Tuesday=Fun=Scooter!!!   I am late blogging and I can only attribute that to the simple fact riding a scooter is about as fun as it gets.  Our friends at Moto Brovo and Vespa have lent me a 49cc scooter and it is a blast.  It is fire engine red, goes about 34 mph if there is a downward slope in the grade and is as simple as twist and scoot.  It is important to note that although a license is not needed for this ride, I strongly suggest taking the motorcycle safety course.  That 3 day class has in depth instruction on the dynamics of sharing the road with other vehicles and great hands on training with a smaller motorcycle.   It made me a more conscientious motorcycle (and now scooter) rider, bicyclist, and driver. (We are working to see if a one day course for scooter riders can be instituted.)  As a scooter rider, I wear a helmet, gloves, and proper shoes and jacket for protection. 

Riding a scooter is similar to riding a bike, but the little engine that can takes you there without all the work.  So, it is not a substitute for the exercise benefits of a bike, but is very convenient.  For example, there is no problem wearing a suit.  This is especially true if you live near a MARTA station and can ride it to work.  I rode the scooter to my office at Five Points, to a meeting in Midtown and back to the Capitol for committee hearings.  All along the way I essentially kept up with the traffic.  This is because Peachtree street has many traffic lights and other traffic calming devices.  With all going the 30 mph speed limit, we successfully shared the road.  The other neat part is being able to park where the bikes park.  This is generally near the front door--thereby saving time over having to search for a car parking spot.  BTW, about 7 scooters can fit into a standard parking space. 

While it is tempting to try to scoot around the traffic, please don't.  First it is against the law.  Second it is dangerous.  Third, it is not the Southernly thing to do.  Being polite as we scoot will cause drivers to be polite back.   Remember too, there may be some gas envy since a scooter gets anywhere from 60 to 80 miles per gallon.

In case I forgot to mention it, riding a scooter is fun!