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Ever seen a Vespa with a parking ticket on it? It seems most owners—and the NY Post is looking at you Matthew Broderick and Liev Schreiber—are going to great measures to avoid getting ticketed for illegally parking. But beware, Vespians, the paper reports that "Cops are cracking down on hipster Vespa owners who've taken to removing the vehicle-identification numbers from their rides."
Allegedly scooter owners have always taken to removing their license plates when parked on a sidewalk, but now some have gone too far by scraping off the VIN number, and that'll only land your precious Vespa in the pound. Plus, it's a felony, so owners could land themselves behind bars, doing community service, or paying a fine.
The Vespa crowd is "panicked" according to an expert at the McCarren Motor repair shop and Vespa SoHo dealership. The scooting set doesn't like to park between cars in fear their vehicle will be hit, and as such would like more dedicated scooter parking in the city, particularly in Manhattan. NYPD records show that 75% of the 10,619 summonses issued to motorcycles and scooters through October 20th were in that borough.
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Bloomberg and DOT autocrat Sadik-Khan should install Scooter Lanes everywhere to accommodate the growing popularity of hipsters on scooters.
Vespa lanes? What's next? Skateboard lanes? Rollerblading lanes? Get real.
Once I get my tongue out of my cheek, I'll answer that.
This is an Outrage! Vespa Owners are obviously above the law as they are smarter, more sophisticated, and are just more superior than the rest of the populous, simply because they drive a Vespa.
I gather from your spelling that you and I don't get our artisanal arugala from the same purveyor. Nice try, plebeian.
lol That's rich. Why don't you drive your Vespa head on into oncoming traffic for kicks?
ftw!
i saw a NYPD flatbed driving around a couple of months ago picking up illegally parked Vespas. it was awesome.
They should impound anything without plates or a VIN number as they are obviously stolen property.
I guess you can't read. They are NOT all stolen. The article states that owner are removing the plates. Please read the entire article before commenting in the future,
I don't own a vehicle, but it seems to me that if more people drove scooters, you would see less vehicle-pedestrian accidents, and certainly parking problems would ease somewhat.
Wrong, because as they become more popular, there will be more offenses. They'll start riding on the sidewalks to avoid traffic jams and sooner or later one of them will kill or maim someone. I can tolerate the bikes (but not the delivery guys on them). but the thought of a motorized vehicle coming at me is too much.
There's a flatbed on Grand and Bway right now scooping them up.
That's because the Vespa store is near Grand and Crosby the epicenter of the Vespa/Hipster plague.
And there's ALWAYS a very, very strong smell of weed wafting around that block.
There's always a strong smell of weed wafting around just about EVERY block in this city. Not that there's anything wrong with that...
Yeah, but where else is it so strong that if you wanted a quick fix you just have to walk around the block once? :)
the nypd's been cracking down on scooters for a few years.
they'll hit you with an incorrect lane change ticket.
but scratching the VIN off is serious. just park on the street.
I know I've mentioned this before but I saw a guy teaching his girl how to ride, she didn't know how to make a turn and went straight into a parked car.
What exactly constitutes illegal parking for a motorcycle/scooter? I imagine it means no parking on the sidewalk, but can you park it in your building's little concrete front yard? Also, I fail to see how parking all these things in the street, taking up spaces from cars unnecessarily, helps anyone as long as they're not really impeding sidewalk traffic or driving on the sidewalk.
it is so easy and convenient to park between cars, there is no excuse. i do it all the time and have never had a problem. impound these weenie-mobiles.
Easy and convenient? Not really. Consider yourself screwed when the space between your car and the one in front of you was once 3 feet and is now just inches because someone stuck their glorified bike in there.
for motorcyclists (obviously). who cares about the convenience of some dill-hole who feels the need to drive a car into manhattan.
You still don't make any sense. Now all of Manhattan should be car-less? And people are stupid for driving a car into Manhattan? Do you have stock in Vespa or something?
i'd love to help with your reading comprehension issue but there's no time for trolls.
Actually, consider THEM screwed. Motorcycles and scooters don't have bumpers, especially on the side. One small tap will either dent them up or send them tipping over.
too bad, that's the risk you take as a cycle rider, like the risk i take as a car driver worrying about one of them scratching my car. grow a better, stronger argument.
Rubbing off the VIN? Really?
That's going to be a hell of a "stupid tax" for a lot of people.
I pull the plates off of my motorcycle sometimes, but the VIN stays put. If the traffic agent is industrious enough to dig my VIN out and give me a ticket that way, well they earned it then.
That said, I park in the street, and have never gotten a ticket for improperly displayed plates.
You pull the plates off all the time? Doesn't mean that's legal. You basically admit to breaking the law. Cars are just more obtrusive and obstructing to general traffic and parking, so cops would be more willing to ticket them. Once the NYPD starts cracking down on them and realizing how much of a revenue there is from stupid-heads like you, you'll start following the rules like every one else.
I thought I was clear in my acknowledgment of the legality of pulling my plates (or lack thereof), but the "stupid head" comment all but begged me to revisit my assumption that you were a mature individual.
Grown-ups don't call one another "stupid heads".
But, yes, it's illegal, and if and when I get a ticket for it (by VIN, obviously), then I've earned it and will pay up. Until then, I'll continue to park in my spot at the end of the block and pull my plates, just like the 8 or 9 other motorcycles on that block.
i don't drive but grizzly brings up a good point " I fail to see how parking all these things in the street, taking up spaces from cars unnecessarily, helps anyone "
scooters and vespas clog up the sidewalks in many neighborhoods and around campuses. owners will often lock them to trees, gates, and anything else they can find. this becomes more than a minor inconvenience if you consider that some people navigate the sidewalks in wheelchairs.
In Europe, the gov't is not so blind to the dominance of cars: ownership & use of small motorcycles & scooters is actually encouraged. Quick & easy way to get around town, low gas consumption, low pollution, small physical footprint. There are even free parking spaces for them! Of course, they also have clean, safe, on-time & affordable public rail (so your scooter never has to go on the highway), so scooters are practical. Here they're seen as a nuisance. (One more thing that the French get right!)
Sommelier: you're an idiot for totally missing the point. The issue at hand is not the environmental benefits of a Vespa (or similar), the ease, the safety to pedestrians, or anything else you may claim versus using a car. The argument of this entire pitch is how Vespa riders let their egos get the best of them by abusing the ease of stripping VIN's and plates to avoid tickets they would get if they had a car for illegally parking.
Europe has an efficient rail network? And NYC doesn't? It's called the Subway...ever hear of it?
Our subway and rail system is a pathetic JOKE compared to what they've got in Europe. And YOU are the one missing the point. In France they have dedicated parking areas for two wheeled vehicles on every other block. This provides a place for people to park where they won't get knocked over by idiots and their cars. If we had similar parking areas, people wouldn't feel compelled to park illegally, thus eliminating the need to remove VIN numbers in order to avoid getting a ticket. Use your brain sometimes, I know it's hard for you, but try, it will pay off.
"A pathetic joke" compared to which systems? The ones that shut down at midnight or earlier (i.e. all of them)?
The ones that are clean, safe, run on time, don't break down when it rains, that have cell service through out. Our subway would benefit from shutting down for a few hours at night to do maintenance and repairs. As for the rail system, I really hope you are kidding.
Clean can only be had by the people who ride them, not the people or agency(ies) who run them; and don't tell me the MTA has no one to clean these trains or platforms. You can have a cleaning staff of 100,000 and people will still make it filthy.
I can't tell you how many times I've been stuck and forced to cab it in London because the trains stop at 11 or midnight. Even in BOSTON! San Francisco? Good luck with your train that comes every 30 MINUTES. Hands down, there is still no better, efficient, singular way to get from way up top the Bronx to way down to Rockaway for $2.25. That ride in London or Paris will kill your pocket since it's based on 'zones.'
So what will you try and banter about next? Price? $89 for an unlimited MetroCard or $450+ for a car payment plus maintenance, insurance, gas, parking. Get real, buddy.
"That ride in London or Paris will kill your pocket since it's based on 'zones.'"
London yes, Paris, no. You should be better informed.
The subway in Paris is cleaner, in part because the French are more respectful of public spaces, but also because, due to that same respect, the agencies actually spend time and money cleaning the facilities. The rest of your rant is incomprehensible. Why are you so angry?
Again, you missed the point about who gives a shit about what another country has to offer. the article is about ABUSING VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAWS of new york city and state, not about how clean people are, stupid.
Are you giong to leave NYC for Europe? What's that? no? Oh, ok.
I just might. Quality of life is much higher over there.
Also, REMOVING THE VIN IS ILLEGAL, no matter what argument you may make for another country's 'efficient' transportation system.
'What exactly constitutes illegal parking for a motorcycle/scooter?'
How about the fact that they're a motor vehicle in the state of New York and are thereby subject to the same Vehicle and Traffic Laws as any other.
this is why we can't have nice things.
they should save one spot for scooter/motorcycle parking on each block, those things don't take up much.
I was in Lincoln Nebraska probably ten years ago and noticed that in a lot of the downtown area there were two motorcycle parking spaces on each block. The curb curved away from the sidewalk towards the crosswalk, and in the curved area left there would be room for a bike to park -- and a parking meter that as I recall charged half what the ones in regular spaces did.
There was also an area of a block or so near the campus (which is downtown) that was only motorcycle parking spaces. And more motorcycles in operation as a percentage of vehicles than I've seen anywhere else in the US.
Like in this space, but there's no parking meter now.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=lincoln+ne&sll=40.880295,-96.679687&sspn=16.096949,36.694336&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Lincoln,+Lancaster,+Nebraska&ll=40.812506,-96.70534&spn=0.001969,0.004479&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=40.812504,-96.705225&panoid=OY386NmDFfm9QSZGZndolA&cbp=12,20.4,,0,21.17
Vespa owners are above the law - and for good reason: no matter where they're going or what they're doing, they're looking good doing it or going there. That, I'm learning, is the most important thing in NYC: as long as you look good doing it you can do whatever you like. Image is the only thing important in NYC now and forever.
Vespa cost DOUBLE what comparable scooters made by more reputable brands (Yamaha, Honda). Anyone that drops 5k on a scooter deserves some sort of punishment.
not true
It's more than just the fear of getting hit by parking between cars.
When a Vespa is knocked over by a careless parallel-parker (who, as we've all seen, park like driving a bumper car) the fuel backs up into the engine and if sitting on its side for too long, won't start. It's an expensive and annoying repair as it involves transporting the Vespa to the garage via pickup truck or trailer.
Also, should Driver A knock the Vespa into a Driver B's car and speed off (as they often do), the Vespa is liable for damaging Driver B's car as the Vespa owner can't prove that his/her bike just didn't fall over.
It's a tough choice to make whether or not to park on the sidewalk. I don't agree with those who remove their plates or scratch out VIN numbers. The occasional ticket is well worth the price, fair and square, of avoiding repairs and liability.
Oh, forgot to add, most garages will not take scooters for the same fear of accidentally knocking over the bikes -- a small mistake leads to an expensive liability. Very few outdoor lots will allow scooters to park at any price. Of those who do, the rates are about half of a car, even though you can park four scooters in an average parking spot -- which seems disproportionately unfair.
If they had cars instead of scooters, they could make it to the hospital when their home births go bad.
We have a congestion problem in this city. Scooters, bikes, motorcycles, skateboards all reduce the car/taxi problem.
When bike usage picked up, the city put in place plans to encourage their use, adding bike lanes, bike racks, etc. I regularly see bikers not wearing helmets, go the wrong way down 1-ways, and run reds. I had a friend last year on a bike die this way.
I drive a scooter, and when I originally parked it on the street following the rules, cars hit it and cops said they had better things to worry about (anyone who's dealt with cops in the city know it takes a lot to make them take notice).
Somehow when scooter usage picked up, even though it's a valid solution to the congestion problem, it's just treated with class-based derision rather than welcomed.
A new vespa puts out a fraction of the pollution (the old scooters are bad, but so are old cars) and uses $5 of gas a week to get around, which is cheaper than train rides, even with the $40 insurance. So maybe the person driving the scooter is poorer?
Scooters are fast, small, and they do not wake up babies and set off car alarms when they drive by (unlike motorcycles/ice cream trucks).
The less people who cram into trains and get into cabs the less everybody here complains about train and car congestion.
Scooters, bikes, motorcycles, skateboards all reduce the car/taxi problem. Not really. All those different vehicles, traveling at different rates of speed, adds to the confusion. There's no reason to believe that a Scooter, Vespa, skateboard, whatever, is displacing a car, truck or taxi, and the increased number of moving vehicles likely leads to more accidents.
Want to reduce congestion? End new construction in NYC and eliminate rent control and rent stabilization. Double the subway fare, add a $5 per ride surcharge to taxis, and a $1000/year surcharge for any type of transportation device to encourage walking. Rents will skyrocket, and fewer people will fill our roads and subways.
What a moronic "solution." Making rents more expensive means that people won't be able to afford to live within walking or biking distance, which in turn will INCREASE congestion in the streets and public transportation.
Bikes are regularly clipped when locked to anything but approved bike racks.
Welcome to the club. What a terrible life we lead, oppressed by this vicious city!
Who cares about Vespas. Vespa riders have it easy. Does anyone ever think of the pocket bike crowd who is constantly oppressed by the NYPD. How would you like it if your vehicle was thrown in the back of a squad car and confiscated?
Without reading the comments
It's a dog eat dog world and if they are taking advantage by illegal means then
Bang-bang shoot 'em up.
You are all clueless - take a plate off a Vespa - which all are registered as a motorcycle and it becomes an abandoned vehicle just like a car. Sanitation or the NYPD has the right to remove it and impound it. Do you put your car plates on with velcro ?? - NO - and that too is illegal -(plates improperly fastened) - you want to ride vespas or motorcycles in NYC follow the rules , get a permit(no solo riding), then a motorcycle license,then you can ride, learn the proper way to ride, get insurance, a DOT helmet, glasses and also get an inspection and registration every year - and oh yeaa - stay off the sidewalk - you cant park cars on sidewalks - which are motor vehicles , a motorcycle is a motor vehicle also. FOLLOW THE RULES we all have to follow - you are not special !!!
Thanks Officer Anonymous!
I drive a scooter (not a Vespa) and it is indeed reliable and economical way to get around Brooklyn where I live. That being said, I can park easily where I live and work and its only when going into Manhattan that I get screwed some times. Muni meters are great but there is no place for me to put my "receipt" for parking so I some time take my chances and park without paying. Otherwise, I go to a street where I can park in between cars. Parking on the side walk is illegal and so is removing your plates, period. Just like cyclists who go thru red lights without looking out for cars and walkers, so to can a few "bad" scotter riders give all scooter riders a bad name. No one is above the law. Respect everyone on the road.
i don't know the scooter rules b/c i don't own one, but, just like bicyclists and motorist, ignorance of the law is no excuse. park ur vespa up on one of my bumpers and your shyt & find ur shit horizontal.
also, i love to drive downtown as much as i like to take the train. i have to be on alert against ipodders stepping into my path, but it comes with the responsibility of operating a motor vehicle in a city like this. i always find parking, i'm just patient.
ny'ers who have no driver's license and who don't obey the bike/scooter rules should STFU.