Scooter Survival

[rastuscat]

Interesting that it's so hard to get folk who ride scooters along on a heavily subsidised training course.

Scooter Survival is basically paid for by ACC. I'm running one today in Christchurch. With only two attendees, who are brothers, and their mum has enrolled them.

Given the risks, I would have thought that a virtually free course would be a good idea.

Maybe it's the It-Wont-Happen-To-Me attitude so prevalent in our society. Like "I don't wear ATGATT as I've been riding for years and I've never come off."

Thoughts?

[Akzle]

Thoughts?

lately: the relative merits of wool vs possum socks and if they're really worth the cost. I know they say your shoes describe your personality, but does that extend to socks when you take your shoes off? And what if i'm working bare foot?

[rastuscat]

Funny. I posted the OP while at a cafe on the way to the venue.

I left the cafe and it was only a short distance to the venue. I went past an ambulance and a cop car attending a ute-v-scooter.

Now I'm waiting at the venue hoping it wasn't someone on the way to my course.

[nzspokes]

Interesting that it's so hard to get folk who ride scooters along on a heavily subsidised training course.

Scooter Survival is basically paid for by ACC. I'm running one today in Christchurch. With only two attendees, who are brothers, and their mum has enrolled them.

Given the risks, I would have thought that a virtually free course would be a good idea.

Maybe it's the It-Wont-Happen-To-Me attitude so prevalent in our society. Like "I don't wear ATGATT as I've been riding for years and I've never come off."

Thoughts?

Well Durrrr, it just transport to them. They dont give a monkeys as long as they make it to school, work etc.

Its not like you ride a scooter for a hobby.

How many of your motorcycle customers only commute?

[jellywrestler]

Funny. I posted the OP while at a cafe on the way to the venue.

I left the cafe and it was only a short distance to the venue. I went past an ambulance and a cop car attending a ute-v-scooter.

Now I'm waiting at the venue hoping it wasn't someone on the way to my course.

did the ute have two scooters in the back?

[James Deuce]

Scooters are viewed as innocuous. Cheap, and cheerful, and not much different to a bicycle. The reality is a bit different.

[neels]

A reasonable number of scooterists are people who require independent transport, and an easy way to get this is to pass a car learners theory test, buy the cheapest scooter you can find and away you go.

The fact that there is no requirement to demonstrate any motorcycling ability, there is no WOF requirement for scooters, and there is a general perception that it's ok to ride a scooter in a cycle lane is just scary.

The fact that it's born from necessity or convenience is the reason why there is no will to seek improvement.

[5ive]

Natural selection.

The only time I'll ever ride a scooter, is when the motorbike is in the workshop, and all of the loan bikes are out.

When I do, I'm not going far, but I still keep all of my gear on. Not just the full face helmet. Other scooter riders, and the general public, tend to look at me like I'm an idiot when I'm stopped at the lights.

The joke is on them though, I don't have to ride the scooter every day.

[Moi]

Interesting that it's so hard to get folk who ride scooters along on a heavily subsidised training course...
Thoughts?

You can lead a horse to water... However, could bike and scooter retailers be encouraged to support the first steps in this programme? Either the scooter course or the bronze course - "Here mate, you've bought a scooter/bike from us. If you do this course and bring this voucher back signed by the instructor we'll refund your course fee." May encourage the new rider [or returning rider] to return and avail themselves of the shop's service centre, gear sales etc. If you sell a scooter/bike to someone who has an "off", how likely is that rider to continue to be a rider rather than throw riding away, perhaps due to familial pressure: "It's so dangerous!", and so they never come back for servicing of scooter/bike or buying gear?

...Now I'm waiting at the venue hoping it wasn't someone on the way to my course.

I hope you had 100% attendance...

Scooters are viewed as innocuous. Cheap, and cheerful, and not much different to bicycle. The reality is a bit different.

Scooters innocuous? - as in 50cc mopeds or 250cc European style scooters - include the bigger engined Asian ones as well...

True being cheap and cheerful for the 50cc, however talk to someone who has had a serious off on a bicycle or seen the results of a serious off...

A reasonable number of scooterists are people who require independent transport, and an easy way to get this is to pass a car learners theory test, buy the cheapest scooter you can find and away you go.

I'd question if someone on a 50cc moped is a scooterist - they are a moped rider. Yes, I'm biased as one of my PTWs is a 400cc scooter

The fact that there is no requirement to demonstrate any motorcycling ability, there is no WOF requirement for scooters, and there is a general perception that it's ok to ride a scooter in a cycle lane is just scary. The fact that it's born from necessity or convenience is the reason why there is no will to seek improvement.

A good reason to change the licencing structure?

[Banditbandit]

Thoughts?

FFS .. this is kiwibiker !!!!

[skippa1]

Funny. I posted the OP while at a cafe on the way to the venue.

I left the cafe and it was only a short distance to the venue. I went past an ambulance and a cop car attending a ute-v-scooter.

Now I'm waiting at the venue hoping it wasn't someone on the way to my course.

Shit yes, that is funny, hilarious

[Akzle]

I went past an ambulance and a cop car attending a ute-v-scooter.

well i'm sure glad the cop car turned up, else an infringement may have gone un noticed...

[rastuscat]

Shit yes, that is funny, hilarious

Bad choice of words, for sure. There's not much funny about a bin from a bike.

Unless it's on You Tube, and we all watch, sit back and laugh.

[caseye]

Bad choice of words, for sure. There's not much funny about a bin from a bike.

Unless it's on You Tube, and we all watch, sit back and laugh.

Soooooooooooooo, did you get your quota, you know TWO of em for the course?
Generally I think the others have covered the why not aspect, though the shop receiving a signed it's done voucher giving a discount etc is a bloody good idea.

[EJK]

I remember someone saying to me scooters are wayyy safer because they are not fast like sports bikes (which obviously crashes all the time!), light and nimble to handle