Just two days ago, brothers Allen and Jay Jones looked forward to opening their second Scootz's Scooters store at 329 Calder Way.

They had planned to sell electric scooters as a fast, energy-efficient way to get across campus.

However, plans have changed.

Electric scooters are illegal on campus or anywhere in Pennsylvania, said Clifford Lutz, Penn State Police Services supervisor.

Chapter 13 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code prohibits motorized scooters on sidewalks. For a motorized scooter to be allowed on the highway, it must be licensed and registered.

But because the scooters do not meet federal or state requirements for headlights, brake lights and turn signals, they cannot be licensed and will not be registered, Lutz said.

Lutz said the electric scooters are dangerous.

"If you fall down, [the scooter] keeps going, and could hit someone," he said.

After learning of this legal snag, the brothers are deciding whether or not they will open the store next week as planned.

"If you can't ride them on campus, then there's no point in us being there," Jay Jones said. "It's a stupid, ridiculous gray area."

The Joneses said they intend to ask the legal counsel of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation(PennDot) to agree to register the electric scooters.

If this attempt fails, they plan to attain a sample ordinance from a loose organization of people who ride, sell and design light electric vehicles, Allen Jones said.

They said they will use the sample ordinance to encourage the State College Borough to treat the electric scooters as bicycles.

They would like to see them legalize the scooters under certain circumstances.

If all efforts fail, the Joneses said they will not open Scootzs Scooters in State College.

"It's really State College's loss," Allen Jones said. "This is a nice, clean, non-polluting way to get around. But the state wants people in their gas-guzzlers and SUVs."

Prior to learning his scooters could not be used at Penn State, Jay Jones spoke enthusiastically about his products.

"It's amazing what these things can do, and they can help clean up the environment," he said. "It's user-friendly and practical."

Electric scooters do not burn fossil fuel, and they can be folded and carried into a classroom or dorm room, he added.

Most e-scooters travel at an average speed of 12 to 17 miles per hour, Jay Jones said, and can go about 15 miles before they need to be recharged. Prices can reach up to about $1,500, he said.

The Joneses opened their first Scootz's Scooters in Sept. 2002 near Shippensburg University after six months of research.

The brothers said the scooters are popular there. "We have not had any problems there," Allen Jones said.

The Joneses will open stores in Delaware and Rhode Island, where they said they have faced no resistance.