When scooter news breaks, we put it under a tarp in the garage.
“Local man loves his Chinese-made scooter.” Despite the headline, the video was totally disappointing. Just wipe up your mess when you, uh, “finish,” Mumford.
For the record, that’s a Xingyue Euro 150, and I really doubt he’s getting that mileage. Their logo creeps me out for some reason, but I think that’s the only currently-available covered three-wheel scooter (Bajaj’s autorickshaws don’t really count) available in the U.S., if you’re into only getting your arms wet in the rain.
“Arkansas linebacker faces felony charge”. It’s hard not to get angry when a cager endangers you or your scooter, but it rarely pays off to fight back. I’ve had a gun waved at me for flipping off a dude that almost killed me, another guy I flipped off tried to run me off the road once, then chased me for blocks (documented in a comic in 2sb issue #3), and a friend of mine was even stabbed by a cabbie once.
Still, the most upsetting confrontation I ever had was with a guy in a van, who nearly hit me. When I pulled up next to him and started yelling obscenities, he was nearly in tears, and said “I’m a motorcyclist, too, that could have been me!” Most of us are cagers some of the time. Drivers are generally sorry enough without us getting in their face, and if they’re not, they’re just going to get even more dangerous when confronted.
Another tip, if you do get in a near-accident, or a shouting match, pull over and calm down, riding while you’re jittery and overfocused on what just happened will just increase your odds of something worse happening.
If you’re riding a Bajaj, you need these, stat. (And here are more.)
Starting today (July 1, 2008) the Commonwealth of Virginia requires riders to obtain a motorcycle license to operate any two-wheeled vehicle capable of more than 35mph. We now go live to Chelsea in Richmond to tell you all about it. Good news: the VA DMV is developing a scooter rider education class, which will debut in the fall.