Brooklyn: While stopped at a red traffic light on Flatbush Ave. in my Honda Accord Sport, a hefty young man on a gasoline-fueled, two-wheeled light motorcycle (euphemistically called a “scooter”) rammed into the rear of my car, going at a full clip, oblivious to traffic at a full stop ahead. He went over the handlebars and wound up on the pavement with bleeding injuries to his right hand and arm.
I called an ambulance for him and the police for both of us. Turns out that he was not licensed, the light motorcycle bore no license tags, was unregistered and uninsured. He was issued two citations by the police.
The other occupant of my car and I were unhurt. However, my car’s rear bumper needs to be repaired or replaced, which will cost well more than $1,000. Since I have no recourse to get the damage he caused paid for by an insurance company other than my own, I’m out the collision deductible specified in my auto insurance policy, regardless of no fault of my own.
Virtually all of NYC’s thousands of bicyclists, motorized bicycles, powered scooters and light motorcycles are unregistered and uninsured, and largely driven by unlicensed operators. This chaotic situation is the result of the city, state and national bicycle lobbies obstructing the passage of laws that would require licensing, registration and insurance coverage for these unskilled road menaces who largely obey no vehicle traffic laws. If you are a responsible motorist, you must know that you will be screwe.