Joined: Jul 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 685 Location: Philadelphia, PA Karma: 6
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #1 on Feb 16, 2009, 7:55pm »
Actually, I don't know what to think; it just seems to meander. I bought my scoot for fun. I have to admit, I did have a fleeting thought of it being a replacement for my car. But that was discarded when I realized that I could not sleep while it was parked outside, unguarded. Now it lives in my sister's garage, eight blocks away. But, when I bought I did not realize that I was supposed to be classified into some specific attitude group.
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #2 on Feb 17, 2009, 6:39am »
Great article!
It is true though sadly! Allot of peeps in my city ride just to save gas. They also have NO clue about Safety gear or riding protocol. I typically will wave at only the scoot people I know in town that can actually ride. If I wave at one I don't know and they are to scared to take their hands of the bars, I know what kind of rider they are ... they are a part time commuter, they don't ride! They are scared and just trying to get to work.
Then you got people like some of us who Mod so much that you spent more on the mods than the bike. We ride in the rain, sleet or whatever with all our protective gear. We love to ride our Scooters!
I think that people like the first lady in the article give us a bad image and name.
Joined: Oct 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 914 Location: Southern Tier, NY Karma: 121
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #4 on Feb 17, 2009, 8:49am »
I think the first woman is just talking. Wait until she has some time on her scooter. Then she'll feel like a member of the larger community. What bothers me is people who want to segment the whole group into motorcyclist/scooter/bought it to save on gas groups. I ride a scooter and a bike and I feel like a RIDER no matter what I'm on.
Joined: Aug 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 3,015 Location: Preston, Maryland Karma: 208
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #5 on Feb 17, 2009, 10:01am »
The guy admits he's "hinting that she looked a mess." Plus, some people don't like to be approached. Getting rained on probably didn't improve her mood any, and then some know-it-all (even though he was well meaning) is going to tell her what she's doing wrong. On top of all of that, the author says it was a "surprise shower." For all we know she carries a rain suit under the seat and normally wears a full-face helmet when she expects rain. I've checked the radar before and saw clear skies for hours only to have it pour within minutes of leaving my house. I do like to see people out in gear and full face helmets too, but it's their choice. If another rider asks me about something I'll gladly share whatever information I can, but I'm not going to force anything on anyone.
Yeah, lots of folks buy scooters and don't think they need to get proper gear and educate themselves. Then again, once the weather warms up we'll be seeing people on sportbikes in shorts and sandals speeding and/or doing stunts. I see plenty of cruiser riders wearing half helmets and no shirt or sleeveless shirts along with shorts as well. A local woman can hardly see and rides a Harley. She can't even keep the thing in a straight line most of the time, but her husband and friends ride Harley's so she has to. I saw a guy on a big Harley riding beside a moped on the shoulder passing my house. The guy on the Harley was riding the white line making cars swerve to miss him so he could try to say something to the guy on the moped. Carelessness/ignorance isn't limited to people on scooters, cruisers, or anything else.
Joined: Aug 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 946 Karma: 118
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #6 on Feb 18, 2009, 6:47pm »
Heck, that's not a new kind of rider at all. Aside from the above-mentioned attitude the blogger exhibited, many people got into scooters and motorcycles for economy a long time ago. That's part of what made the Honda Cub so successful.
People ride for all sorts of reasons, there's no need to deride them because they don't do it for the same reason you do.
Joined: Oct 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 914 Location: Southern Tier, NY Karma: 121
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #7 on Feb 20, 2009, 10:07am »
If you read Part II the author comes to the conclusion that the woman doesn't want to be associated with the image Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Citizen have come to see as Motorcyclists. That's why she's not wearing leather or any of "our" gear. It might make her one of us.
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #8 on Feb 20, 2009, 9:46pm »
My observations, at least in this area, have led me to believe that the majority of folks who bought a scooter to "save on gas," purchased chinascoots without researching the purchase and without any technical knowledge, simply because they could get a scooter for less than $1000.
Buying something in order to save money, without actually researching the purchase and choosing carefully within the available options, usually ends up costing more in the long run.
I didn't buy a scooter to save on gas (though that is the argument I used to convince my wife that I should get one). I bought a scooter because I have wanted one since I was a teenager. I rode a friend's scooter in college and loved every minute of it. Now I've got one...well, I got a second one...the first one I had was a Yamaha Vino 50 and it turned out that it was not suitable to riding in this area due to the idiots who think 35 means 55, so I upgraded to a 150. I'm happy to say that I'm quite comfortable with what I have now, and plan to keep it, even if I add another scoot or cycle to the fold in the future.
Sure, there are folks who took up scooting just to save money, but I think those that aren't serious about it will fall away eventually, or make up their own sub-sub-culture. I don't think they will have much effect on the true enthusiasts. The vintage folks, the big 4 enthusiasts, and the chinascoot enthusiasts will remain, despite those who ride scooters but don't fit into any of those groups.
Joined: Aug 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 349 Karma: 19
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #9 on Feb 21, 2009, 2:04am »
Perhaps the article's author was perhaps a bit too uncharitable towards a wet and bedraggled new rider.
Yes, there are a multitude of reasons to wear proper safety gear. Yes there are very good reasons to wear your gear, and to take the MSF. There is no reason however, to lecture like that after someone has undergone a very cold, wet, and unpleasant experience. You will appear smug, and thus be perceived as an not a very nice person.
Her reaction is to be expected. It would be like chastising a biker who has gone down hard for not wearing anything more than a T-shirt and mandatory helmet IE, adding insult to an existing injury.
If anything, that would have been the opportune time to suggest to the lady a place where she might obtain a rain-suit for emergencies. Or perhaps find a trash bag, and cut holes in it, so that she wouldn't get wetter.
Pretty women shouldn't have to redo all their clothes, hair, and makeup simply because of a little rain. Nor should road rash scar their legs.
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #10 on Feb 21, 2009, 3:47am »
I think... the article was long and confusing. I hardly saw the point of this article. maybe its me but the author just states alot of obvious things and complains about a few people that were observed. is someone else's appearance really that much of a concern ? i don't care personally. Also, is some stranger's attitude really that important? the author claims to have "thick skin" yet it bothers them enough to write about it. If someone was to say their opinion to me of what they thought they where "not a biker or motorcyclist" . i would leave it at that their opinion. i wouldn't claim that they had an attitude.I find the claim of the woman having an attitude strange especially after the opinion the author told the woman was not asked for. I also dislike the fact that the author claims to know the thoughts and inner workings of how the mind of this "new kind of rider" thinks and operates.by stating "These folks seriously consider the scooter to be some sort of two wheeled equivalent to a plain wrapper sedan". I don't understand what kind of rider is "the new kind of rider" . is it all scooter riders that he is referring to? I feel that there is some stereotyping.
Joined: May 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 2,483 Location: upstate ny Karma: 145
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #11 on Feb 21, 2009, 7:30am »
im with long and confusing but the police bike pics i enjoyed as the only time i see them are in my rearview mirror and they keep getting smaller, especially when they have theyre lights on.
Joined: Apr 2008 Gender: Female Posts: 759 Location: Pinellas County, USA Karma: 71
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #12 on Feb 21, 2009, 10:37pm »
What good can it do to save some precious gasoline, only to lose life or limb from riding carelessly or without good gear? What a waste of skin and money. No matter why we ride (I don't care) we all need to ride safely. Enough statistics, and the Govt. will try to take our scooters and motorcycles away. Believe it or not, our first scooter purchase was a safety purchase. I was riding a bicycle to work every day, only to have every no-good SOB cager in town try to kill me because there aren't enough sidewalks to ride on. There is one damned bike lane in this whole town! One day, after being verbally assaulted by two young jerks in a car (I offered to kick both their a$$es) I said, "Enough, we're buying a scooter, screw this bike." It's weird, in Tampa Bay, a bicycle is a nuisance, a toy, no one seriously would ride one on purpose. It's stupid. Nobody has tried to kill me since, because I keep up with the traffic. Most drivers actually seem to respect these two red scooters we ride.
"I think that we've done it, really kicked Earth's climate system. And that says a lot," It's a beast. It's huge. And to have moved it in as short a period of time as a 100 years, basically, to have done that is enormous."
Joined: May 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 362 Karma: 27
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #13 on Feb 26, 2009, 12:00am »
eh? let him be what he wants, its his opinion after all. As long as he's not making petitions to the government to enact laws that make you sign a waiver saying " I now agree to be a scooterist who spends all his life thinking of only scooter's" then there's nothing to be worried about.
I guess people are thinking this is an attack on the forum, but honestly its a opportunity to show people what a great group we are, I mean usually forums get read, and if they only take this guys word for it, without taking a look, there's nothing we could do anyway. We should just thank him for a mention and be the great group we are..
course i haven't been here in three months, i hope nothing has changed
Re: A new kind of rider? « Reply #14 on Feb 26, 2009, 12:25am »
Does he really think that just because a person rides a motorcycle he will not fall into the same category of rider that he associates with scooter riders? Both motorcycle and scooter riders cover the full spectrum from the car replacement gas savers to the full blown enthusiasts who really enjoy their machines and want to ride them as long as possible. Most Harley riders in my area seem to prefer the minimalistic approach to safety gear. My next door neighbor wears what he calls a decorative helmet which is nothing more than a plastic skull cap. He realizes the risk. I have a DOT helmet for my riding. My scooter is my hobby and it rewards me with a lot of enjoying rides which may or may not be practical. I think that most forum members are enthusiasts and are willing to help out the "new kind of rider" if need be without passing judgment.
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