said the operators have worked with the department to add more safety features to the vehicles, including lights and orange flags on the back. He said the police department "is taking a neutral stance on whether to allow these or not."

"We are more concerned for the safety too," Fun Cycles co-owner Peter Gikurias said. "These are very safe, I promise you. Very safe."

Immediately before this discussion, the council voted to require rental scooter riders to wear helmets, and Mayor Rick Meehan did not want to see the city make one aspect of the roads safer while making another less safe. He is a Police Commission member but was not in attendance at the meeting when the scoot coupes were supported.

"I think maybe it's a little quick to do this ordinance," Meehan said. "I don't think it's a good idea to solve one problem...and create another one."

The council could not come to a consensus on the matter. Jim Hall, Joe Hall and Pillas contended the vehicles are no less safe than bicycles or scooters, while the rest of the council disagreed.

"I was surprised at how low to the ground it was. I was surprised how small it was," Councilwoman Mary Knight said.