Power Trip : Go-Peds Picking Up Where Roller-Blades, Skateboards Leave Off for Orange County Kids
They’re the Harley-Davidson for the bubble-gum set, gas-powered chariots of fun. Don’t be alarmed when they zoom down your street. They only sound like a buzz saw on wheels.
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They’re Go-Peds, motorized scooters with a $460 price tag, de rigueur among the local kiddie elite. Forget roller-blades, bikes and skateboards. In certain parts of Orange County, Go-Peds are it .
“They’re the popular thing,” says Elliott Patterson, an eighth-grader from Newport Beach who is hoping for a Go-Ped for Christmas.
“Most of my friends have them,” says 13-year-old Cindy Edlund, riding her Go-Ped, an early Christmas present, on the blacktop at Lincoln School in Corona del Mar.
On roads and schoolyards from Seal Beach to San Clemente, Go-Peds are becoming increasingly popular among kids ages 8 to 13. The patented two-wheeled scooters, manufactured in Livermore, Calif., are powered by a two-stroke, 1.2-horsepower engine and can travel up to 20 mph.
Go-Peds run on 6-inch, solid rubber wheels, and, at full throttle, feel a tad more stable than the average skateboard. You ride one much like an old-fashioned stand-up scooter. Stopping is by means of a small hand brake.
Questions about the safety of Go-Peds have been raised by police and some parents. Owners say the vehicles are safe--as long as they are ridden responsibly.
In its instruction manual, the manufacturer of Go-Peds indicates the product is not intended for use on public streets, roads or highways. Adult supervision for minors and complete safety equipment are recommended. The manual also offers tips about driving defensively and warns against riding on uneven surfaces, cracks, sand, gravel and wet or oily patches.
Marcia Kerr, spokeswoman for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, said the agency conducted an investigation of motorized scooters after the death of a 14-year-old boy in Phoenix last June. The boy, who was not wearing a helmet, reportedly veered into traffic and was hit head-on by a car.
It is the only motorized-scooter death the safety commission has on record.
“We want to let kids and adults know they really shouldn’t be riding in traffic,” Kerr said.
In Orange County, some do.
Local law enforcement agencies say that unlike motorized skateboards, mopeds and golf carts, Go-Peds aren’t yet defined under the California Vehicle Code, creating some confusion on how to regulate them.
“There’s no real clear answer on it,” said Lt. Ron Wilkerson of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, adding that the Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Highway Patrol recently began discussing the issue. “It’s a problem that has to be resolved.”
Officer Bruce Lian of the CHP’s San Juan Capistrano office said he had never heard of a Go-Ped. But without lights, a horn and turn indicators, a Go-Ped isn’t street-legal, Lian said, meaning offenders risk citation or even having their Go-Peds impounded.
In Newport Beach--home to perhaps more Go-Peds than anywhere else in the county--Lt. Paul Henisey said the Police Department is pursuing legislation to have Go-Peds defined under the state’s vehicle code. Until then, officers will continue to stop Go-Ped riders, educate them about not being allowed on public streets, then send them home and/or call their parents.
In Villa Park, Go-Ped popularity has tapered after a year of informal, roadside education, sheriff’s investigator Jaena Imboden said.
“We’d have kids scoot right out in front of you in traffic,” Imboden said. “I know I would have wanted one as a kid. But to me, they’re real hazardous.”
Donna Kelly agrees. Her 13-year-old son, Peyton, asked for a Go-Ped earlier this year, but the Corona del Mar mom held out.
“I just think they’re too dangerous.”
At Myron’s Mopeds & Go-Peds in Fullerton, salesman David Goodman said that some parents express concern but that most “just walk in, put their money down and don’t seem to worry about it too much.” The shop expects to sell 30 to 40 Go-Peds in the next two weeks.
“We can’t keep enough in stock,” Goodman said.
The scooters, which weigh 20 pounds, get 100 miles to the gallon and can fold in half for easy portage.
They debuted a decade ago partly as a way for yacht owners to get around while in port. More than 60,000 have been sold worldwide, including 15,000 this year, said Go-Ped inventor Steve Patmont of Patmont Motor Werks in Livermore.
There’s even an international association of professional Go-Ped racers.
“It’s taken off at a pace that’s a little scary to me,” said Patmont, 47, who built his first Go-Ped in his garage. “The demand is getting bigger and bigger.”
Go-Ped owners are quick to tell you why.
“They’re great,” says David Fracalosy, 13, of Corona del Mar.
“They’re so powerful,” says twin brother Scott.
“It can carry up to 400 pounds,” adds David.
“They’re rad!” says 8-year-old Matt.
Matt’s father, real estate developer Fred Silva of Corona del Mar, is giving his son a Go-Ped this Christmas partly because he remembers the fun he had riding a minibike as a kid. That, and because the gift he originally picked out--an autographed picture of Mickey Mantle--was going to set him back nearly $900.
“I couldn’t justify the picture,” he said, “so I bought the Go-Ped instead.”
Doug Edlund of Corona del Mar bought his daughter, Cindy, a used Go-Ped last week for $200. Like most parents of Go-Ped riders, Edlund is concerned about safety but believes his daughter--who received a warning citation for riding on the boardwalk at the Balboa Fun Zone last week--will make the right decisions “almost all of the time.”
“We spent a lot of time discussing the safety factors. . . . I think Cindy’s an extremely responsible kid,” Edlund said. “I don’t look for her to have a problem.”
Leo Fracalosy--whose twin sons, David and Scott, received Go-Peds for their 13th birthday this year--shares that sentiment.
As the father of four boys, he has seen his share of broken bones and bruises. Perhaps that’s why he is a bit less nervous every time they take their Go-Ped, moped or go-cart for a spin.
“You want the kids to be safe, but you also want them to have fun,” he said. “Personally, I think the kids should be out on bikes pedaling .”
Don’t count on it. His sons say the Go-Ped generation is here to stay.
“I used to ride my bike everywhere,” says David, starting his scooter and donning his green Army helmet. “But now I take my Go-Ped. We’re even thinking about getting a radar detector.”
Go-Ped Safety Tips
* Before use, thoroughly inspect the Go-Ped for worn or damaged parts. If it needs repairs, don’t ride it until it is fixed.
* Always wear safety gear: elbow and knee pads, gloves and a helmet.
* Never ride barefoot; sneakers are best. Wear long sleeves and long pants.
* Always keep both hands on steering handle when you ride.
* Stay off roads, bike trails and sidewalks. Ride in wide open, paved areas that are free from cars. Always yield to pedestrians.
* Check with local law enforcement agencies to determine where Go-Ped riding is legal.
* Minors should ride under adult supervision.
Sources: Patmont Motor Werks, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.