Scootermania: Good or bad for for us?
10-08-08, 03:35 PM
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Scootermania: Good or bad for for us?
The cost of gas has caused an epidemic of scooter purchases in my area (mid-Atlantic) and, I assume, across the rest of the country(?). I have one short 15 mile route; pretty rural, but 3 different businesses have started selling little scooters in the last few months and they are everywhere. The most popular ones look like mini sport bikes. Apparently, in most states, scooters w/ <=50 cc engines require no license or tags; the only requirement is that the rider be 16 or over; not sure about helmet requirements. Can't be operated on interstates, of course. There are now weekend club rides of seniors on the things.
I initially thought this might be a good thing for us; they have roughly the same visibility as a road bike, are relatively Slow Moving Vehicles (they seem to top out around 35 mph) and the increasing numbers of them would/should make drivers more aware of all SMVs. However, the opposite seems to be happening.
The problem is that a lot of the riders do not operate them as SMVs. They ride down the middle of the road; 35 in a 55 while traffic backs up behind them. Then, of course, the frustrated drivers take it out on us even though we ride on, or past, the white line. It seems to be guilt by association.
Thoughts?
I initially thought this might be a good thing for us; they have roughly the same visibility as a road bike, are relatively Slow Moving Vehicles (they seem to top out around 35 mph) and the increasing numbers of them would/should make drivers more aware of all SMVs. However, the opposite seems to be happening.
The problem is that a lot of the riders do not operate them as SMVs. They ride down the middle of the road; 35 in a 55 while traffic backs up behind them. Then, of course, the frustrated drivers take it out on us even though we ride on, or past, the white line. It seems to be guilt by association.
Thoughts?
10-08-08, 03:38 PM
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for americans? bad.
most folk in the US are clueless enough in cars. on scooters, they're not going to be much better.
while the flip-side might be that you'll have more opportunities to do some motorpacing, i doubt that's going to happen.
ok, that's all you need to know. now let's move this to A&S.
most folk in the US are clueless enough in cars. on scooters, they're not going to be much better.
while the flip-side might be that you'll have more opportunities to do some motorpacing, i doubt that's going to happen.
ok, that's all you need to know. now let's move this to A&S.
10-08-08, 03:42 PM
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10-08-08, 03:46 PM
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....gets the cheese
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The cost of gas has caused an epidemic of scooter purchases in my area (mid-Atlantic) and, I assume, across the rest of the country(?). I have one short 15 mile route; pretty rural, but 3 different businesses have started selling little scooters in the last few months and they are everywhere. The most popular ones look like mini sport bikes. Apparently, in most states, scooters w/ <=50 cc engines require no license or tags; the only requirement is that the rider be 16 or over; not sure about helmet requirements. Can't be operated on interstates, of course. There are now weekend club rides of seniors on the things.
I initially thought this might be a good thing for us; they have roughly the same visibility as a road bike, are relatively Slow Moving Vehicles (they seem to top out around 35 mph) and the increasing numbers of them would/should make drivers more aware of all SMVs. However, the opposite seems to be happening.
The problem is that a lot of the riders do not operate them as SMVs. They ride down the middle of the road; 35 in a 55 while traffic backs up behind them. Then, of course, the frustrated drivers take it out on us even though we ride on, or past, the white line. It seems to be guilt by association.
Thoughts?
I initially thought this might be a good thing for us; they have roughly the same visibility as a road bike, are relatively Slow Moving Vehicles (they seem to top out around 35 mph) and the increasing numbers of them would/should make drivers more aware of all SMVs. However, the opposite seems to be happening.
The problem is that a lot of the riders do not operate them as SMVs. They ride down the middle of the road; 35 in a 55 while traffic backs up behind them. Then, of course, the frustrated drivers take it out on us even though we ride on, or past, the white line. It seems to be guilt by association.
Thoughts?
10-08-08, 03:51 PM
#6
Making a kilometer blurry
Yes, this is a good thing
A couple months ago I had a nice time working over a guy on a Moped. I managed to get about 100m ahead of him between one set of lights. Also an incredible workout...
10-08-08, 04:00 PM
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I have a co-worker who's a Cat 4, and he just bought a new Vespa after riding his girlfriend's to work for about a month. Every time he's passed me on the commute home, he pulls into the bike lane and slows up for me. Then I get to spend the next 5 minutes of rolling hills at 450W, 30-38mph, trying to stay in his draft.
Yes, this is a good thing
A couple months ago I had a nice time working over a guy on a Moped. I managed to get about 100m ahead of him between one set of lights. Also an incredible workout...
Yes, this is a good thing
A couple months ago I had a nice time working over a guy on a Moped. I managed to get about 100m ahead of him between one set of lights. Also an incredible workout...
that's not saying that there are many racers on scooters here (in the city, most of the people on scooters are ****wit teenagers, or pizza delivery idiots).
anyway, i was motor-pacing off of a guy yesterday. his reaction was what i get 95% of the time: initial surprise, followed by lots of looks at the rear view mirror, followed by a sense of comfort, followed by some good speed work.
ok, looks like the OP has another one of these tedious A&S agendas, so Mods, let's get this sucker moved to where it belongs.
10-08-08, 04:21 PM
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Mopeds seem to be the latest Midtown Hipster fad, now that they've moved off tarck bikes (probably too much effort required to actually pedal them). I got behind a platoon of mopeds on my route home the other night, figuring I'd get a nice 25-30mph motorpace but I damn near passed out from the exhaust. Those crappy old Puch mopeds seem to be powered by de-tuned chainsaw engines.
10-08-08, 04:25 PM
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^
seriously - you have to be prudent about who you draft.
i don't mean the exhaust, i mean the people who are riding them. most teenagers on a scooter are idiots, and sketchy as hell. you're asking for trouble.
seriously - you have to be prudent about who you draft.
i don't mean the exhaust, i mean the people who are riding them. most teenagers on a scooter are idiots, and sketchy as hell. you're asking for trouble.
10-08-08, 04:26 PM
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True dat.
10-08-08, 04:33 PM
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10-08-08, 04:37 PM
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The cost of gas has caused an epidemic of scooter purchases in my area (mid-Atlantic) and, I assume, across the rest of the country(?). I have one short 15 mile route; pretty rural, but 3 different businesses have started selling little scooters in the last few months and they are everywhere. The most popular ones look like mini sport bikes. Apparently, in most states, scooters w/ <=50 cc engines require no license or tags; the only requirement is that the rider be 16 or over; not sure about helmet requirements. Can't be operated on interstates, of course. There are now weekend club rides of seniors on the things.
I initially thought this might be a good thing for us; they have roughly the same visibility as a road bike, are relatively Slow Moving Vehicles (they seem to top out around 35 mph) and the increasing numbers of them would/should make drivers more aware of all SMVs. However, the opposite seems to be happening.
The problem is that a lot of the riders do not operate them as SMVs. They ride down the middle of the road; 35 in a 55 while traffic backs up behind them. Then, of course, the frustrated drivers take it out on us even though we ride on, or past, the white line. It seems to be guilt by association.
Thoughts?
I initially thought this might be a good thing for us; they have roughly the same visibility as a road bike, are relatively Slow Moving Vehicles (they seem to top out around 35 mph) and the increasing numbers of them would/should make drivers more aware of all SMVs. However, the opposite seems to be happening.
The problem is that a lot of the riders do not operate them as SMVs. They ride down the middle of the road; 35 in a 55 while traffic backs up behind them. Then, of course, the frustrated drivers take it out on us even though we ride on, or past, the white line. It seems to be guilt by association.
Thoughts?
10-08-08, 04:39 PM
#15
You gonna eat that?
Neutral. Why do you always think everything has to affect you?
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Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
