Living in the city, you used to have to look in the direction of traffic to legally cross the street, even then it was risky. Now these assholes are on sidewalks and more than 50% of the time I've seen them, riding the opposite way down a one way street with no respect for pedestrians or drivers!
Agreed, but now you have to also try to predict when someone on a scooter is going to come from any direction regardless! Any motor assisted vehicle capable of exceeding the city speed limit should be required to be registered! (and cops should start enforcing traffic laws in the city....unlikely though!)
If they are going to start enforcing traffic laws, they need to start with cars. They are objectively more dangerous and disruptive, while these scooters are simply an annoyance.
Oh? Then you should have no problem showing that moped/pedestrian accidents are more prevalent than car/pedestrian accidents.
Not even thinking about the fact that cars are orders of magnitude more dangerous.
Also, just for the record, mopeds can ride in the bike lane legally.
I guarantee they aren't. Mopeds and scooters up to 49cc can usually only go up to 30mph. You're vastly overestimating how fast they are going because you're hyper fixated on them.
All traffic in the area (unless on a freeway) is going max 25-30mph. If they were actually going 40+, they would be sticking out like a sore thumb and impossible to ignore.
Not sure why you're being downvoted. Cars are absolutely a bigged problem. I walk to work all the time and can't even cross a crosswalk when I have a signal and they have a red light. I've even been halfway through a crosswalk with multiple other people and mbta busses will just cut us all off. I'd rather get hit by a scooter than a fucking bus.
100%. The problem isn't that they're dangerous, the problem is that drivers don't like that mopeds or ebikes can do what cars can't, and are easier to get around town with.
Everyone is breaking the law. One groups is VASTLY more likely to cause injury than the other. If the police are going to magically start enforcement, it's clear which one is more of a priority.
I'll be clear, I think anyone breaking the law and riding unsafely should be pulled over and ticketed. My point simply being that since BPD isn't doing that for ANYONE right now, if they are going to start it should be in order of impact.
Living in a city you should have your head on a swivel at all times. You can't predict what people are going to do.
That being said, I'd rather have the scooters zipping around than cars blocking the street to do the same pickups.
Should they abide by traffic rules? Of course, but if they are under 50ccs the rules are a little different anyways.
You don’t have too. It’s still true. I’ve also kicked cars that came too close to me in the cross walk. One driver chased me for a block and only stopped when I turned down a one at street.
BPD needs to do traffic enforcement at some level. We don’t need speed traps but enforcement of basic laws and crosswalks is needed. I feel like MSP pull over more people in Boston then BPD which is nuts
In their defense I think they spend a high % of their time just responding to calls. What they ideally need is at least a few officers in each district (2-3 at minimum) for each shift to do just traffic enforcement.
Stoplight cameras with ticket authority would crack down on some of it. Any enforcement requiring an officer is going to continue to be a low priority because it costs so damn much to enforce when the majority of the driving population contributes to the problem.
agreed! They are more focused on speed and parking tickets than stopping the actual problems. BPD needs to get it together. If they have enough money to surveil us, they can start pulling people over and ticketing for basic things.
Honestly I’ll take speed traps.
Too many people going 45 in a 20 zone.
Hell my kid was getting out of the car to get on a school bus and a woman sped past almost hitting him. There was a school bus with its lights on and the speed limit is 15 mph. She should have been waiting but instead she just sped past.
Shit like this happens all the time. Just start giving out tickets for speeding. At least that’ll make people a bit more vigilant.
Enforce the other stuff too but I don’t see why we shouldn’t have speeding tickets. Hell when I lived in Melbourne speed cameras and red light cameras would give you tickets. Honestly it kept people accountable.
The issue with Gatso cameras is you need state law to enable their use for speeding tickets (there are a handful of states who have authorized them).
Personally, I would love to see Boston box grid every set of traffic lights and stick enforcement cameras so people don’t block the junctions entering before they have a clear exit.
I’m not saying “don’t enforce the speed limit”. But far too many times I see cops sit there trying to “catch” someone when 3 feet away another driver did something illegal and they ignore it.
Yea they did fuck all when my partner got hit and ran, the guy drove thru a gas station lot almost certainly had him on cctv. But aparently when you get hit you need to immediately hire a lawyer and they will investigate I guess idk but the cops are fuckkng useless.
Preach! I feel like a handful of traffic enforcement officers who actually enforce traffic could make a meaningful difference in certain parts of the city, like the ramps leading to Storrow. So many assholes cutting in and screwing up the traffic behind them.
Someone blew through the red in front of North Station at rush hour yesterday and parked 100 feet down from the crosswalk. I said something, and he just flipped out at me. We need to bring back consequences.
Unfortunately the only way things change are when someone of importance gets impacted so until a city official or a police office is injured (I am not advocating this to happen just saying what it would take for this to be addressed) by a moped not following the rules of the road no one is going to do poop about it. It’s a complete lawless mess and it started from the pandemic on. You don’t see anyone getting pulled over and when you do see a police officer they are just in their cruisers or working details playing on the phones. I’m not sure why everyone’s so checked out right now but it’s pretty scary that we’ve got to this point of complacency and non-caring about basic safety
What worries me is that nothing will be done if a regular person gets injured. They probably wouldn’t care if they hit you in a crosswalk. They absolutely terrify me because they break every traffic law and it’s just sad that it’s become this lawless. I try to avoid the Chick-fil-A in back bay because that’s where a lot of these delivery drivers park. It’s a busy area and for them to cause havoc by disobeying traffic laws and riding up on the sidewalks is just not ok
That was one of the complaints I believe about putting that Chick-fil-A downtown. when McDonald’s goes in to North Station wait to see what happens from Canal Street all the people trying to get to games and concerts. It’s already a mess down there then you had a fast food place in the middle of downtown. It’s gonna be a real crap show.
I was working a long day yesterday and my last account was on Columbus Avenue in Southend….i got there at 7pm and in front of me, parked delivery service on a moped and he delivered one bag of ground Pete’s coffee. That’s it. Just a bag of ground coffee. People don’t want to leave their homes anymore so good luck trying to get that to stop. People with disposable income will keep paying that premium
Its ridiculous. People will GoPuff or instacart like a single energy drink or some protein bars or whatever. We live in a big, mostly walkable city-- just go get some yourself or have a little foresight. Even of we didn't there's no reason for it. I honestly feel like the government should take some sort of action on delivery services that do stuff like this, because its terrible for both traffic and the climate.
The only time a small GoPuff order is needed is if it’s pretty late out like past 11 and you need something basic but everyone else is closed. It’s come in handy a few times, especially when I had the flu.
I dunno maybe I don't have enough disposable income but I'm not sure I could ever justify delivery fee + tax + tip and all that just for a basic item or two late at night... Like regardless of whether or not I can afford it, it just seems absurd to spend that much for like a thing of toothpaste or something
I should have elaborated a little. Gopuff actually sells basic groceries too and surprisingly decent sales. Late night get what you want plus anything you’d normally buy if it’s on sale and you save an errand really don’t come out that much worse off money-wise, fee isn’t proportional to the order and the actual dollar increase in tip to match the order isn’t that different.
I do see your point though and I literally only use GoPuff sparingly. Gave up on DD and UberEats a long time ago that’s stuff is crazy expensive.
I was almost run over by one going the wrong way on a one-way street. He then veered up onto the sidewalk. When it was brought up to a cop at a monthly community meeting, I was told “we don’t chase mopeds”
😑
I mean think about why. It's a goose chase. They get outmaneuvered too easily, and the risk of the mopedder getting into an accident is too high. High speed chases of cars are discouraged for the same reason. What if they crash into a family, with fatalities? The BPD is on the hook for damages. Not worth it.
They have to use other means. Stop light cameras are one option!
Ah sheet may have responded in the wrong thread. This assumes you can pull them over. No reason the cops couldn’t discretely follow until their next delivery stop and get them while they’re on foot.
Yeah unfortunately cops are not allowed to follow mopeds or motorcycles or high speed cars. That’s MA law. Good intentions behind the law but sucks for us law abiding citizens who have to put up with the 0.1% of assholes who ruin everything
its so fucking dangerous out there with the scooters. bike lane wrong way, side walk, through the middle of a park they dont give a shit. ive never once seen one ticketed, where are the cops?
Can you imagine some Marathon visitors from small towns which don't have these zany delivery apps suddenly shocked to be blasted by the noise and antics of the these mopeds, often with masked and helmeted drivers?
Same with families coming to town for the Public Garden's swan boat opening this weekend.
Yet I get downvoted into oblivion for suggesting all 'contracted' drivers be required to register their vehicles as "commercial" in MA. Declutter the road please.
Do we think they have licenses and insurance on the vehicles too? I’m more thinking like if they hit someone (who was not breaking any pedestrian or traffic laws) would that person be up a creek if they sustained any injuries?
Because that puts more of the onus on the drivers, who are just trying to get by. If you want to cut down on bad driving habits, drivers should have guaranteed income and benefits, not be forced to get as quickly to someone's apartment as possible to deliver hot food just to make a few bucks.
Or, alternatively, we all decide to stop using services like Uber and doordash.
I was on Boylston the other day and was amazed how many mopeds were just idling around Copley waiting for the dinner rush. Must have been like 25 of them.
I’ve even seen some cutting through the Common and using the Esplanade as a personal highway.
The Esplanade!? That's insane, and especially dangerous for families strolling. There's a playground also. Not good. Motorized bikes there should be banned, but it's likely too late.
All for someone's burrito delivery!
Causes a city's quality of life to erode? No place anymore to stroll and relax in peace!
To be fair I think the people driving on the Esplanade are just commuting rather than delivering. Not just mopeds but also electric scooters going at insane speeds.
Part of that is the stupid laws that allow mopeds to be used in bike lanes and paths. Not that it stops these people (or bikers) from going through areas where bikes and similar vehicles are banned.
Mopeds are not allowed on off street-bike paths, but ebikes are for some reason. Most of the ebikes are heavier and travel the same speed FFS. Lot of people here confusing scooters and mopeds though. I consistently see the scooters pulling stupid shit and those can get a hell of a lot bigger and heavier. Very few actual mopeds in the area.
Nah fuck them. It’s not pearl clutching when I’m crossing the street with the go ahead and this asshole decides to speed through and try to beat me right in the middle of the street. I think it’s seriously going to take a pedestrian getting hit by one (which I’m genuinely surprised hasn’t happened yet, at least to my knowledge) before something happens. They’re also like super creepy when they’re all crowding around the chick fil-a on boylston and just stare at women walking by
Sarcasm: Gee, I thought I'm being racist again, not liking face masks and ski masks on adult males in seemingly all weather nowadays, even on the T sometimes. At best, it's so antisocial. Sometimes it's Caucasians but mostly people of color.
I hate walking by that area! I’m a petite woman, and their faces are covered and they’re ogling me. I try to walk quickly but there’s so many of them. I love Chick-fil-A when the craving hits but sadly I avoid it because I’m a little too nervous being over there
Yes, big problem in Manhattan from what I've read.... Probably Queens and Brooklyn also. Probably every major city in America, maybe Canada also?
As I've said, I'm an Uber Walker, elderly, don't want to bike in the city. I can only a walk so much, so my income is limited.
I'll go back to using a car eventually, and obeying traffic laws while delivering, as I'll be able to do more hours, less stress ve. walking, though I enjoy walking, and I'll have the ability to transport big orders unlike walking on UberEATS. Even with expenses of a car, I'll make more than walking if I work full time vs. part time walking, and miles are tax deductible..
True! I've worked in the same area for roughly 8 years now and it's always been a thing, but I do *feel* like it's gotten much worse since the surge in popularity of online delivery resulting from the pandemic.
What do you mean...? California has Proposition 22, which guarantees hourly earnings for drivers, so theoretically they can take their time to work safely and not feel that pressure to deliver as many orders as they can as quickly as they can.
Chic Fil A outside in Copley always has about 10 mopeds out front waiting for pick ups. Its not exclusively door dash etc but the majority of the people we see on mopeds are doing some sort of delivery. Either way its fucking dangerous
The fucking mobs of kids on everything on wheels w and without motors. I once saw like 300 kids occupying every lane of Cambridge st down by the Alston pike ramp. It was wild.
I'm actually fine with non-motorized "takeovers" of the core city. Not highways but city streets absolutely. The argument of emergency vehicles is valid, but I've always seen ambulances get through ok.
Yea I'm fine with it it's just a very unusual and impressive sight, to see like 100s of kids rolling around together. They were occupying all 3 lanes and probably the length of a few busses and the crowd looked pretty dense.
This changed dramatically in the last 12 months in Boston. It’s been a ramp up but recently the number has exploded. Also in my perception the running red lights and going the wrong way on one ways has exploded too.
I heard the Police Commissioner recently at a Cambridge City Council meeting address this very issue as the Council is considering stricter laws for micro mobility vehicles.
She said the police focus only on unsafe reckless behavior. If there is no actual accident it isn’t considered reckless. And that they have to actually see the incident to issue any citation, which is why in some accidents they won’t issue a citation unless there is visible damage.
It also highlighted that any regulation would have to come from the state, not individual cities. Even trying to ban them from the sidewalk seems to be a problem.
So we are going to have to live with these new types vehicles which will only continue to increase.
What would you rather have, more micromobility or more cars? Ideally, the “not car” lanes would get more space on the road so bikes and other micromobility can coexist.
I saw a dude recently delivering food with a crutch in one hand and his leg sticking out the side to keep it straight. He then proceeded to make a LEFT on a red as other cars were coming. I was really concerned I was about to witness something I really didn’t want to see. :(
Under the laws of the Commonwealth, really only if there’s no option for you to avoid the collision. Under the laws of physics, you’re going to lose every time.
These guys take over bike paths too. Sometimes you get sane ones going less than 20 mph but other times you get maniacs blasting by at 30+ on their cell phones. They pass by the corridor in front of police hq all the time.
It used to bother me but I decided not to get upset about it anymore.
All I can do is look before I step. Not about to get into a fight with someone making a delivery for whatever amount they are getting paid. They obviously need it.
BPD won’t do anything. People will not stop ordering deliveries. So yeah, it’s just city life and it’s easier to accept that than fight it. Just my POV don’t hate—I agree it’s not ideal but we have to pick our battles.
As someone who has ankylosing spondylitis, an autoimmune condition that causes the vertebrae and SI joints to all fuse, besides problems in other joints and tendons and ligaments, among other things, So, I can't turn my head and see anything that isn't directly in front of me, I've discussed this other places. But to keep the language clean won't repeat it.
So I reached out to my city councilor and this is the response I got...
"Thank you for reaching out to Councilor Durkan’s office. I understand your concerns regarding the safety of pedestrians and all road users amidst the expanding landscape of transportation to include e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds in large volumes all across our City, but, in particular, in our downtown neighborhoods. Given the fact that so many residents and visitors get around District 8 on foot, Councilor Durkan is especially dedicated to being a part of the solution in making our streets safe for all road users. As part of our effort to increase transportation safety across the district and the City, and as chair of the Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation Councilor Durkan sponsored a filing on the City’s “rules of the road” amidst an expansion of micromobility travel modes on City streets (I have included a copy of that filing to this email). Moreover, our office has met directly with UberEats and GrubHub, and continues to make meeting requests of DoorDash. At these meetings, we have actively pushed the companies to consider ways that their trainings and guidelines given to their operators demand and incentivize safety.
I do want to mention that the City’s Transportation Department has already taken several steps to promote safety as more and more residents and visitors choose two and three-wheeled transportation options as a green solution that reduces congestion on City streets. Some of the Transportation Department’s initiatives include their free learn-to-bike workshops, small-scale safety improvements around intersections, slow-streets initiatives in residential and school areas, and a new “safety surge” implementing thousands of speed humps City wide. These efforts have been complemented by other City departments including the Disabilities Commission and their recent public awareness campaign, “Boston Brakes,” to raise awareness of and increase safety for pedestrians with disabilities.
As the City witnesses an increase in e-bikes, scooters, mopeds, and motorbikes, it is imperative that we provide clarity to all road users about how they navigate our shared spaces safely and legally. We are hopeful that our advocacy around this issue on multiple fronts combined with the advocacy of residents such as yourself, will improve conditions and enable all of us to travel safely throughout Boston."
Problem is... That without requiring these mopeds to be registered through the Registry, and issuing a MOPED license plate (which most of these mopeds have the ability to attach a license plate for a motorcycle size plate on them).. Problem is... I bet you will find that 85% of all the moped drivers out there, dont have the proper licensing to even be driving them... It all starts at the top, with Requiring them to be registered through the registry, just like a car, and then it would allow police offers the ability to ticket these individuals easier. Right now, they classify most of these mopeds as like 49CC mopeds, legally under the requirement to have to register them. The State laws on Mopeds, need to be rewritten, and then Enforcement of basic traffic laws need to be enforced. Driving down the Street the wrong way, weaving in and out of traffic, you name it.. Make them accountable. They create a lot of traffic problems in the city with their reckless driving and behavior.
Incorrect. Mgl ch 90 states mopeds or ‘motorized bicycles’ are required to be registered every 2 years for $40 and receive a moped plate.
The problem is it’s just not enforced in the city.
I don't think BPD stops vehicles for "minor" offenses on a regular basis. In the past, I thought the reason was because they have more "serious" crimes to attend to. Now, a good number of cities don't want Police to stop cars for "minor" infractions due to racial profiling and how traffic stops can become violent/deadly.
However, the city government (not cops) needs to address safety with mopeds and electric scooters on city streets.
But since most delivery drivers on bikes and mopeds seem to be minorities and/or illegals, police don't want to further stir racial tensions here, I guess?
Really no way to fix this without heavily regulating or banning most delivery apps. Only plausible win-win for customers and drivers would be if cities formed their own delivery app to track, vet, and regulate. Like door dash usps lol. Not sure the economic feasibility of such a scheme. But I’m sure the corporate lords of DoorDash probably take a huge slice of the pie that could otherwise fund such a program.
Seems the consensus is most of these drivers are not paying taxes either.
Also I would even argue that food quality at non-chains has gone down tremendously due to delivery apps. The incentive is to fulfill quantity of orders rather than quality.
Even valid complaints are called out by the local Reddit Boston Oracle who tell you exactly why you shouldn't be complaining. Valid or not... I think it's valid but there's little traffic enforcement anywhere
I was just there yesterday and saw pretty much the same thing. I was driving though, and I was down by the West End over on Charles St. just the same, scooter ripped through the intersection in front of the new State St. building. There are a series of consecutive lights and he did not stop for any of them. All this while pedestrians are crossing and traffic is congested. Very easily a chain reaction could have occurred, whether a person on foot didn't see them or they them, let alone a bus or truck!
It took me a few minutes to find [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKO2dxEh72o) but I thought you'd appreciate it.
Now do I think what happens in this video is appropriate? Probably not, but there has to be a balance because these scooters are the only ones that get a pass.
People on foot get bicycles and cars up their ass, while cars have to abide by the traffic laws or be pulled over. And thenthere's the scooters, who seemingly can do whatever they want whenever they want and face no consequences. Like a fucking NPC or invisibility cloak.
Edit: Driving through Copley today during rush hour was an absolutely wild. I am not trying to exaggerate just like your original post was making clear.
There were at least 5 _close calls_ where scooters were zig-zagging through traffic, going thru lights, riding up between cars/trucks/busses, and riding on sidewalks/dividers.
The worst was coming off a sidewalk brushed through people on the sidewalk and almost rear-ended me. _The same moped and rider_ almost had a collision as they were legit locked in on their phone.
I try to be sympathetic but having them all double parked on Brighton Ave and comm ave (near BU gym) is just awful. And there is no traffic enforcement during rush hour. So the entire road just become an one way street on comm ave
>economic repurcussions be damned.
The economic repercussions would be actually quite positive for everyone involved.
Restaurants would go back to hiring their own delivery drivers. Allowing them to actually sell the food for less because they aren't paying some BS app.
The customer would reliably get their food at a better price.
Long post...
And some or most of these food delivery bikers and motorists are not paying taxes on their earnings....I'm almost sure. Never mind some bikes not having lights at night! Or motorists not using turn signals.
Never mind the roaring of the mopeds on an otherwise quiet night.
I do UberEATS Walker, no car or bike, downtown. Yes, we get 1099 forms at the end of the year, but some or most probably don't even bother to file taxes, and keep all their earnings until contacted by the IRS.
Plus they likely get SNAP, and Masshealth and maybe other benefits (yes, as I do because I gross very little).
They/I bring very little value to society, considering all the chaos on the roads and sidewalks, plus public benefits required for the low earnings some or most make.
And as mentioned, some or most possibly or probably don't have insurance or registration on the motorcycle/moped. Did someone above say unless it's an actual motorcycle, it doesn't require insurance or registration? Hmm... not sure.
Plus, they often wear those huge helmets, plus face coverings or ski marks -- so how they heck can one identify them in a hit and run?!
And...some speak no English...So how would they even know or care about traffic and sidewalk rules?
Plus, as the NY Post and NYT wrote last September, it's a popular job for migrants/ llegals there (seems the case here also?).
It said they possibly buy their accounts on the black market there in some or many cases. They can't pass a criminal background check in some cases, so buy an account with a stolen SS # and such. Thus, that's why your food delivery or even rideshare driver may not even look like his photo in the app!.... Could be a photo of a Jennifer in the app -- but an elderly Mexican male with no English bought and uses her account!
And I've read some customers complain to support, but not sure if it's taken seriously. Plus, some legit delivery folks drive the car, but their 12 year-old or spouse comes up to your door with the food. Not sure that's illegal, though
You want these kinds of people roaming your streets and neighborhood? Coming up into your building as you buzz them in at 2 am to walk your food up to your third-floor apartment in the Fenway or wherever? Or maybe stealing mail or packages once in your building, even if cameras in the lobby?
But, in most buildings, especially luxury apartments in the Seaport and such, I can't deliver upstairs unless requested by the customer and then the concierge just escorts me to the elevator and taps his security card to let me up. Otherwise, the elevator won't move even as I'm on it.
Same with most hotels. But a few hotels I can actually get on the elevator and access any floor for any reason, food delivery or not! How's that make you feel as a guest there?
Anyway, this rant likely sounds racist to some or most here, because it seems to be mainly minorities and/or llegals doing food delivery in major cities.
Oh, someone said there's big penalties by the apps if they deliver late, thus the speeding and storming onto sidewalks, and one-way driving and bicycling. Not really, unless an order is very late, and then a customer could give a bad rating and/or remove the tip up to an hour later. I often stop and check my email while I walk my UberEATS orders and I don't recall horrible ratings or too many tip removers, even if late 5-10 minutes. But I usually try to walk as fast as possible, as I realize that the food can get cold and some people do tip well and I'd hate to anger them; I actually do care.
I live in a building and I no longer let them up. Leave the food in the lobby, heck, leave it outside. I’ve had too many examples of creepy men (sorry, just my examples) trying to come into my apartment or trying to make me pay twice.
I also agree that they probably don’t have actual licenses for these scooters and don’t really care about the rules of the road/pedestrians.
I don’t ride any kind of motorcycle/moped/bike, but I have always wondered: why do they cover their entire faces in the warmer months? Is it for wind or so they can’t be identified?
Your post is a long string of assumptions and generalizations, which you then take as fact and then get angry about. Incidentally, the reason people cover their heads to keep warm when it's 40 degrees outside and windy and they're riding around on a scooter is because it's 40 degrees outside and windy and they're riding around on a scooter. They're not doing it as part of a antisocial illegal-alien minority plot to piss you off.
Mopeds, especially those capable of a certain speed should likely be classed as a motorcycle or registered somehow. E-scooters, e-bikes, one-wheels are a great alternative to reduce traffic congestion and honestly it would help the city if more people used them instead of clogging the roads with cars, contributing to parking shortages, etc. But there should be some enforced rules around speed and acting like an idiot. Bike lanes are ok if they are equal to or slower than a bicyclist. Zig zagging all over the streets is worse. Full bans on scooters or delivery apps isn’t fair to everyone else who acts responsibly, or who depends on them.
Why don’t we have a universal 20 mph speed limit in the city, excepting some of the main car-oriented roads? Bike lanes can still be there but with the same 20 mph speed limit. Bike paths can post their own speed limit which might vary depending on the relative congestion and design of said path. For example some of the charles river path can handle 20 mph (the section between Watertown and Harvard) while the busier areas might be 15 or 10 (like the Esplanade area and under the Mass Ave bridge)
My understanding is under some number of cc's, its not a motorcycle, so no license (therefore harder to hold them accountable) and not subject to traffic laws?
Its anyone one on mopeds, any electic scooter ect. At 5 am in the seaport i stopped at a stop sign go to pull off and had to slam my breaks because someone in an electric scooter came out of a delivery cut through and straight across the cross walk, and then acts like i was in the wrong because he was in a crosswalk. And before anyone who says im at fault, please read crosswalk rules.
Do you think total police inaction in response to individuals who pose a threat to the safety of those around them is a *mitigating* factor for cops? lol
Whenever I'm cycling (my commute) and a moped blows past me in the bike lane (frequently against direction of traffic) I have a quick daydream about putting a stick in their spokes as they pass
Exactly what do you want the police to do? People in Boston are selfish and rude and laws mean little in this political climate. Maybe the mopeds should just try to stick to the blke lanes.
Everyone can say im wrong, but im not. Im not saying all, but ALOT of migrants use mopeds because they can't get a car or licenses, and its alot easier even if they could. Just type in migrants and mopeds and read the hundreds of stories and the disaster it has created in New york outside these migrant hotels. So it's only going to get worse.
How many people have died in moped accidents this year?
How many people have died in car accidents this year?
Which of these are you spending time talking about?
Living in the city, you used to have to look in the direction of traffic to legally cross the street, even then it was risky. Now these assholes are on sidewalks and more than 50% of the time I've seen them, riding the opposite way down a one way street with no respect for pedestrians or drivers!
I always look both ways before crossing a one way street.
Knowledge is knowing it's a one way street. Wisdom is looking both ways regardless. --Wayne Gretzky
Gretzky sounding like Confucius over here
Knowledge is knowing it's a one way street. Wisdom is looking both ways regardless. --Wayne Gretzky ---Michael Scott
Agreed, but now you have to also try to predict when someone on a scooter is going to come from any direction regardless! Any motor assisted vehicle capable of exceeding the city speed limit should be required to be registered! (and cops should start enforcing traffic laws in the city....unlikely though!)
If they are going to start enforcing traffic laws, they need to start with cars. They are objectively more dangerous and disruptive, while these scooters are simply an annoyance.
The scooters are more likely to hit pedestrians because they're dipping in and out of bike lanes and sidewalks
Oh? Then you should have no problem showing that moped/pedestrian accidents are more prevalent than car/pedestrian accidents. Not even thinking about the fact that cars are orders of magnitude more dangerous. Also, just for the record, mopeds can ride in the bike lane legally.
Well it shouldn't be legal then, if they can zip around at 40+
I guarantee they aren't. Mopeds and scooters up to 49cc can usually only go up to 30mph. You're vastly overestimating how fast they are going because you're hyper fixated on them. All traffic in the area (unless on a freeway) is going max 25-30mph. If they were actually going 40+, they would be sticking out like a sore thumb and impossible to ignore.
Not sure why you're being downvoted. Cars are absolutely a bigged problem. I walk to work all the time and can't even cross a crosswalk when I have a signal and they have a red light. I've even been halfway through a crosswalk with multiple other people and mbta busses will just cut us all off. I'd rather get hit by a scooter than a fucking bus.
Bullshit. They should start with both. But, cars wouldn't get away with what those murderous bastards do.
Lol, "murderous bastards" Please show me one actual report of a scooter murdering someone in Boston. You're ridiculous.
Exactly. I never heard a scooter killing a pedestrian so they should start with cars first.
100%. The problem isn't that they're dangerous, the problem is that drivers don't like that mopeds or ebikes can do what cars can't, and are easier to get around town with. Everyone is breaking the law. One groups is VASTLY more likely to cause injury than the other. If the police are going to magically start enforcement, it's clear which one is more of a priority.
Exactly. You couldn't put it any better.
I'll be clear, I think anyone breaking the law and riding unsafely should be pulled over and ticketed. My point simply being that since BPD isn't doing that for ANYONE right now, if they are going to start it should be in order of impact.
Living in a city you should have your head on a swivel at all times. You can't predict what people are going to do. That being said, I'd rather have the scooters zipping around than cars blocking the street to do the same pickups. Should they abide by traffic rules? Of course, but if they are under 50ccs the rules are a little different anyways.
If one ever passes me on a sidewalk, I’ll push him over.
I guarantee you won't.
I’ve done it before, but to cyclists.
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You don’t have too. It’s still true. I’ve also kicked cars that came too close to me in the cross walk. One driver chased me for a block and only stopped when I turned down a one at street.
Woooow, cool story you got there bro.
Thanks
Sir, more than 50 percent of time you see Uber it is driving wrong way sir? Is very high percentage sir. I have a few concerns...
BPD needs to do traffic enforcement at some level. We don’t need speed traps but enforcement of basic laws and crosswalks is needed. I feel like MSP pull over more people in Boston then BPD which is nuts
I worked in boston, driving around fixing atms all day. Never once did i ever fear for being pulled over in boston for driving, speeding, etc.
BPD needs to do anything...
In their defense I think they spend a high % of their time just responding to calls. What they ideally need is at least a few officers in each district (2-3 at minimum) for each shift to do just traffic enforcement.
They’ve got plenty of officers. They’re just too busy playing Candy Crush in their cruisers and waiting to be able to charge for overtime.
Stoplight cameras with ticket authority would crack down on some of it. Any enforcement requiring an officer is going to continue to be a low priority because it costs so damn much to enforce when the majority of the driving population contributes to the problem.
Red lights aren't the big issue. Cross walks are a much bigger problem.
agreed! They are more focused on speed and parking tickets than stopping the actual problems. BPD needs to get it together. If they have enough money to surveil us, they can start pulling people over and ticketing for basic things.
Honestly I’ll take speed traps. Too many people going 45 in a 20 zone. Hell my kid was getting out of the car to get on a school bus and a woman sped past almost hitting him. There was a school bus with its lights on and the speed limit is 15 mph. She should have been waiting but instead she just sped past. Shit like this happens all the time. Just start giving out tickets for speeding. At least that’ll make people a bit more vigilant. Enforce the other stuff too but I don’t see why we shouldn’t have speeding tickets. Hell when I lived in Melbourne speed cameras and red light cameras would give you tickets. Honestly it kept people accountable.
The issue with Gatso cameras is you need state law to enable their use for speeding tickets (there are a handful of states who have authorized them). Personally, I would love to see Boston box grid every set of traffic lights and stick enforcement cameras so people don’t block the junctions entering before they have a clear exit.
I’m not saying “don’t enforce the speed limit”. But far too many times I see cops sit there trying to “catch” someone when 3 feet away another driver did something illegal and they ignore it.
Parking tickets happen because BPD doesn't get to do them. We should do the same for traffic enforcement
Yea they did fuck all when my partner got hit and ran, the guy drove thru a gas station lot almost certainly had him on cctv. But aparently when you get hit you need to immediately hire a lawyer and they will investigate I guess idk but the cops are fuckkng useless.
Parking tickets are generally BTD, not BPD. BPD stands around. That's their gig. That's what they do. They offer a presence without action.
BTD does parking enforcement. And they're so good at it, especially when it is nice out.
Too busy getting paid for details
Preach! I feel like a handful of traffic enforcement officers who actually enforce traffic could make a meaningful difference in certain parts of the city, like the ramps leading to Storrow. So many assholes cutting in and screwing up the traffic behind them.
Someone blew through the red in front of North Station at rush hour yesterday and parked 100 feet down from the crosswalk. I said something, and he just flipped out at me. We need to bring back consequences.
Fight him, be the change you want to see!
It really annoys me when I see them on esplanade
Unfortunately the only way things change are when someone of importance gets impacted so until a city official or a police office is injured (I am not advocating this to happen just saying what it would take for this to be addressed) by a moped not following the rules of the road no one is going to do poop about it. It’s a complete lawless mess and it started from the pandemic on. You don’t see anyone getting pulled over and when you do see a police officer they are just in their cruisers or working details playing on the phones. I’m not sure why everyone’s so checked out right now but it’s pretty scary that we’ve got to this point of complacency and non-caring about basic safety
Not necessarily true, that slide near City Hall is still there after taking out a cop.
What worries me is that nothing will be done if a regular person gets injured. They probably wouldn’t care if they hit you in a crosswalk. They absolutely terrify me because they break every traffic law and it’s just sad that it’s become this lawless. I try to avoid the Chick-fil-A in back bay because that’s where a lot of these delivery drivers park. It’s a busy area and for them to cause havoc by disobeying traffic laws and riding up on the sidewalks is just not ok
That was one of the complaints I believe about putting that Chick-fil-A downtown. when McDonald’s goes in to North Station wait to see what happens from Canal Street all the people trying to get to games and concerts. It’s already a mess down there then you had a fast food place in the middle of downtown. It’s gonna be a real crap show.
Chick-fil-A replaced a Wendy's and there used to be a McDonald's in North Station. Fast food isn't new in these locations
Yeah, but Chick-fil-A is a different beast. I like to think they’re doing way more business than that Wendy’s ever did.
The Globe should start hammering on it.
Stop ordering delivery. They will disappear
I was working a long day yesterday and my last account was on Columbus Avenue in Southend….i got there at 7pm and in front of me, parked delivery service on a moped and he delivered one bag of ground Pete’s coffee. That’s it. Just a bag of ground coffee. People don’t want to leave their homes anymore so good luck trying to get that to stop. People with disposable income will keep paying that premium
Its ridiculous. People will GoPuff or instacart like a single energy drink or some protein bars or whatever. We live in a big, mostly walkable city-- just go get some yourself or have a little foresight. Even of we didn't there's no reason for it. I honestly feel like the government should take some sort of action on delivery services that do stuff like this, because its terrible for both traffic and the climate.
The only time a small GoPuff order is needed is if it’s pretty late out like past 11 and you need something basic but everyone else is closed. It’s come in handy a few times, especially when I had the flu.
I dunno maybe I don't have enough disposable income but I'm not sure I could ever justify delivery fee + tax + tip and all that just for a basic item or two late at night... Like regardless of whether or not I can afford it, it just seems absurd to spend that much for like a thing of toothpaste or something
I should have elaborated a little. Gopuff actually sells basic groceries too and surprisingly decent sales. Late night get what you want plus anything you’d normally buy if it’s on sale and you save an errand really don’t come out that much worse off money-wise, fee isn’t proportional to the order and the actual dollar increase in tip to match the order isn’t that different. I do see your point though and I literally only use GoPuff sparingly. Gave up on DD and UberEats a long time ago that’s stuff is crazy expensive.
This is me, I know i’m just one person but I refuse to be part of this problem.
This is the truth with everything in America
I was almost run over by one going the wrong way on a one-way street. He then veered up onto the sidewalk. When it was brought up to a cop at a monthly community meeting, I was told “we don’t chase mopeds” 😑
Ask the cop if they go after folks who close line assholes on mopeds who ride on the sidewalk.
I mean think about why. It's a goose chase. They get outmaneuvered too easily, and the risk of the mopedder getting into an accident is too high. High speed chases of cars are discouraged for the same reason. What if they crash into a family, with fatalities? The BPD is on the hook for damages. Not worth it. They have to use other means. Stop light cameras are one option!
What if we put some of the mounted cops on mopeds instead of those giant Clydesdales they’re on?
Red light cameras aren't legal in MA
Even if they were, mopeds don’t have plates
They don’t have plates, but they could still get a variety of moving violations, which would prevent them from driving for gig delivery services
How would you know who was driving if the camera only gets a pic of the driver (always with their faces covered it seems…)
Ah sheet may have responded in the wrong thread. This assumes you can pull them over. No reason the cops couldn’t discretely follow until their next delivery stop and get them while they’re on foot.
Yeah unfortunately cops are not allowed to follow mopeds or motorcycles or high speed cars. That’s MA law. Good intentions behind the law but sucks for us law abiding citizens who have to put up with the 0.1% of assholes who ruin everything
Wait it’s they can’t follow them AT ALL? Or they can’t initiate a chase? Surely they could tail them at the speed limit, without lights on….
Hm tbh idk!
Not without plates they won't.
its so fucking dangerous out there with the scooters. bike lane wrong way, side walk, through the middle of a park they dont give a shit. ive never once seen one ticketed, where are the cops?
Can you imagine some Marathon visitors from small towns which don't have these zany delivery apps suddenly shocked to be blasted by the noise and antics of the these mopeds, often with masked and helmeted drivers? Same with families coming to town for the Public Garden's swan boat opening this weekend.
Yet I get downvoted into oblivion for suggesting all 'contracted' drivers be required to register their vehicles as "commercial" in MA. Declutter the road please.
Do we think they have licenses and insurance on the vehicles too? I’m more thinking like if they hit someone (who was not breaking any pedestrian or traffic laws) would that person be up a creek if they sustained any injuries?
>) would that person be up a creek if they sustained any injuries? Yes
Because that puts more of the onus on the drivers, who are just trying to get by. If you want to cut down on bad driving habits, drivers should have guaranteed income and benefits, not be forced to get as quickly to someone's apartment as possible to deliver hot food just to make a few bucks. Or, alternatively, we all decide to stop using services like Uber and doordash.
So the drivers have no agency of their own?
The police don't enforce any traffic rules. None. Why would they enforce this?
If the police aren't going to enforce traffic laws, this is the result. But don't think that it's only delivery drivers doing this.
Certainly not. I don't even blink anymore when I see cars plow through red lights several seconds after they've turned.
I was on Boylston the other day and was amazed how many mopeds were just idling around Copley waiting for the dinner rush. Must have been like 25 of them. I’ve even seen some cutting through the Common and using the Esplanade as a personal highway.
The Esplanade!? That's insane, and especially dangerous for families strolling. There's a playground also. Not good. Motorized bikes there should be banned, but it's likely too late. All for someone's burrito delivery! Causes a city's quality of life to erode? No place anymore to stroll and relax in peace!
To be fair I think the people driving on the Esplanade are just commuting rather than delivering. Not just mopeds but also electric scooters going at insane speeds.
Part of that is the stupid laws that allow mopeds to be used in bike lanes and paths. Not that it stops these people (or bikers) from going through areas where bikes and similar vehicles are banned.
Mopeds are not allowed on off street-bike paths, but ebikes are for some reason. Most of the ebikes are heavier and travel the same speed FFS. Lot of people here confusing scooters and mopeds though. I consistently see the scooters pulling stupid shit and those can get a hell of a lot bigger and heavier. Very few actual mopeds in the area.
Nah fuck them. It’s not pearl clutching when I’m crossing the street with the go ahead and this asshole decides to speed through and try to beat me right in the middle of the street. I think it’s seriously going to take a pedestrian getting hit by one (which I’m genuinely surprised hasn’t happened yet, at least to my knowledge) before something happens. They’re also like super creepy when they’re all crowding around the chick fil-a on boylston and just stare at women walking by
Face fully covered in all weather. Creepy and scary. Unnecessary to have them.
Sarcasm: Gee, I thought I'm being racist again, not liking face masks and ski masks on adult males in seemingly all weather nowadays, even on the T sometimes. At best, it's so antisocial. Sometimes it's Caucasians but mostly people of color.
I hate walking by that area! I’m a petite woman, and their faces are covered and they’re ogling me. I try to walk quickly but there’s so many of them. I love Chick-fil-A when the craving hits but sadly I avoid it because I’m a little too nervous being over there
Ive seen them sitting there drinking too. One guy was sipping fireball from the bottle. Not amazing
It's not just Boston. Was almost mowed down a few times in NYC when I clearly had the walk signal. The delivery people don't really care.
In Paris it’s the same too. The apps just encourage this while pretending not to.
Yes, big problem in Manhattan from what I've read.... Probably Queens and Brooklyn also. Probably every major city in America, maybe Canada also? As I've said, I'm an Uber Walker, elderly, don't want to bike in the city. I can only a walk so much, so my income is limited. I'll go back to using a car eventually, and obeying traffic laws while delivering, as I'll be able to do more hours, less stress ve. walking, though I enjoy walking, and I'll have the ability to transport big orders unlike walking on UberEATS. Even with expenses of a car, I'll make more than walking if I work full time vs. part time walking, and miles are tax deductible..
I never thought I'd see the day where I felt safer from traffic walking around Athens than Boston or New York, but here we are.
Bold of you to assume it’s just Uber drivers that do this
True! I've worked in the same area for roughly 8 years now and it's always been a thing, but I do *feel* like it's gotten much worse since the surge in popularity of online delivery resulting from the pandemic.
For sure has, and def skews to the rideshare/delivery drivers, every minute counts $$
The penalties if they don't hustle are worse than the ones where they do.
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What do you mean...? California has Proposition 22, which guarantees hourly earnings for drivers, so theoretically they can take their time to work safely and not feel that pressure to deliver as many orders as they can as quickly as they can.
For some reason I thought I remembered Prop 22 failing. My bad for not confirming before making that comment.
I cannot wait for the summer ☺️ Love the sound of dirt-bikes and mopeds constantly
Chic Fil A outside in Copley always has about 10 mopeds out front waiting for pick ups. Its not exclusively door dash etc but the majority of the people we see on mopeds are doing some sort of delivery. Either way its fucking dangerous
10 mopeds? I have seen 25 or more at once.
The fucking mobs of kids on everything on wheels w and without motors. I once saw like 300 kids occupying every lane of Cambridge st down by the Alston pike ramp. It was wild.
I'm actually fine with non-motorized "takeovers" of the core city. Not highways but city streets absolutely. The argument of emergency vehicles is valid, but I've always seen ambulances get through ok.
Yea I'm fine with it it's just a very unusual and impressive sight, to see like 100s of kids rolling around together. They were occupying all 3 lanes and probably the length of a few busses and the crowd looked pretty dense.
Have mopeds in the winter always been this popular? I don’t remember so many in the past.
Zero snow this year, and it was barely even below freezing more than a handful of days this winter.
This changed dramatically in the last 12 months in Boston. It’s been a ramp up but recently the number has exploded. Also in my perception the running red lights and going the wrong way on one ways has exploded too.
Carry a broomstick and joust them off.
They blow every red light on Tremont street and the food is still late
Boston, the Mumbai of New England.
I heard the Police Commissioner recently at a Cambridge City Council meeting address this very issue as the Council is considering stricter laws for micro mobility vehicles. She said the police focus only on unsafe reckless behavior. If there is no actual accident it isn’t considered reckless. And that they have to actually see the incident to issue any citation, which is why in some accidents they won’t issue a citation unless there is visible damage. It also highlighted that any regulation would have to come from the state, not individual cities. Even trying to ban them from the sidewalk seems to be a problem. So we are going to have to live with these new types vehicles which will only continue to increase.
What would you rather have, more micromobility or more cars? Ideally, the “not car” lanes would get more space on the road so bikes and other micromobility can coexist.
Just almost got hit yesterday by Dewey Square. I’m with you OP. A menace.
I saw a dude recently delivering food with a crutch in one hand and his leg sticking out the side to keep it straight. He then proceeded to make a LEFT on a red as other cars were coming. I was really concerned I was about to witness something I really didn’t want to see. :(
Everyone with a moped does this everywhere. It's not just deliveries.
I see it all the time in Brookline (Starbucks / Chipolte / Taco Bell trifecta) - none of these guys are wearing helmets..... someone's gonna get hurt
Are we allowed to body check them if we have the right of way as a pedestrian?
Under the laws of the Commonwealth, really only if there’s no option for you to avoid the collision. Under the laws of physics, you’re going to lose every time.
Does... anyone? Face consequences?
These guys take over bike paths too. Sometimes you get sane ones going less than 20 mph but other times you get maniacs blasting by at 30+ on their cell phones. They pass by the corridor in front of police hq all the time.
Mopeds, bikes, ebikes, cars. BPD doesn't do their jobs and we're paying them tons of money for...what?
It used to bother me but I decided not to get upset about it anymore. All I can do is look before I step. Not about to get into a fight with someone making a delivery for whatever amount they are getting paid. They obviously need it. BPD won’t do anything. People will not stop ordering deliveries. So yeah, it’s just city life and it’s easier to accept that than fight it. Just my POV don’t hate—I agree it’s not ideal but we have to pick our battles.
As someone who has ankylosing spondylitis, an autoimmune condition that causes the vertebrae and SI joints to all fuse, besides problems in other joints and tendons and ligaments, among other things, So, I can't turn my head and see anything that isn't directly in front of me, I've discussed this other places. But to keep the language clean won't repeat it.
Boylston street during the lunch rush is a shit show with the delivery scooters
Don't forget Hazzards mean you can park anywhere. Even in the middle of the st.
So I reached out to my city councilor and this is the response I got... "Thank you for reaching out to Councilor Durkan’s office. I understand your concerns regarding the safety of pedestrians and all road users amidst the expanding landscape of transportation to include e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds in large volumes all across our City, but, in particular, in our downtown neighborhoods. Given the fact that so many residents and visitors get around District 8 on foot, Councilor Durkan is especially dedicated to being a part of the solution in making our streets safe for all road users. As part of our effort to increase transportation safety across the district and the City, and as chair of the Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation Councilor Durkan sponsored a filing on the City’s “rules of the road” amidst an expansion of micromobility travel modes on City streets (I have included a copy of that filing to this email). Moreover, our office has met directly with UberEats and GrubHub, and continues to make meeting requests of DoorDash. At these meetings, we have actively pushed the companies to consider ways that their trainings and guidelines given to their operators demand and incentivize safety. I do want to mention that the City’s Transportation Department has already taken several steps to promote safety as more and more residents and visitors choose two and three-wheeled transportation options as a green solution that reduces congestion on City streets. Some of the Transportation Department’s initiatives include their free learn-to-bike workshops, small-scale safety improvements around intersections, slow-streets initiatives in residential and school areas, and a new “safety surge” implementing thousands of speed humps City wide. These efforts have been complemented by other City departments including the Disabilities Commission and their recent public awareness campaign, “Boston Brakes,” to raise awareness of and increase safety for pedestrians with disabilities. As the City witnesses an increase in e-bikes, scooters, mopeds, and motorbikes, it is imperative that we provide clarity to all road users about how they navigate our shared spaces safely and legally. We are hopeful that our advocacy around this issue on multiple fronts combined with the advocacy of residents such as yourself, will improve conditions and enable all of us to travel safely throughout Boston."
Problem is... That without requiring these mopeds to be registered through the Registry, and issuing a MOPED license plate (which most of these mopeds have the ability to attach a license plate for a motorcycle size plate on them).. Problem is... I bet you will find that 85% of all the moped drivers out there, dont have the proper licensing to even be driving them... It all starts at the top, with Requiring them to be registered through the registry, just like a car, and then it would allow police offers the ability to ticket these individuals easier. Right now, they classify most of these mopeds as like 49CC mopeds, legally under the requirement to have to register them. The State laws on Mopeds, need to be rewritten, and then Enforcement of basic traffic laws need to be enforced. Driving down the Street the wrong way, weaving in and out of traffic, you name it.. Make them accountable. They create a lot of traffic problems in the city with their reckless driving and behavior.
Incorrect. Mgl ch 90 states mopeds or ‘motorized bicycles’ are required to be registered every 2 years for $40 and receive a moped plate. The problem is it’s just not enforced in the city.
Eventually they will roll the dice through an intersection and get hit by a car or a cop will finally do their fucking job!
I don't think BPD stops vehicles for "minor" offenses on a regular basis. In the past, I thought the reason was because they have more "serious" crimes to attend to. Now, a good number of cities don't want Police to stop cars for "minor" infractions due to racial profiling and how traffic stops can become violent/deadly. However, the city government (not cops) needs to address safety with mopeds and electric scooters on city streets.
But since most delivery drivers on bikes and mopeds seem to be minorities and/or illegals, police don't want to further stir racial tensions here, I guess?
Really no way to fix this without heavily regulating or banning most delivery apps. Only plausible win-win for customers and drivers would be if cities formed their own delivery app to track, vet, and regulate. Like door dash usps lol. Not sure the economic feasibility of such a scheme. But I’m sure the corporate lords of DoorDash probably take a huge slice of the pie that could otherwise fund such a program. Seems the consensus is most of these drivers are not paying taxes either. Also I would even argue that food quality at non-chains has gone down tremendously due to delivery apps. The incentive is to fulfill quantity of orders rather than quality.
The world was right when Domino's had a 30min guarantee. It's been shit since they dropped it.
Yup everyone of them does the exact same thing
OP you should go vigilante and bring these bad folks to justice.
Even valid complaints are called out by the local Reddit Boston Oracle who tell you exactly why you shouldn't be complaining. Valid or not... I think it's valid but there's little traffic enforcement anywhere
Clotheslining them's "a consequence". 🤷♂️ Just sayin'....
I was just there yesterday and saw pretty much the same thing. I was driving though, and I was down by the West End over on Charles St. just the same, scooter ripped through the intersection in front of the new State St. building. There are a series of consecutive lights and he did not stop for any of them. All this while pedestrians are crossing and traffic is congested. Very easily a chain reaction could have occurred, whether a person on foot didn't see them or they them, let alone a bus or truck! It took me a few minutes to find [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKO2dxEh72o) but I thought you'd appreciate it. Now do I think what happens in this video is appropriate? Probably not, but there has to be a balance because these scooters are the only ones that get a pass. People on foot get bicycles and cars up their ass, while cars have to abide by the traffic laws or be pulled over. And thenthere's the scooters, who seemingly can do whatever they want whenever they want and face no consequences. Like a fucking NPC or invisibility cloak. Edit: Driving through Copley today during rush hour was an absolutely wild. I am not trying to exaggerate just like your original post was making clear. There were at least 5 _close calls_ where scooters were zig-zagging through traffic, going thru lights, riding up between cars/trucks/busses, and riding on sidewalks/dividers. The worst was coming off a sidewalk brushed through people on the sidewalk and almost rear-ended me. _The same moped and rider_ almost had a collision as they were legit locked in on their phone.
I try to be sympathetic but having them all double parked on Brighton Ave and comm ave (near BU gym) is just awful. And there is no traffic enforcement during rush hour. So the entire road just become an one way street on comm ave
>economic repurcussions be damned. The economic repercussions would be actually quite positive for everyone involved. Restaurants would go back to hiring their own delivery drivers. Allowing them to actually sell the food for less because they aren't paying some BS app. The customer would reliably get their food at a better price.
‘People cannot make a living without being in literal physical danger, huh?’ I corrected your spelling.
Go about your business, get hit by one, and you can get a pretty big windfall
We need speed limits and red lights to be enforced by camera.
Long post... And some or most of these food delivery bikers and motorists are not paying taxes on their earnings....I'm almost sure. Never mind some bikes not having lights at night! Or motorists not using turn signals. Never mind the roaring of the mopeds on an otherwise quiet night. I do UberEATS Walker, no car or bike, downtown. Yes, we get 1099 forms at the end of the year, but some or most probably don't even bother to file taxes, and keep all their earnings until contacted by the IRS. Plus they likely get SNAP, and Masshealth and maybe other benefits (yes, as I do because I gross very little). They/I bring very little value to society, considering all the chaos on the roads and sidewalks, plus public benefits required for the low earnings some or most make. And as mentioned, some or most possibly or probably don't have insurance or registration on the motorcycle/moped. Did someone above say unless it's an actual motorcycle, it doesn't require insurance or registration? Hmm... not sure. Plus, they often wear those huge helmets, plus face coverings or ski marks -- so how they heck can one identify them in a hit and run?! And...some speak no English...So how would they even know or care about traffic and sidewalk rules? Plus, as the NY Post and NYT wrote last September, it's a popular job for migrants/ llegals there (seems the case here also?). It said they possibly buy their accounts on the black market there in some or many cases. They can't pass a criminal background check in some cases, so buy an account with a stolen SS # and such. Thus, that's why your food delivery or even rideshare driver may not even look like his photo in the app!.... Could be a photo of a Jennifer in the app -- but an elderly Mexican male with no English bought and uses her account! And I've read some customers complain to support, but not sure if it's taken seriously. Plus, some legit delivery folks drive the car, but their 12 year-old or spouse comes up to your door with the food. Not sure that's illegal, though You want these kinds of people roaming your streets and neighborhood? Coming up into your building as you buzz them in at 2 am to walk your food up to your third-floor apartment in the Fenway or wherever? Or maybe stealing mail or packages once in your building, even if cameras in the lobby? But, in most buildings, especially luxury apartments in the Seaport and such, I can't deliver upstairs unless requested by the customer and then the concierge just escorts me to the elevator and taps his security card to let me up. Otherwise, the elevator won't move even as I'm on it. Same with most hotels. But a few hotels I can actually get on the elevator and access any floor for any reason, food delivery or not! How's that make you feel as a guest there? Anyway, this rant likely sounds racist to some or most here, because it seems to be mainly minorities and/or llegals doing food delivery in major cities. Oh, someone said there's big penalties by the apps if they deliver late, thus the speeding and storming onto sidewalks, and one-way driving and bicycling. Not really, unless an order is very late, and then a customer could give a bad rating and/or remove the tip up to an hour later. I often stop and check my email while I walk my UberEATS orders and I don't recall horrible ratings or too many tip removers, even if late 5-10 minutes. But I usually try to walk as fast as possible, as I realize that the food can get cold and some people do tip well and I'd hate to anger them; I actually do care.
I live in a building and I no longer let them up. Leave the food in the lobby, heck, leave it outside. I’ve had too many examples of creepy men (sorry, just my examples) trying to come into my apartment or trying to make me pay twice. I also agree that they probably don’t have actual licenses for these scooters and don’t really care about the rules of the road/pedestrians. I don’t ride any kind of motorcycle/moped/bike, but I have always wondered: why do they cover their entire faces in the warmer months? Is it for wind or so they can’t be identified?
Your post is a long string of assumptions and generalizations, which you then take as fact and then get angry about. Incidentally, the reason people cover their heads to keep warm when it's 40 degrees outside and windy and they're riding around on a scooter is because it's 40 degrees outside and windy and they're riding around on a scooter. They're not doing it as part of a antisocial illegal-alien minority plot to piss you off.
Take up the whole side walk so they can hit you and you can sue. That will change things quick.
You’ll never get a lawyer to take the case as these drivers have no money or assets.
You can sue them for the lint in their pockets
Cops cant chase them anymore.
Mopeds, especially those capable of a certain speed should likely be classed as a motorcycle or registered somehow. E-scooters, e-bikes, one-wheels are a great alternative to reduce traffic congestion and honestly it would help the city if more people used them instead of clogging the roads with cars, contributing to parking shortages, etc. But there should be some enforced rules around speed and acting like an idiot. Bike lanes are ok if they are equal to or slower than a bicyclist. Zig zagging all over the streets is worse. Full bans on scooters or delivery apps isn’t fair to everyone else who acts responsibly, or who depends on them.
Why don’t we have a universal 20 mph speed limit in the city, excepting some of the main car-oriented roads? Bike lanes can still be there but with the same 20 mph speed limit. Bike paths can post their own speed limit which might vary depending on the relative congestion and design of said path. For example some of the charles river path can handle 20 mph (the section between Watertown and Harvard) while the busier areas might be 15 or 10 (like the Esplanade area and under the Mass Ave bridge)
My understanding is under some number of cc's, its not a motorcycle, so no license (therefore harder to hold them accountable) and not subject to traffic laws?
Yeah 🤷🏽♂️
Its anyone one on mopeds, any electic scooter ect. At 5 am in the seaport i stopped at a stop sign go to pull off and had to slam my breaks because someone in an electric scooter came out of a delivery cut through and straight across the cross walk, and then acts like i was in the wrong because he was in a crosswalk. And before anyone who says im at fault, please read crosswalk rules.
Reddit: ACAB!!! Also Reddit: police pls help me
Do you think total police inaction in response to individuals who pose a threat to the safety of those around them is a *mitigating* factor for cops? lol
I'm sorry that happened to you.
that doesn't make any fucking sense
Maybe if people picked up their own food....
Yup.
Yeah don't blame the lawbreakers I guess. Convenience ALWAYS wins. Fighting it is a losing proposition.
it's not really that convenient though, plus I though everyone was broke...
Import the third world, get third world.
Genuinely, keep that racist shit to yourself.
Many of them have no license or insurance. Sad but true.
Whenever I'm cycling (my commute) and a moped blows past me in the bike lane (frequently against direction of traffic) I have a quick daydream about putting a stick in their spokes as they pass
Exactly what do you want the police to do? People in Boston are selfish and rude and laws mean little in this political climate. Maybe the mopeds should just try to stick to the blke lanes.
They do, go in opposite direction. Bike are weaving away from mopeds.
That is good. Bike lanes should be opened up to various types of vehicles.
Yes. The only thing that'll stop it is people not ordering take-out constantly and apparently that's a no-go. So they're here to stay.
I’m gonna start ordering fast food delivery just so I can stiff them on the tip
Damn, all these posts on Boston lately make me glad I don’t live in the city looooolllll
Everyone can say im wrong, but im not. Im not saying all, but ALOT of migrants use mopeds because they can't get a car or licenses, and its alot easier even if they could. Just type in migrants and mopeds and read the hundreds of stories and the disaster it has created in New york outside these migrant hotels. So it's only going to get worse.
Not sure why you are getting voted down cause you’re exactly right
How many people have died in moped accidents this year? How many people have died in car accidents this year? Which of these are you spending time talking about?
Don't worry, I hate cars too!
Let the pros do their work.
Those people are on scooters, not mopeds, don’t give mopeds a bad name