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Police go after scooter drivers in the Back Bay, South End and Fenway; seize 20 mopeds
By adamg on Fri, 07/26/2024 - 9:22am
Roving UHub photographer snapped minibikes on Boylston about to be hauled away.
Boston Police report seizing more than 20 scooters in take-out-heavy areas in the Back Bay, Fenway and the South End yesterday.
It's the second such sweep in the Back Bay this month. Police say:
Officers were assigned to moped and scooter enforcement in attempt to further educate operators that are improperly licensed outside of their license class, being operated by individuals without a license, or operating vehicles that are improperly registered or uninsured.
As a result of this enforcement, twenty mopeds were seized and towed for various violations of motor vehicle laws and parking violations. Sixteen criminal complaints are being sought operators have been advised that this particular traffic enforcement is ongoing.
Police say they hit the 500 block of Boylston Street, which has a cluster of places that cater to delivery services, the area of Huntington Avenue and Gainsborough Street, which is similarly populated with take-out places and the area around the Ink Block.
Back Bay residents have been filing 311 complaints about scooters on sidewalks for months now.
Earlier this month, BPD did a similar sweep along Washington Street in Downtown Crossing, after a similar action in Mattapan.
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Comments
If only they were seizing the vehicles of …
…. dangerous scofflaw drivers and illegally parked cars. How much safer the streets would actually be.
This just another cop out by the cops.
Not at all. This is exactly
Not at all. This is exactly what the police should do. Well done!
Why not both?
Both are a problem.
I'd be willing to bet they get a lot more calls about scooters than they do about illegally parked cars. Maybe they should get more complaints about cars but that's not what happens in practice.
FWIW, I've started to see a lot of motorized scooters drive on the bike paths (Esplanade, GLX path, etc.) and lanes, particularity at night when they think they can go full speed. I wish there was some enforcement of that. I've had to swerve to avoid these assholes more than cars as of late.
Same
I've been seeing a fair number of motor scooters on the Minuteman lately, often riding absolutely flat-out. It feels like there's an enforcement opportunity for Arlington and Lexington in there somewhere.
You have to understand
For some, it's "2 wheels good, 4 wheels bad." Therefore, scooter drivers get a pass.
The illegal mopeds are
The illegal mopeds are obnoxious but I’ve never heard of them killing people around here. Car/truck/suv drivers are exponentially worse considering they kill 40,000 Americans per year and take up way more space.
I guess you don't use a wheelchair or push a stroller
Vehicles parked on the sidewalks are a major problem for people with disabilities - especially those in wheelchairs, pushing kids in strollers, with luggage, etc. Very thankful that the police are doing something about this - it's a serious safety issue.
No matter the type of vehicle
No matter the type of vehicle, pedestrians and cyclists are in the right to defend themselves from vehicles illegally parked on sidewalks, crosswalks or bike lanes. Keys and spray paint are popular self defense tools in these situations.
Self defense of a parked car?
Lol, what self defense? Your dumb ass running into them because your kit is too tight and is cutting off blood flow to your brain?
Only slime balls
damage other people's property.
"popular" is doing a lot of work here...
...as is "self-defense". No one likes vehicles parked on the sidewalk except the losers parking them there. And no one I know, pedestrian or cyclist, responds with keys or spraypaint, much less does so and tries to call it "self-defense".
119 North Beacon St.
Every weekday mornings there are usually 10-12 cars parked illegally in tow zones or on the sidewalk. Once a week, there is a big box truck thats fully accross the sidewalk and well into the road.
Check out the street view for the truck issue:
https://shorturl.at/5JgNT
Months of 311 cases, most are closed hours later as "all clear" and if further assistance is needed, to call 311. Or they are just never closed at all. BPD rolls by, does nothing.
What do residents of this part of Brighton need to do to get this addressed? Is it not as performative as towing mopeds in the Back Bay?
Spaulding is right across the street, so beyond residents, patients and visitors can't really just "go around" this, which is the typical excuse from some cranks. We're also supposedly getting a two-way bike lane on that side of the road, so can't wait for that to be completely blocked with zero enforcement.
Annoy everyone, that's how
The authorities don't care about the same small group of people who complain about these jerks often. For something to happen, Wu, city councilors, and state reps need to be getting dozens of calls a day, every day, from people they don't normally hear from. Bonus points of these people are also those who donate to their campaigns and locally known.
Its a wonderful system we have!
Legalize citizen reporting like they did for idling cars in NYC and lets just move the hell on.
https://malegislature.gov
https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator
Emailed both already but thanks!
Fun fact, this road falls right on the district line between the 18th and 17th districts.
Also, welcome newcomer to the Hub. You'll love it here!
Thanks!
Thanks!
“Performative” is exactly what this is. Well said.
Classist also. Cops don’t go after drivers, they go after those who drivers want off the roads. As most of those scooters are used by low income people trying to scrape together a living in a high income neighborhood, cops know who they are supposed to target.
A $70,000, two ton suv parked
A $70,000, two ton suv parked illegally? Ignored. A two wheeled vehicle parked illegally? Driver arrested and vehicle confiscated. Both should be treated equally and ticketed and towed.
Were these poor people also
Were these poor people also trying to provoke public debate? If so, they might deserve a good police beating.
Magoo sez.
Magoo’s biker/street handle is M-Goo. Magoo.
We have idling laws on the
We have idling laws on the books. It is a conscious choice of the executive branch not to direct BPD and BTD and the Park Rangers to enforce them. Because Boston's Air Pollution Control Commission is a circus run by clowns.
"conscious choice" lol
A "conscious choice" would be Mayor Wu calling BPD and BTD and the Park Rangers and telling them NOT to enforce it, you numpty.