Question on Vespa ride in Italy - I'm travelling with 2 kids (age 5 and 3.5) to italy and we would love to do the vespa ride. I cant find the age limitations or rules on the subject. Any one done this?
PS: Me and my husband are originally from India and we are very comfortable with riding two wheel motor vehicles with kids. 🙂
Hi -
Haven't done it but this Vespa rental company in Venice Lido states that, "...the Italian Law minimum age for child passengers is 6 years old."
https://www.scooterrentvenice.com/faq---rentals.html
This one in Rome states that. "It’s forbidden to transport children under five years on two-wheel motor vehicles in Italy. For older children, the law establishes the principle that their size must allow them to sit in a stable and balanced manner, in the position determined by the vehicle’s equipment."
https://easybikerent.it/en/fai/
This one, also in Rome, states the same:
"Italian law strictly prohibits the transportation of children aged under 5 on two-wheeled vehicles. For children aged 5 and over, the law states simply that they must be large enough to sit in a stable, balanced way, in a position determined by the vehicle's equipment."
https://www.bicibaci.com/en/faq
So short answer, from what I'm seeing on various FAQ pages (you could look more of those up yourself for more rental companies) is that your 3.5 year-old is definitely too young, and it's sketchy enough for your 5 year-old that I wouldn't risk it. Heck, what with the hospitals overflowing COVID patients, I wouldn't risk one or both of you having an accident away from home with one of these scooters anyway, especially with young children along who depend on you, but that's just me. I will admit that if you've driven them in India, you likely know your way around Vespa operation but still....
Max one passenger plus the driver and none younger than 5.
The helmet is mandatory and it must be an EU-approved model designed for children. Fines up to € 300. Not an helmet designed for cycling.
their feet have to be able touch the foot platform
This is an urban legend. A famous one that Internet revived. I'm afraid it will never pass away...
Younger than 5 means that a kid who is 5 years and 1 day old can ride a scooter.
This (feet have to touch the platform) is an urban legend. A famous
one that Internet revived.
Good to know, Dario, and especially so from an Italian! I have edited accordingly. :O)
Spam by renatefin reported.
(LOL, no urban legend THIS time!)
This is the actual art. 170 of the Vehicle Code dealing with the issue:
Translated below courtesy of Google Translate. Paragraph 1bis and 6bis are the relevant ones.
**Art. 170. Transport of people and objects on two-wheeled motor vehicles.*
1. On motorcycles and two-wheeled mopeds, the driver must have free use of his arms, hands and legs, must be seated in the correct position and must hold the handlebars with both hands, or with one hand in case of need. for appropriate maneuvers or signals. You must not proceed by lifting the front wheel.
1-bis. The transport of minors under the age of five is prohibited on the vehicles referred to in paragraph 1.
2. On mopeds it is forbidden to transport people other than the driver, unless the passenger seat is expressly indicated in the traffic certificate and the driver is over sixteen years of age.
3. On the vehicles referred to in paragraph 1, any passenger must be seated in a stable and balanced way, in the position determined by the specific equipment of the vehicle.
4. Drivers of the vehicles referred to in paragraph 1 are prohibited from towing or being towed by other vehicles.
5. On the vehicles referred to in paragraph 1 it is forbidden to transport objects that are not solidly secured, that protrude laterally with respect to the axis of the vehicle or longitudinally with respect to the shape of it more than fifty centimeters, or prevent or limit the visibility to the driver . Within the aforementioned limits, the transport of animals is allowed as long as they are kept in a special cage or container.
6. Anyone who violates the provisions of this article is subject to the administrative sanction of the payment of a sum ((from € 83 to € 332)). (19) (29) (43) (52) (80) (89) (101) (114) (124) (145) ((163))
6-bis. Anyone who violates the provisions of paragraph 1-bis is subject to the administrative sanction of the payment of a sum ((from € 165 to € 660)). (101) (114) (124) (133) (145) ((163))
7. The violations envisaged by paragraph 1 and, if committed by a driver under sixteen, by paragraph 2, the administrative pecuniary sanction follows the administrative detention of the vehicle for sixty days, pursuant to Chapter I, Section II, of Title VI; when, in the course of a two-year period, one of the violations provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2 has been committed with a moped or motorcycle at least twice, the administrative detention of the vehicle is ordered for ninety days.*
A friend had to visit an Italian ER a few years back and it was mostly full of people with broken extremities from scooter accidents. So it looks like fun but ...
