Texas Motorized Bicycle Laws -- Tickets

[Mountainman]

politicians -- e mails -- court ???

When these politicians start getting thier inbox cranked on by members accross the States, in support of our brother (who was probably unjustly targeted for V+T enforcement), maybe attitudes will change toward our hobby.

If they get a ton of nicely worded e-mails (before the court date), I doubt the politicians will want to risk embarassment inorder to nail one of our guy's to a cross.

sorry to brake this news to you -- maybe I am wrong -- hope so -- but

from many past dealings with politicians -congressmen and senators
once something is set to go to court
thus someone has been thought to have done wrong
politicians WILL NOT GET INVOLVED AT THIS POINT...

they are known NOT to go against any already set in place laws...

ok Mountainman -- how do you know this
well - I have asked a court favor from a congressman friend
and was told by his head of staff -- they can not do that for ANYONE
you see -- they have family members just like all of us
who sometimes get into trouble with the law -- courts
no favors granted or asked for regarding court !!!

this is how it TRULY WORKS -- think about it -- it makes sense.......

changing the law or laws before the fact
is another story
if anything -- this may be the place to start

Mountainman lives in Calif -- our MB laws are pretty darn cool !!!
and as we know Ariz MB laws are dang darn super real cool !!!

always makes it nice when one wishes to -- ride that thing

 

[Member 5549]

Just thinking about how the FEDS can jack up the states when they want something.

1). FEDS forced RFG on the Dallas Fort Worth area (DFW) RFG is reformulated Gasoline that contained a very bad cancer causing compound ( unknown at the time, or was it)
They said it was becuse our air quality was below standards.
If we did not comply our Fed Highway money would be with held.

2). Speed Limit's don't comply and we withhold money.

3). Those muffler sniffing machines on the on ramps that measure emissions, To try to prove we are complying.

Maybe we could get the FEDS to jack up the state to follow fed law when it comes to M/B's ?????? The only way to get there attention is to threaten the MONEY !!!!

Becuse M/B's are helping reduce emissions and help the state comply with the FEDS mandate.

Just thinking out loud !!!!!

 

[machiasmort]

Sean,

I'm tryin to get people organized in NY right now!

They are a pretty p'o'ed bunch right now, Everything is illegal here, especially if it's fun!

 

[xPosTech]

Maybe we could get the FEDS to jack up the state to follow fed law when it comes to M/B's ?????? The only way to get there attention is to threaten the MONEY !!!!

Becuse M/B's are helping reduce emissions and help the state comply with the FEDS mandate.

Just thinking out loud !!!!!

Hate to bust your bubble but these 2 strokes are spewing out many times their share of emissions. A tailpipe sniffer checkpoint would kill them off for sure if EPA has their way.

Their days are numbered anyway. A shame. Nothing compares to the power per weight of a well tuned 2 stroke. Maybe computerized emissions control will prolong their life.

Lets keep our fingers crossed.

Ted

 

[mouchyn]

True. These Chinese 2-cycle engines probably pollute as much as 50 cars in terms of particulate emissions.

Pollution isn't a legal problem in Texas. If it was, the problem is solved easily enough by using a 4-cycle engine with a catalyst or any EPA CARB approved engine. As soon as I get approval for MBs on campus, I'll be switching to a Honda GX50 4-cycle setup.

As more of a general update:

TAMU PD is still prosecuting MB riders. It is becoming clearer as to why MBs are such a problem on campus. There are a number of MB riders around here with obviously illegal rigs. A few that I have seen are quite capable of speeds greater than 50 mph without pedaling. These riders have been videotaped weaving in and out of traffic like an irresponsible sport-bike rider. Accidents and injuries from MBs have been reported for both motor vehicles and pedestrians on campus.

It's not fair, but it's understandable. These illegal bikes and operation DO need to be policed for the safety of everyone else on the road.

I have not got anywhere with Spencer Giles (county attorney for transportation affairs). I'm going to write a letter to the elected County Attorney.

I was going to just take this whole mess to court with a new set of citations, but the appeal process is expensive and I cannot afford a lawyer. The point of my MB was to save money on parking and gas!

 

[Member 5549]

I saw a car back in the late 80's when the Berlin Wall came down, It was called a tribant AKA the little stinker. They were built in East Germany and were 2 strokers.
West Germany would not allow them so they all got scrapped, An American bought one and got a 1 Year exibition permit to bring it to the states for car shows but it had to be crushed when the permit ran out. And was not allowed to even be started in the U.S. much less driven anywhere.
so yea the goverment is not a fan of the stroker's !! Heck they wanted to ban Diesal cars also, you don't see any except the VW TDI's, and I don't know if they still sell them. anymore.

 

[AlphaGeek]

Hate to bust your bubble but these 2 strokes are spewing out many times their share of emissions. A tailpipe sniffer checkpoint would kill them off for sure if EPA has their way.

I'd just like to point out that my Tanaka PF-3300 33cc 2-stroke and its big brother, the PF-4000 40cc are both CARB-certified and legal to operate under California's quite stringent air-quality standards. The stock muffler incorporates a catalytic-converter element.

It's definitely possible to build and sell a clean-burning 2-stroke at a reasonable price. I've seen new-in-box PF-4000's available online recently for around US$230 ready-to-run.

-AG

 

[Member 5549]

People think that if they see some smoke come out of a engine that is dirty.
When in fact it's the stuff you cant see thats really whats bad. So if you want to get techinical any internal combustion engine is bad for the envirenment.
But you know all these enviromentalst and so full of it.
When the Earth is tired of humans trashing it, It will get rid of all of us , like it has done for Billions of years, so why bother .. " Global Warming should be the least of our worries"
How bout a ice age anyone !!!

 

[himmelberg]

Seems to be an awful lot of issues with sticking a little motor on a bicycle in Texas. I've not seen a motorized bike around here and am wondering if there aren't more important things involved in riding a bike in west Texas.

There are folk here who ride fancy bikes with their helmets and wind cheating spandex cycle suits. You can find them on the highway to Odessa and other wide open spaces. Many times you will hear of one of them being run over by a car or truck.

Strange that we have all this space yet still find a way to run over cyclists. Having a motor on a bike probably won't help any more than a helmet on a guy run over by an F-350 going 85mph.

My original thought was to fix myself up with some inexpensive transportation for the two mile trek to school and home each weekday. I am an elementary fine arts teacher so you know I'm no wuss, but I am having second thoughts.

catching on, himmelberg

 

[xPosTech]

I'd just like to point out that my Tanaka PF-3300 33cc 2-stroke and its big brother, the PF-4000 40cc are both CARB-certified and legal to operate under California's quite stringent air-quality standards. The stock muffler incorporates a catalytic-converter element.

It's definitely possible to build and sell a clean-burning 2-stroke at a reasonable price. I've seen new-in-box PF-4000's available online recently for around US$230 ready-to-run.

-AG

My PK 80 sticker on the magneto cover says:

This engine is certified to operate on unleaded gasoline.
This engine conforms to U.S. EPA regulations for small non road engines.
EMISSIONS COMPLIANCE PERIOD: 50 HOURS
Engine Displacement: 65.9 cc
Date of Manufacture: 5/2008
Exhaust Emission Control: OC
Lubrication Requirements: JASO FC

I added the emphasis to non road engines. I don't think they ship this engine to CA, so CARB refuses to certify it for road or non road use, or even allow it to be sold in state.

It wouldn't surprise me that the white 2" X 3" sticker on my engine is bogus. It's just a plain, white lickem stickem sticker. Not the Engine family, power rating, etc. of a legitimate EPA Certification decal.

Are you saying that your engine is certified for road use by the EPA and CARB? Or certified for non road use? If it's certified road use it has probably been certified by a scooter manufacturer.

These engines won't be around forever. If anyone out there thinks they are anemic now, wait till they get smogged up. And then one day they will probably be destroyed at the docks if imported (and discovered).

The last power head I bought for my weedeater, pruner, etc. is EPA/CARB certified for non road use, BTW. For 200 hours.

Ted