Scooter experience

So I have been without my car for over a year now and today had yet another interesting scooter experience, which made me want to excite or caution anyone thinking about making the switch.

Some things that I love: 60 miles to the gallon, $100/year insurance coverage, $3 a week gas bill. I love the ability to smell most anything that you pass like pizza, cigarettes, trash, bread baking.  Those are things you

don’t always smell when in an enclosed car with the air on.  You drive up and hear people singing in their cars, stuff like that.  I definitely feel more in touch with my surroundings on the scooter. Most days my experiences are lovely.
Now, just some things to keep in mind before completely ridding your life of a cumbersome, expensive automobile: Summer, it’s hot. I just have to remind myself how much money I save. Sometimes I suppose I save a little more than I want because during June, July, and August I can’t go meet my friends for dinner unless they come to my neighborhood.. I’m just too stinky!  You definitely have to be aware of other drivers and you are more exposed, but that’s obvious I think. And well, winter is cold and rainy at times, which is clearly unpleasant.

The last interesting aspect of owning a scooter I definitely did not anticipate, and this is the one that prompted my post today: people talk to you. It’s weird, and sometimes fun, and weird.  Today I was driving down Lamar when all of the sudden, I hear loud talking/whooping. I look to my right to see a man, pacing me in his car, with his window down trying to talk to me. It was creepy and he was leering. (shiver) Really. Does he think I can hold a conversation right now? I smile and speed up to wipe him off with some cars that are in front of him, but I felt uncomfortable until I made my turn off the main road.  People also tend to want to keep you company at stop lights. Again, this can be interesting and some ask you normal things like “How much does that thang get per gallon?” (Yes, I meant to write thang.) Sometimes you get asked out on a date, which is always interesting to me because I look like such an alien with my helmet on. Only once have I made another scooter buddy and we talked at every light for couple of stop lights which was definitely fun.

Now, if you don’t get rid of your car and transition to a scooter, I totally understand. I would just like to make a couple of requests:

1.Don’t honk at someone you know on a scooter to get their attention, it will scare them and it’s just not a good idea.
2.Please be aware of scooters when using your washer fluid to clean your front OR back windshield. It’s gross to look at the sky because you think it’s raining only to discover your actually getting sprayed in the face with dirty, blue liquid.
3.Along the lines of the washer fluid, cigarette butts, you shouldn’t be throwing them out anyway but please be aware of folks like me. It hasn’t happened to me yet, but I definitely think about getting a lit cigarette hurled at my body!

Scooting is fun and you definitely feel camaraderie with other two-wheeled folks but do as your momma said and look both ways before you cross the street and don’t talk to strangers.