Connecticut rider training classes now welcome scooters, which is great, but this hothead is upset about it. He’s worried someone passing the test on a scooter could someday ride a geared motorcycle without proper training. Sure, that’s possible, but every state I know of has always allowed people to take the motorcycle test on an automatic scooter, not to mention the fact that many (if not the majority of) Americans have automobile drivers’ licenses without ever having driven a manual transmission car. A scooter and a motorcycle have a lot more similarities than they do differences, and any training riders can get is great.
Category: Lifestyle
Cackalacka News bits: 4/3/08
A bunch of stories to block out election coverage:
- AutoWeek reviews the Vectrix, which will replace gas-powered bikes at the Boston Marathon, which seems like a long-overdue idea.
- A florida girl was trapped under her scooter for three hours.
- British scooterists strut their stuff in Hastings, North Wales, North Allerton, and Rotherham.
- A Miami scooter dealer epitomizes Vespa USA’s marketing shift from “Show off that bling!” to “Save the planet!”
- More “Save Gas” stories from North Cackalacka, another from North Cackalacka, and, wait! another one from North Cackalacka! Way to come up with original story ideas, N.C. media. I guess you had to get that out of the way before the primary.
Why do you scoot?
Sometimes the simplest forum questions get great answers.
GPS horror!
As if mobile phones, ipods, and conservative talk radio aren’t distracting drivers enough, GPS navigation systems can actually tell a distracted driver to go ahead and run right into you (w/gory photos!). On the other side of the coin, more and more scooterists are using cell phones, iPods, and GPS navigation systems as they ride, which scares me even more.
MP3 ticketed for using MC spot
The Brighton and Hove City Council had to redefine “three wheeler” to allow the Piaggio MP3 to use motorcycle parking. As the current glut of proposed three-wheeled minicars and motorcycles hits the road, many other municipalities will likely have to follow suit.
Genuine mythbusting
Genuine Blur 150 and Buddy 125 owners have had a healthy argument going on since both models were introduced: Which is quicker?. Nathaniel over at Modern Buddy did some tests and confirmed they’re pretty much even in the 100m dash. There’s still debate over which is faster, I’d argue that despite the displacement difference, they have a very similar top speed, but the Blur handles and brakes much better, with this video (the part after the G-Max commercial) as my evidence. Now for the next question, how much faster/better is the new Buddy 150?
Xmas in April? Scooterworks ’08 catalog
If you need a visual reference to the state of scootering in America, look no farther than the Scooterworks catalog.
Continue reading “Xmas in April? Scooterworks ’08 catalog”
NSU Lambretta: Bear powered!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfeuZk0lqSQ]
The coolest vintage scooter video since the Lambretwist! Still blows my mind how more and more magical stuff continues to appear on YouTube. (Thanks Matt!)
HESC raises cash for a mom in need
Florida’s High Endurance Scooter Club rode from Orlando to St. Augistine to raise money for a single mom battling lupus. Nice work, guys!
“If only she’d been wearing proper footwear”
I’ve had four friends really mess up their feet in scooter crashes over the past few years, and here’s another story from Australia. Proper shoes/boots are just as important as a good helmet, and I’d rank gloves pretty high on the list, too. Get well soon, Darren!
“Norwich Is The ‘New Rome’”
A recent study found that Norwich is the UK’s scooter capital, with one scooter per ten residents. Way to sell your Lambretta last week, Cy. The study was conducted by Bennetts, who listed the top ten as follows: Continue reading ““Norwich Is The ‘New Rome’””
Eureka: A Novel
“A reliable, responsible father/husband/CEO takes off cross country wearing a football helmet, riding a 40-year-old motor scooter, with a BB gun strapped to the side..” Jim Lehrer’s Eureka: A Novel sounds like it might be worth checking out.
Farewell, Scooter in the Sticks
Steve Williams closed up shop on his Scooter in the Sticks blog yesterday. I loved “Sticks” (as it’s called in my bookmark) for Steve’s great photography and writing, which was always sweet, personal, and meditative without ever getting sappy or melodramatic (so, basically, the exact opposite of 2SB). I’m sure whatever Steve decides to do next will be just as great, and hopefully he’ll leave it up for posterity (and so I can catch up on reading it, I’m a few posts behind).
Vermont and Canadia were brought in for questioning
From the Brown Daily Herald (Providence, RI)’s Campus News’ police blotter:
1:59 p.m. A student reported that sometime between 11 p.m. on March 14 and 9 a.m. on March 16, someone poured maple syrup all over her motor scooter in Lot 77 at Brook and Benevolent Streets.
Scooter Rider Punched
Another good reason to wear a full-face.