Hrm… This is an interesting twist on the old “People buy scooters to beat high gas prices” story we’re used to seeing lately. The news-press is laying down the “scooters are dangerous” card. While I will agree that scooters are not as safe for the driver as bumbling along in your Hummer; if you’ve got a decent set of driving skills you’ll be alright.
The News-Press: Opinion – Scooters a risky answer: “With a tank of gas going for about the price of a used motor scooter, people in Southwest Florida and around the country are turning to cheaper transportation in the form of, well, motor scooters.
According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, scooter sales nationwide were estimated at 86,000 last year, and have doubled since 2000.
These scooters have always been popular in Europe and in U.S. vacation spots — locally, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Boca Grande come to mind — but now more people everywhere are riding them to work, to run errands and just for the fun of it.
In some communities, scooters are the ‘in’ symbol of cool for teenagers, and they’re perfect for getting around college campuses.
The fact that they are dangerous is offset for many by some of their other qualities: They are easier to ride than a motorcycle, some models reach speeds of 90 mph, basic models can cost $2,000 or less and they get as much as 100 miles to the gallon of gasoline.
These scooters do present perils on our roads. They are difficult to see and often are traveling slower than other traffic.”
Tue, Sep 13, 2005
News