Pedestrians or cyclists who might have had a near
miss from one of those noisy scooters, sometimes ridden by children
not long out of primary school, will be relieved to know that North Wales
Police have issued a warning against buying them for children as a
Christmas present
In a statement Inspector Brian Robinson of
the Traffic Dept warns that Go-peds or Buzzboards can only be used by children
on private
land and not on roads or footpaths. These scooters are constructed
with a board, two wheels, a steering handle, and a fitted engine capable of speeds
up to 25 mph.
If they are to be used on the highway riders must be 16 years of age or over, have
at least a provisional licence, and in due course pass a Compulsory Basic
Test. They must also have the following
A driving licence for that category of
vehicle.
A helmet, if the distance between the
wheels is greater than 460mm
Tax (vehicle excise licence)
Insurance (minimum third party)
Number plates
Brakes (exempt if vehicle is unable to
exceed 25mph)
Indicators
Audible warning instrument if the
vehicle is able to achieve speeds in excess of 20mph
A speedometer (exempt if vehicle is
unable to exceed 25mph
Some of us might be tempted to ask why the
adults using these machines haven't considered buying a good lightweight cycle
instead. They're much more fun - and you can hear yourself think
as well!