More tourists rent scooters, run risks
One aspect of the tourism boom that Belize City residents may have noticed is the proliferation of motor scooters driven by some of those hundreds of thousands of cruise ship visitors. When two scooter rental businesses opened earlier this year near the Tourism Village, it was predicted that mishaps would follow. Patrick Jones reports that the only surprise is that it took this long for the crunch to arrive.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
The two-wheel rides have become a familiar sight on city streets on cruise ship days. But a traffic accident on Tuesday afternoon has brought into sharp focus the risk factors involved with this new addition to the local tourism product.
Cecil Gill, Proprietor, Two Wheel Rentals
“After getting all the facts, I later found out that it was the fault of the driver, the driver driving and talking on the cell phone and not paying attention in his side-view mirror. He made an attempt to go and park and he just pulled over, without even paying attention, and so the guy was riding next to his vehicle and he side swiped him and just knocked him off the bike.”
The accident on Central American Boulevard left the tourist couple with bruises and abrasions, but not serious enough to keep them from boarding their ship and continuing on their vacation. While this first incident involving one of these scooters ended without major injuries, the more serious question is: how safe are the machines on the already congested streets of the commercial capital?
Frederick Elijio, Proprietor, ET’s Scooters & Bike Rentals
“These bikes are very safe, because what happens, first before any tourist get on any one of my bikes, they have certain agreement that they have to make or do before they take my scooter. What I do first is maybe give them a five minutes test run on the scooter to see if you could take care of it and if they can’t, you know, I don’t let them take my scooter.”
While those built-in mechanisms are intended to safeguard the bikes, Elijio’s rival Cecil Gill, says the local traffic laws actually help to simplify scooter operations.
Cecil Gill
“Well all they have to be is over eighteen and have a valid driver’s license. Most of the time in the States, they don’t need a license to drive these, because these are automatic scooters… Because you see, most of them come here and they think that we drive on the left hand side. So that’s one of the first things that we have to do is to point out to them that traffic flows just like in the States or wherever they probably come from, unless they are from these British former colonies or from the U.K. And of course they have to have a helmet, each individual has to wear a helmet. We do explain to them and we give them proper direction as to where to go.”
Frederick Elijio
“I give them the whole run down about the city, how to drive, keep on the right hand side, different stop signs, because we have maps to show them different signs and whatever. We also have the agreement that they got to sign before they take out the scooters also.”
The rental scooters were first introduced to the tourism industry back in February, following queries from visitors who want a smaller, more efficient way of checking out the attractions.
Cecil Gill
“You see, come to Belize and have fun. Enjoy Belize on two wheels. Two wheels is better than two heels, you see.”
Patrick Jones, for News 5.
Both Two Wheel Rentals and E.T.’s operate just outside the Tourism Village. Going rate for scooters is around ten U.S. dollars per hour.
