LJWorld.com / Scooter sales up; safety a concern

Archive for Monday, July 14, 2008

With rising gas prices, more and more two-wheeled vehicles are hitting the streets and safety is an issue with riders.

July 14, 2008

Debbie Schick maneuvered a motorcycle through cones and around a circular course in the parking lot at 19th Street and Haskell Avenue on Sunday.

For the Olathe resident, safety comes first before hitting the open road.

"I think you're really doing other people a disservice if you don't take a class, regardless of what kind of vehicle you end up buying, a mo-ped or a motorcycle," said Schick, who was completing a motorcycle and scooter safety course from the NEET Motorcycle Institute, 1910 Haskell Ave.

A 66-year-old Lawrence man died Saturday afternoon after his scooter collided with a city T bus in the 1200 block of West Sixth Street. Lawrence Police released no new information Sunday, but are expected to today.

While scooter sales are up - buoyed by the appeal of lower emissions and better gasoline mileage - those who sell and ride two-wheeled vehicles say they pose unique safety considerations that can't be ignored.

"You're not surrounded by a whole bunch of glass and the frame of the car," said Angel Bjerke, a Kansas City, Kan., resident who participated in the NEET course Sunday. "You get hit, you're getting hit. It's not like: 'Oh, I'm getting a dent in my car.' It's like: 'Oh, I lost a leg.'"

Drivers of scooters that are higher than 3.5 horsepower must have a motorcycle license and insurance. Scooters with lower horsepower require at least a restricted license, with age and driver education minimums, or any class of motor vehicle license.

Kansas law puts some restrictions on drivers who have alcohol convictions. Those who are on their second offense for driving under the influence of alcohol can have their licenses suspended.

"If it's a second alcohol occurrence in their lifetime and they take (a Breathalyzer) test, then it's a year's suspension," said state Sen. Phillip Journey, R-Haysville, who also is an attorney. "They cannot operate a mo-ped during that year."

Jae Landreth, owner of Fineline Vespa, 1502 W. 23rd St., said scooters were popular and sales were about double what they were a year ago. A major selling point is gasoline savings, he said. Scooters get about 80 to 100 miles per gallon.

"If you spend $100 a week in gas, just take a zero off the end," he said of the switch from a car to a scooter. "You'll spend $10 a month."

Fineline sponsors the NEET class, which Landreth says helps orient drivers and offers such basics as learning that the proper lane to drive in is the driver's side of the road.

"If you ride in the passenger lane without another bike with you, cars will assume you're like a bicycle and they'll try to go around you," he said.

Discussion

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14 July 2008
at 8:42 a.m.

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webmocker (Anonymous) says…

Fuzzy Math

From the article:

Jae Landreth, owner of Fineline Vespa … A major selling point is gasoline savings, he said. Scooters get about 80 to 100 miles per gallon.

“If you spend $100 a week in gas, just take a zero off the end,” he said of the switch from a car to a scooter. “You'll spend $10 a month.”
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Most cars get better than 8-10 mpg, and a week does not equal a month. Sigh. Exaggeration sells.
14 July 2008
at 8:48 a.m.

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OnlyTheOne (Anonymous) says…

“Fineline sponsors the NEET class, which Landreth says helps orient drivers and offers such basics as learning that the proper lane to drive in is the driver's side of the road.”

The one and only firm rule is there are no firm rules! There's always a situation where generalized rule(s) don't apply!

Here's a few things to consider and remember.

The first 500 miles are the most dangerous. Followed by the next 500 then the next………

The one basic premise of operating a bicycle, scooter or motorcycle is, “Automobile drivers don't look, don't think and don't care.”

The most often given excuse in an auto vs bicycle, scooter or motorcycle accident is, “I didn't see him Officer and he was speeding.”
14 July 2008
at 9:15 a.m.

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jonas (Anonymous) says…

webmocker: Well, part of that premise would be the $100 a week, which probably means a decent commute, which probably means highways that you couldn't take your scooter on in the first place. But I can tell you that I spend $5 every 10 days or so on my scooter, to get to all points in town and campus every day.

onlytheone: That's probably the most given excuse in an auto vs. auto accident as well, don't you think?
14 July 2008
at 11:17 a.m.

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sherbert (Anonymous) says…

I don't know much about engines, but I saw a show where I believe they said that 2-stroke scooters emitted more polution than, something like 57 cars. They were talking about the new popularity of scooters and the high use of them in 3rd world, over polluted countries. I found it interesting and need to look it up again.
14 July 2008
at 11:50 a.m.

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Ragingbear (Anonymous) says…

Sherbert, it is true that motor scooters emit a higher ppm amount than standard cars. What that method fails to take into account is that they are judging that on a specified amount of exhaust. An amount that a car would meet in a fraction of the time it would take a scooter to make. That is why it is so misleading.
14 July 2008
at 12:20 p.m.

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OnlyTheOne (Anonymous) says…

sherbert
Consider this, “Lies, damn lies and statistics.”
Often attributed to Disraeli and Mark Twain I think it was said before them.
Automobile manufacturers have never given up development of the two-stroke engine because of it's efficiency and light weight (no valve train at all) and the latest iterations are much better than the “blue-fog” emitters we rode oh so quickly in the 70s.
14 July 2008
at 12:21 p.m.

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Marion (Marion Lynn) says…

” Elliott was driving a 1983 Honda mo-ped and was not wearing a helmet.”
14 July 2008
at 2:54 p.m.

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FluteinD (Anonymous) says…

Emissions are significantly higher in 3rd world countries where many scooters are primitive 2 stroke engines that require mixing oil with gas before adding to the fuel tank. Many new scooters sold in the US are 4 strokes which do not have the reported emissions problems. In addition, newer 2 strokes, all made 2006 or later, are DOT compliant, EPA compliant, and many are CARB (California) compliant. These have direct oil injection which decreases the oil amount from 5% per gallon to either one or two percent per gallon. Add on a catalytic converter found in many newer 2 stroke mufflers and you have a 2 stroke engine with emissions on par or lower than many 4 stroke motors. Using fully synthetic oils again lowers the emissions…at this point in time, I'm aware of no studies showing emissions from a modern catalytic converter based 2 stroke using 100% synthetic oil - I'd love to see one, though.