Lakewood May Close Quadricycles ‘Loophole’

There’s nothing stopping Dominic Latessa from pedaling his quadricycle in Lakewood. 

For now. 

Police cited the Lakewood resident for pedaling his four-wheeled, non-motorized “Rhoades Car” on Madison Avenue on Sept. 26, 2012.

Lakewood Municipal Court Judge Patrick Carroll recently found him not guilty of riding a “toy vehicle.”

Mayor Michael Summers told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that the city might need to consider closing a “loophole” in the law.

“We’ve got an unregulated activity that could imperil citizens on the vehicle and others around it — particularly in cars,” Summers told Lakewood Patch.

“If there are more of these, we could have some serious accidents. This subject is complicated enough that it needs some careful study.”

In his opinion, Judge Patrick Carroll agreed that the quadricycle is not likely safe for the roads, but pointed out that the vehicle — not unlike a bicycle — doesn’t fall under the classification of a toy.

The Rhoades Car is a four-wheeled bike that “rides like a car.” It’s 5-feet long, with two front seats — each with a set of pedals — and a bench-style backseat. 

“Neither the Ohio Revised Code nor the Lakewood Codified Ordinances set out a definition of a toy vehicle,” Carroll wrote in his opinion last week, suggesting that any changes should be made in the legislative, not the court.

“There’s some interesting stuff out there, but we have to be thoughtful about this," added Summers, adding that council may review an ordinance at an upcoming council meeting soon.