New policies coming for scooters, motorcycle rentals // DOCUMENT

PANAMA CITY BEACH — Bay County and Panama City Beach officials are working together to develop a uniform policy on moped, scoot car, scooter and motorcycle rentals.

County commissioners unanimously approved policy changes at their meeting Tuesday that affect unincorporated areas of the county and could become effective within 10 days, officials said.

The policy, which calls for businesses to provide free protective headgear and $1 million of liability insurance, is designed to make leisure riding on the lightweight vehicles safer for all drivers on the road. Companies also will be required to post signs stating policies and commit to annual inspections, and it prohibits renting to individuals obviously impaired by alcohol or drugs.

“They want to cruise up and down on their scooters. … You’ll see them driving to town on those things, over the bridge,” County Commission Chairman Guy Tunnell said following Tuesday’s commission meeting. “It can get out of hand if we’re not careful.”

As the county makes rental requirements more stringent, PCB’s policies will tighten, as well.

Panama City Beach City Manager Mario Gisbert has drafted a policy that calls for businesses to provide distinctive vests, helmets, a safety brochure and on-site training to customers. Both the city and county call for civil or criminal penalties, depending on the infraction.

City and county officials plan to iron out the differences in the new policies so they are uniform.

“Our primary concern is safety,” said Panama City Beach Mayor Gayle Oberst. “It’s just reached a point where we have to have better control of them.”

Representatives at Classy Cycles and California Cycles were unavailable for comment Monday and Tuesday.

Companies rent thousands of mopeds, scoot cars, scooters and motorcycles to first-timers and to regular drivers throughout the year.

During Spring Break this year, the small, colorful, toy-like scoot cars were involved in a number of crashes daily, including one that damaged a PCB police car and another that ended in the fatal death of Brandon Beverly, a 22-year-old spring breaker from Tennessee who was struck by a car on Thomas Drive on March 9.

New accountability standards will show patrons wishing to drive such vehicles that safety comes before pleasure, something Oberst doesn’t believe will hinder the number of rentals.

“When we start having so many accidents and there’s so much going on on our streets anyway, it’s better to be safe than sorry,” Oberst said Tuesday. “If we are protecting somebody’s life, I’m sure people will continue to visit us.”

The Beach Council expects to vote on the updated policy in upcoming weeks.

Proposals at a glance

County calls for:

- Free protective headgear furnished to customers.

- Vehicles must have $1 million in liability insurance and pass annual inspections.

- Drivers must have a driver’s license and cannot be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

PCB calls for:

- Free protective headgear and free distinctive vest furnished to customer.

- Vehicles must have $500,000 in liability insurance.

- On-site training must be provided and customers must demonstrate certain skills.

- Customers must sign a safety brochure.

- Vehicles must pass annual vehicle inspections.