Police launch blitz on parking scooters in Toronto

TORONTO – Toronto Police are launching a blitz to teach scooter and moped riders exactly where they can park.

Kelly Mac, a scooter rider in Toronto for 6 years, has never had a problem parking her scooter next to bicycles.

“It’s always out of the way it’s never in anyone’s way of walking and if it’s a narrow sidewalk obviously common sense says don’t park on the sidewalk,” she said.

But a few days she found a $60 ticket attached to her bike.

Toronto Police recently launched a “sidewalk and boulevard parking campaign” to let moped and scooter riders know they are supposed to be riding on the street.

Riders usually find it easier and safer to put their ‘vehicles’ on the edge of the sidewalk – right next to locked up bicycles.

“When people do have another space to put their machines on the road lawfully without paying, there’s no real reason for them to obstruct and interfere with pedestrian traffic,” Toronto Police Constable Hugh Smith said.

It is currently illegal for mopeds or scooters to park on the sidewalk.

But they are allowed to park on the street – for free.

Mac meanwhile plans to fight the ticket she was given.

“I don’t think it’s fair at all. I think they should re-evaluate this law that they are imposing on us suddenly,” she said.