TheScooterScoop

(Denise Zeringue prepares to ride her new Vespa home from work. Many people ask her questions about her out-of-the-ordinary ride.) -photo Mark Saltz

Think Clark Kent, Army-issued glasses and ’70s hair are the only retro-chic trends surfacing in Baton Rouge?

Think again.

There’s a transportation trend afoot. If you guessed “scooters,” step to the front of the line.

Long ago adopted as the best way to get around many European and Asian cities, scooters are quickly gaining popularity in the United States, and Baton Rouge seems to be no exception.

The Motorcycle Industry Council reported that in 2005 113,000 scooters were sold in this country. That’s a big leap from total sales in 1997: 12,000. The third quarter of last year saw a huge spike in sales from the same period in 2004. While conventional motorcycle sales only climbed 16 percent, scooter purchases jumped 65 percent.

It’s hard to say how many scooters are in Baton Rouge. But as more hit the road, it’s getting easier to spot them.

*A nice little ‘feel-good’ scooter story from LA. Click the title link to read the whole thing*