Another nice little “scooters are getting popular in America” article. Here’s a snippet.
Scooting around: Gas prices boost popularity of European trend: “The number of scooters on the road has gone up along with gas prices in recent years, and local dealers say they’re seeing an increase in sales.
Scooters, after all, can get up to 80 miles a gallon — and their drivers don’t even need air conditioners to beat the summer heat.
While the moped-like vehicles haven’t yet received much attention here in the United States, their huge popularity in Europe may finally be spreading to America.
“It’s hard to say why it’s taken so long, since the fuel prices in Europe have been a lot higher than what we’re paying here for a long time,” said Mike Mount, spokesman for the Motorcycle Industry Council. “In the last several years we’ve had Vespa return to the U.S. market … In 2003 Suzuki entered with Burgman … and Honda and Yamaha have been offering customers what they’re asking for.”
It ends with:
“I think that the market is healthy,” he said. “The more people see scooters on the road, the more they’ll think about them.”
True indeed.
3. July 2006 at 8:43 pm
I think people will modify their behavior in many ways, including an increased use of scooters like you mention.
Another thing I noticed happening is an increase in ridesharing. There’s a company starting in August of 2006 ridester.com that will basically work like eBay but for transportation between cities. Anyone driving from one town or another can sell car space to travelers willing to pay for it. Pretty cool concept.
Another thing I’ve noticed many people starting to do is develop cars that run on ethanol (i’ve actually seen too ethanol cars here in Austin, TX.
Pretty wild what the forces of economics can do.
6. July 2006 at 5:50 am
All great ideas. Economics is the mother of change in America.
If I see another single passenger Hummer, I’m gonna puke.