Under Florida DUI laws one of the most prominent DUI penalties following a drunk driving conviction is the loss of driving privileges. Many people don’t know the loss of privileges extends to all motorized vehicles that require a Florida driver’s license. The owner of Sunset Scooters in Clearwater knows this because he turned away numerous customers convicted of DUI by letting them know they would not be able to drive legally on one of his scooters.
That got Doug Vitello and his partner Gary Parr thinking about finding a street legal mode of transportation that did not require a driver’s license that would allow convicted drunk drivers to get to work and the store without relying solely on public transportation. The pair did some research and found a electric scooter produced in China and sold out of California that reach up to 20 MPH. Best part for the pair is that they are legal to drive without a license.
The electric scooters look like gas-powered mopeds but they have pedals. The bikes can travel about 25 miles on a single charge. They are legal to ride without a license because they fit the description of low-speed electric bikes under state and federal law. The business owners recommend that people with DUI convictions and no license keep a copy of the law laminated on the scooter just in case. The cost for the scooter is between $1200 – $2000.
The new mode of transport may not violate DUI laws but has not been embraced by law enforcement or M.A.D.D. In Pinellas County the scooters are under review by law enforcement according to TampaBay.com. In Hillsborough County the sheriff’s department was completely unaware of the scooters. The pair of Tampa Bay businessmen have begun to work with some Tampa DUI lawyers but mostly the scooters are selling due to word of mouth. The pair figures they sell about 10 a month.
