That’s pretty what I do when I have shorts on — something heavy duty over top. For me, in hot weather, it’s Joe Rocket pants.

My mama tried to raise someone who would never ever ride a scooter or motorcycle!

Ahh, vain attempt at macho appearance. Truth be known, although short pants are worn, so are the heavy leather riding chaps, that pretty much cover my whole lower body. Upper body is sweatingly protected by Joe Rocket jacket repleat with elbow, and back protectors.
Mama didn’t raise no fool

You’re right of course, the environment in which we operate dictates how we interpret things. Traffic too. I’ve been in the sticks so long that my experiences in the city where I grew up have long ago evaporated. Now, if I have six cars in front of me at a traffic light I think the traffic is heavy.

Helmet yes. Gloves yes. Shorts ye… ah no. Unless my armored summer riding pants are over them. I’ve gotten to the point where I sometimes will ride with jeans and no armor. Only sometimes though.

Ahh, but if you grew up in New York, as I did, Hectic is not a word to often applied to traffic. It’s either heavy or, pretty good. And in and outing and sliding between cars at a light are just business as usual.Helmet on, check. Gloves, check, shorts (in the summer), check.
After that, it’s stand back, I’m coming through.

Sometimes the world and its drivers just want to wreck our serenity. Like you say though, some rides are diamonds. I look for those!

City riding seems hectic to me. While I can’t imagine living in a city, I can imagine even less riding a scooter in one. But some do. It just seems beyond my comfort or temperament.

The GTS definitely is Jeckyl and Hyde capable. It cruises smoothly and quietly at slow speeds but can jump up to freeway speeds when needed. And it’s just plain fun to dodge around with its nimble abilities.

Riding at a lyrical pace has the same thing to me. Makes me feel better.

I watch Fillingham’s videos from time to time. Good stuff!

And yes, I now have a Vespa ET4 in the garage. More to come on that.

But, then, I come across a serene stretch of two-lane, and the good Dr. loosens up and kicks back: yes, sometimes it’s cool to put a bit of speed on, but to feel the arm air around you instead of punching through it, taking in a vista instead of a blur, stopping for a bit to take in even more. Riding at a lyrical pace does me so much good.

Besides you, one of my favorite sane two-wheelers on YouTube is Yorkshireman Stuart Fillingham, who you might call an ex-go-fast guy (and retired cop), whose favorite bikes happen to be Royal Enfields (with the odd Triumph thrown in).

By the way…you’ve inherited another Vespa via family, I take it?