What is it with the scooter mentality?

[bobsmith]

Now (many years older) I wear full face helmet, gloves, armoured jacket. I might look a bit overkill on a scooter, but I want to remain attached to my skin thanks very much.

Not at all. My Fiancee also rides a scooter and always wears a full kit of safety gear when going out. Of course with the scooter doing 120km/hr on the motorway it really isn't much different than a bike except that it handles worse than a bike and brakes worse as well...

[Chickadee]

Shame they don't make all two wheeled riders do a basic handling and the standard gear should be compulsary.

I see scooter riders wobbling along on the left handside of the lane trying to share with cars, no jackets, no trousers, no boots - just a helmet. You'd think getting bugs splatting on their clothes would make them think twice about wearing something to keep their outfit clean at least.

I'm sure there are a good few scooter riders that do take the right precautions with gear, but I see far too many out there that do the just helmet number.

Whens the govt going to stop with the 50cc okay without a bike license! You can still get mega f*cked up at low speeds if you have an accident. You need greater skill to ride something with 2 wheels (vs 4).

[UberRhys]

Every time I drive past a scooter rider wearing shorts and tshirt and a soup bowl helmet I cringe.

Important to note that it isn't just scooters, it's bikes as well. But yes there are more moped riders out there that are seen commuting in there short skirts, shorts, no jackets or gloves.

The "she'll be right" attitude amoungst us that we grew up with impairs our ability to see straight sometimes, and learning the hard way is usually how the lesson is learnt.

I personally haven't had my big wake-up yet, but I am prepared for it.

Am I the only one who thinks Scooters are portrayed too lightly, as in you don't have to wear protective gear because you're not going as fast. It's MAD!!!

This comes down to owner responsibility I guess. New scooters, motorbikes, quads etc... come with owners manuals which go over personal safety albiet briefly. Maybe the Basic Handling course should be inclusive of all 2 wheeled motorised vehicles and safety can be covered at the same time. In addition this will give the basic skills for all riders, from mopeds to big-ass cruisers and everything between.

[Pogo2]

Those that wear the minimum legal requirement ie helmet and others (like myself) who wear the full kit. Being stupid is not only the perogitive of scooter riders - how many motorcyclists do you also see wearing insufficient or non existant gear. In my mind there is no difference between binning at 50kph on a bike or a scoot, the results are pretty much the same. Also you cannot legislate against lack of common sense -we will all agree that the government had tried that in the past.

Seeing poorly equipped scooter riders is as frustrating for the well equipped scooterist as much as it is for bikers (if in fact they even care). Regardless I do not know what the solution is. Is it the role of the motorcycle industry and others (perhaps even using KB as a channel for example) to educate those new to the fold that a scoot is much dangerous as any other form of motorised travel and not a carefree mode of transport that is currently being portrayed.

Surely better the educate than resusitate!

[klingon]

I'm sure it us a cultural thing - we have different expectatons of scooter riders than we do of motorbike riders. Yes, you see bikers riding around in T-shirts and shorts in summer... but we tend to look at them and frown or cringe because we can imagine the consequences. With scooter riders it just seems to be accepted as the norm.

I originally intended to get a scooter rather than a bike, but after several conversations with bikers I went for the bike option. The only advantages for getting a scooter were:
a) I could ride it without a license
b) I could ride it in my normal clothes - no protective gear

Then the rational side of my brain took over and I realised I was going to CHOOSE to have proper training and protective gear no matter what I rode, so I got a bike.

[Maha]

Perhaps I should upload the pics from a couple I know who fell off their scooter two up while in fiji....nasty gravel rash.
Am I the only one who thinks Scooters are portrayed too lightly, as in you don't have to wear protective gear because you're not going as fast. It's MAD!!!

Ever tried wearing full leathers while riding a scooter in Fiji ? Having just returned from Rarotonga, there is no way i will post pics of what we were wearing while out and about on scooters. Island open road speed of 40kph....while in Rome bla bla. Heaps riding 2up (tourists) looks uncomfortable and not mention damn funny. There are Thousands od scooters in Raro and a few hundered cars i guess and everyone is shorts/jandels/cap/shirt. Some even tie thier youngsters on the the back....i would not however, ride a scooter to far here in NZ without at least jeans on....

[cynna]

most cyclists go faster then scooters - u dont see them wearing leather pants and jackets............

[inlinefour]

I think it's called "freedom of choice". Something we are all losing too fast.

In this case if some twat wants to risk loosing some skin, so be it.

Middle of summer, a young lass rides by in barely more than the crash helmet. I look (you don't?) and think, that a waste.

But then again, I tend to go downhill in my wheelchair at speed at times. Have a t-shirt & shorts on and shoes on. At times while I was in ChCh, I was managing to get pretty close to the speeds that these scooters can do.
Of course I run the risk of getting a bollocking from those who care, thats fine.
But if its coming from those who think they have the right tell me about his/her opinion? They can fuck off.

Edit: This ignorance belief might be true for some, but to believe that everyone who does this is ignorant about the consequences, is truely an ignorant belief in itself. I've had a few small doses and one large dose of road rash. If people here are getting up in arms over that, get a grip and go for a ride. Bunch of whinging safety nazis...

[Bullitt]

I think its just ignorance of the consequences.
When I had my 250 I never wore anything better than jeans and occassionally shorts. For a couple of years I didnt have a proper bike jacket either, in the end I bought one more cause I was sick of getting wet than cause I was afraid of getting hurt.
All I regularly wore was a helmet and gloves (even with a tshirt)

Luckily I never came off but that was probably more good luck than good management. When I came back to bikes I realised that attitude was foolish.

I suspect scooter riders often dont realise the consequences, and if they crash and find out it puts them off enough that you wont see them on a scooter again to show theyve learned their lesson.

[Flatcap]

Aah, the old Safety Gear Nannys are out again.

The fact is a 50cc scooter IS a pushbike with a motor. Those twats I see on Tamaki drive of a Sunday morning in garish lycra on their racing cycles go faster, and as cynna says above, you don't see them in leathers.

Wait until it heats up a bit in summer - will all you enlightened, safety conscious Riders put all your leathers on to fetch that icecream from the dairy? Honestly?

I sure as hell don't - Unless I decide to do a big loop somewhere

[Jantar]

I certainly don't wear ATGATT, but I do have a minimum standard of helmet, gloves, leather footwear, and no bare skin. Yes, even for a trip to the shop.

[DougB]

This topic has come up many times before. The last time
it was summer and I counted the number of motorcycle riders in shirts, shorts and jandals. Ther were just as many as scooter riders. Dont be one eyed and dont pick on scooter riders

One who has both motorcycles and a scooter and is not one eyed about either.

[davereid]

No - it IS all about freedom of choice.

If you are a libertarian then you will say - its my life, I own it and I will use it as I please as long as I don't endanger others.

But others will argue that you have a responsibility to the wider community and you can't ride a motorcycle or scooter without a helmet or other safety gear because it may cost others money via taxes or ACC to patch you up if you crash.

So actually, its all about money. They use force to take your money in taxes, offering the carrot that they provide (or claim to provide) welfare.

Now because they have a responsibility for you, they have to restrict what you do, to limit their responsibility.

They offer the combined principle of "public good" and "best safety practice"

Its a great idea - you can ride your motorcycle or scooter as long as you adopt "best safety practice" and wear all your gear.

The trouble with concepts of best safety practice, is that they are moving targets.

Its the very arguement that will be used to take your motorcycle off you.

So you now scoff at the old timers (or "ignorant youngsters") who ride or rode without helmets or other safety gear.

But you will find that the concept of "Best Practice" will be redefined. So instead of being the safest way to ride your motorcycle, it will be redefined as the safest form of transport.

So your motorcycle will be banned, your grandchildren will be horrified you ever rode one, and you will go everywhere in your Volvo with 35 airbags, and a computer to be sure you never speed.

So, for me, I'll make my own choices. Some of them won't be best practice, my shoulders are big enough to cope with the guilt.

So if you don't like the fact that on a sunny day I ride in a "t" shirt, then call me an idiot, a Darwin Award candidate, or whatever.

And when they take your motorcyle off you as its too dangerous to be permitted any more, you can turn the stereo in your new car up (at least to the permissable safe hearing level), slow down to a safe speed, and die of boredom.

[Bulldog]

You can do what you like mate but don't come on here winging about having lost parts or use of parts of your body because you weren't wearing what is the 'current' safety standard.

No one said they were perfect in here but wearing proper kit is a very simple way to stay 'safer' while doing crazy stuff.

AND Why oh why do people still think jeans will do shit when you hit the tarmac? They instantaneously melt to your leg then dissapear...they're useless.

Yes cyclists wear nothing and go as fast....did I ever say cyclists were any better off? They're just as bad!

'THEY' will only deem motorcycles too dangerous if all the people like 'YOU' get hurt while not wearing proper kit.

[Morcs]

In my riding lifetime I must have seen about 7 different people riding Hayabusa's with shorts and t-shirts on.... and thats in 2 different countries too...

Nuts.