Topic: Rant about scooter drivers

[DarkRider]

I would rather see some young rider learning on a scooter rather then something like a 600 cc sport bike...but what would be ideal either way is if said rider had some dirt bike experience..then the basics are learned in situations that if you go down you arent risking a 5 ton truck rolling over you right after the fact..

[kghost]

Should see the scooters in other countrys.....

Any asian country for one...Certain latin countries for another......Rome, india, thailand ...take your pick

You think our scooter drivers are crazy? 

[troppo]

Should see the scooters in other countrys.....

Any asian country for one...Certain latin countries for another......Rome, india, thailand ...take your pick

You think our scooter drivers are crazy? 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO yeah, spent a week in KL malaysia, the cage drivers are suicidal, and the scooter/bike riders who outnumber them are even worse, i was almost run down on the footpath by a scooter that had to dodge a little pink bus (i was sober and straight at the time i swear)

[j-conn]

i grew up in indonesia and i remember when i was 12 or so a young guy on a scooter (they called them bebeks there) was swiped by a car coming from the opposite direction... he had sandals on and his foot was split in half.
my fam offered to take him to the hospital but he shook his head and drove off!

[Ecosse]

Shameless Boost here: Go check out 'Greek (Bike) Accident (1&2). Seems there's no shortage of Scooter shunts caught on camera.

This thread is a hoot.

[cleveland]

I had a kid on a scooter wearing a Hooters shirt pull up at stop sign next to me.  I looked over and nodded, and this little brat turns his nose up at me and starts masturbating the throttle like he wanted to race!  I had to open my visor to wipe the tear away so I could see properly.  This kid was serious!  It was the funniest thing I have seen in a while. 

Then 2 days ago I was at a stop light in the left turn lane and this kid on a Honda rocket pulls up next to me in my lane.  Normally you only do that to people you are riding with, but I didn't make a fuss about it.  I saw his nice helmet with a paint job that matched his bike.......hanging from the helmet lock on his bike.  I told him that those work better when they are on your head!  The kid pulled over 2 blocks later and actually put the helmet on.     A little better response then "Mind your own effing business old man!"     

[Steve F]

I had a kid on a scooter wearing a Hooters shirt pull up at stop sign next to me.  I looked over and nodded, and this little brat turns his nose up at me and starts masturbating the throttle like he wanted to race!  I had to open my visor to wipe the tear away so I could see properly.  This kid was serious!  It was the funniest thing I have seen in a while. 

Then 2 days ago I was at a stop light in the left turn lane and this kid on a Honda rocket pulls up next to me in my lane.  Normally you only do that to people you are riding with, but I didn't make a fuss about it.  I saw his nice helmet with a paint job that matched his bike.......hanging from the helmet lock on his bike.  I told him that those work better when they are on your head!  The kid pulled over 2 blocks later and actually put the helmet on.     A little better response then "Mind your own effing business old man!"     

He was probably only a couple of block from home.......wouldn't want mommy catching him without his helmet now, would we.

[fuzzybutt]

we call em liquor-cycles here. on mopeds and scooters apparently you cant be cited for dui/dwi.

[putnaja1]

I haven't been to Ocean City, Maryland in a few years..  But it used to be (might still be) that a lot of people would rent mopeds there.  The main highway is always a zoo, except for the bus lane.  Mopeds used to be allowed (might still be) to share the bus lane with the buses, and since the bus lane was the right-most lane, everyone pulling onto the highway and pulling off the highway went across the bus lane to get onto the main highway.  This always seemed to me to be a total recipe for disaster for the mopeds. 

I can remember once riding on a bus, and watching some dude (not only no helmet, but no shirt or shoes either!) get cut off while going what looked like to be maximum speed.  He ended up hitting a curb ramp and flying through the air- over a 2 or 3 foot tall shrub/bush, and into a crowded parking lot.  The bus was moving too fast for me to see the results of this stunt, but I'd say it's safe to assume that the driver of the moped got thoroughly thrashed!

Around where I live, there are several teens who have mopeds/scooters and ride them on sidewalks and bike paths with reckless abandon..  What scares me the most is the number of young grade school age kids who's parents let them ride those tiny weed-wacker engine powered scooters (not much bigger then a razor scooter!)  They go flying down crowded residential neighborhood streets, no safety equipment, no apparent obedience of stop signs or right of ways, etc.

Crazy stuff man..

[troppo]

we call em liquor-cycles here. on mopeds and scooters apparently you cant be cited for dui/dwi.

Dont know what its like where you are FB, but here in aus you can be done for DUI on a pushbike, horse, wheelchair or any kind of vehicle powered or not that you are in control of

[firecracker]

It could be worse:

Jeff Brown of Columbus, Ohio was arrested for DWI, spent four days in jail, and had his license suspended for six months when he refused to take a breath test after an officer confronted him on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Brown was walking his bicycle across his own front yard. Brown has since made a YouTube video detailing his ordeal.

(a bit) more detal here:
http://www.reason.com/blog/show/126435.html

 

[cleveland]

I would say, "Socialisim here we come." but it appears we are already there. 

[74cb750]

Wow, read some of the comments after the video. Incredible, but these laws seemed to have seeped into Vermont also.

[Klark Kent]

I would say, "Socialisim here we come." but it appears we are already there. 

i think you mean fascism- but what passes for socialism in this world isn't too far off either.

[cleveland]

I would say, "Socialisim here we come." but it appears we are already there. 

i think you mean fascism- but what passes for socialism in this world isn't too far off either.

I think you be right......on both accounts. 

[Steve F]

we call em liquor-cycles here. on mopeds and scooters apparently you cant be cited for dui/dwi.

Dont know what its like where you are FB, but here in aus you can be done for DUI on a pushbike, horse, wheelchair or any kind of vehicle powered or not that you are in control of

In our area, you don't have to be on any type of conveyance.  If you're intoxicated, you get arrested for public intoxication....it appears that you can only be drunk in your own house.

[j-conn]

these are some of the newer scooters in s. e. asia. they are alot of fun, especially at the beach. they are perfect for touring the coast. right hand on throttle, left holding board and looking for that perfect wave

[fixahonda]

I haven't seen too many scooter drivers here in NEPA at all. Harleys are the biggest source or two wheeled ire for me in these parts. You seriously can't throw a rock around here without hitting someone in their unhelmeted head aboard a Harley.
You have to have an MC endorsement and insurance on EVERYTHING here (beside a lawn tractor, but I am sure they are working on that) so that may be why they are kinda rare.
In NC you did see a lot of under 50cc piloted by the DWI crowd since you didn't need a license to ride one of those. They did seem to ride in the typical "never rode a motorized two wheeler before" fashion.

I ride a '63 Vespa GS160 like a madman so perhaps I am one of the people you are annoyed by. I do still wear all of my motorcycle gear so I probably look semi silly wearing full faced helmet, armored jacket, pants, gloves and Alpinestars road race boots while piloting the scoot (sometimes on the back tire). Then again I wear the same thing while riding my 350F so I probably look just as silly.

[DarkRider]

Ok..i just hadda laugh at the visual of someone dressed like a road racer on a scooter..

[Skonnie Boy]

Meh.

If you have two wheels and a motor, I will tolerate your general existence.  "Specially-abled" scooter drivers are just a sad fact of life in college towns like Austin.  At least they're not lining oil industry pockets.   

[loonymoon]

..........  At least they're not lining oil industry pockets.   

fact of life here in the UK. Scooter sales are up, motorcycle sales are down.

Petrol = £1.16 or more a LITRE at the moment. It's gone up by about 30pence since earlier this year. And the government keep piling more tax on.

Hence I ride my 60-70mpg (imperial gallon by the way) scooter to work most days.

[j-conn]

i like that his jacket indicates he races for team ducati

[cleveland]

I do still wear all of my motorcycle gear so I probably look semi silly wearing full faced helmet, armored jacket, pants, gloves and Alpinestars road race boots while piloting the scoot (sometimes on the back tire).

Good friend of mine does the same thing.  His leather says Harley and his helmet even has a scull painted on it.  The guy has been on 2 wheels longer then me, but with that outfit on a scooter he looks like he is trying too hard.  Funny as hell to see.  I'll try to dig up an old picture.