Comments on: Scooterless in the City

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 13:17:00 +0000

jenni: My first thoughts parallel yours but with a bit of distance from the trip I am beginning to think about a scooter trip to New York....

dru: New York is a great place and while I am not a city person there is much to attract me.

It is hard to watch your kids move away. Our oldest daughter still lives nearby but one never knows where their lives will carry them.

pitchertaker: It wasn't my idea. Honest! Aleta chose White Castle because she has heard about them but never visited one.

It is nothing like the ones I frequented as a kid. It is now McDonalds with greasy little burgers. No soul in the physical surroundings. Just a cash generation enterprise with no human patina.

bill: I am going to test my city nerves someday.

paul: Thanks!

demonio: We are nowhere near the acceptance of scooters here in the US as you are in Europe. there remains a huge mental barrier consisting of fear, good hair, unwrinkled clothes, and how to not break the social norms of living on four wheels.

kano: there is just no accounting for thinking processes...

cody: Stay tuned. Sometime I will make the ride to NYC. Can't be that bad can it???

sundance: Once I got off the bridges and expressways and into Queens I saw many scooters. I just need to figure out the least crazy way into the city... Maybe a ferry across rather than the bridges. Huge potholes about on the roads in. they rattle the hell out of my truck. Would eat the Vespa.

conchscooter: Last night while riding I was thinking about how much more difficult it is to just pull over and sleep. I was lookiing at a corn field and thinking I could run the scooter down a row about 50 yards and spread out a sleeping bag and go to sleep. Then I thought of all the midnight harvesting, Furadan pesticide, and just sort of groaned...

eldercattus: A hammock! What a great idea. I will have to give that some thought.

By: Eldercattus

Eldercattus — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 02:56:00 +0000

Just as a by-the-way, I carry an ultralight hammock with me on my Burgman ‘scooter’. It weighs 1 lb, and I can attach it anywhere between two strong upright ‘things.’ For instance, from your Ranger cab door to a lamp post … two trees … fence post & my scooter’s inside handlebar. It’s strangely comfortable. A big microfiber towel to cover. Rain? Get back in the truck.

By: Conchscooter

Conchscooter — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 00:43:00 +0000

Good luck sleeping on the vespa when exhaustion overtakes you! Cars do have their miserable place…

By: S u n d a n c e

S u n d a n c e — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 00:27:00 +0000

I used to work in NYC before I had my scooter, and while it is an exotic jungle of traffic, I would rather ride than drive. Of course, I drive in a metro area now (very light in comparison). I think metro areas are the ideal environment for scooters because they can keep pace with traffic, and often can move through congestion easier. Diverse world, diverse perspectives.

And btw, you are a natural at this blog thing.

By: CodyandMichelle

CodyandMichelle — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 23:51:00 +0000

What a good Dad!
You couldn’t pay me enough to go to NY, and I really would not go in a Vespa…you chose wisely grasshopper:)

By: Kano

Kano — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 15:58:00 +0000

It seems like it’s usually the young ones who ride without helmets. They think their invincible.

By: Demonio Pellegrino

Demonio Pellegrino — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:02:00 +0000

Problem is that for many commuters who must move around in big cities, the scooter is the only option, if you don't want to be trapped in a car for hours. I ride my scooter every day to work, 50km return journey. It takes me 40 minutes in total. If I was to do the same journey by car, it would take me around 1.5 hours in the morning, and 45 minutes at night.

I guess the scooter immediately becomes a valuable city companion in that case...

the motorbike instead is for my leisure, or longer journeys...

By the way, in Europe it is now compulsory everywhere to wear a helmet. unfortunately, you still see a lot of people going around without protecting jackets, or gloves or trousers...

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 16:34:00 +0000

sfw3: that’s a personal and thoughtful write up. it’s a milemarker in aleta’s life – and your’s and kim’s too. i really like enzo he seems sincere and honest. so that’s good for aleta. she looks like her mum standing on the truck rear. driving late at night in the rain is difficult at any age. try THAT on a vespa. there will be no joy. yes 80mph on a harley with no protection. that’s a man with no family to support. it’s a little selfish as well as romantic. you know live hard die young and all that. that’s fine when you are 23. not fine when your kids are at home.
paul

By: Bill Sommers

Bill Sommers — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 23:39:00 +0000

Trips into the city any more put my nerves on high alert. I don't adapt to the hustle the way I did in the '80's when I spent half of every week in Seattle for over a year. Riding would be an adventure for sure.

Have fun,
Bill

By: pitchertaker

pitchertaker — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 23:27:00 +0000

Tell me you didn’t eat a White Castle? How desperate you must have been. Even after seven weeks on the road (in a Pathfinder mind you), I never stooped so low. California is the worst when it comes to lane splitters — they do it at very high speed. I hate those riders who think they have special privilege to splie the lanes. My daughter moved to the next town over, and that’s far enough.

P’taker