buying a scooter as a commuter ride?

[katiep]

First, I hope this is okay to post here! I originally thought about posting it in the scooter & motorcycle forum, but it's not an FE question!

I've been reading about scooters as a possible commuting-only ride, because of the potential for some super mpgs. In MD, they don't have to be registered and don't require an M license. BUT you also can't go over 30mph or go on the highway. That's a downside, but my commute would be the same length time-wise, so it's not a huge deal. I can avoid highways and still get to work.

My worry is where to park it. On the street? There isn't a parking lot for my work. There's a parking garage nearby that's 8 bucks an hour, so I'll be avoiding that. It's just so easy to up and steal it. Though, that's not likely to happen, and if it did, I could still get home.

Has anyone had any scooter commuting experiences, especially in MD? How to keep cool? How to keep dry? Parking? If it's all too much of a hassle, I'll just forget about it. Is it too much of a hassle?

[Ryland]

Check your states laws but alot of states allow scooters and mopeds to be parked on side walks and at bike racks, however you are not allowed to ride on the side walk, ever, so you need to push it those last few feet, this leads to scooter owners having the best parking spots and never paying for parking.
Some mopeds only had a fork lock, the draw back of this is that someone could start your moped but unless they wanted to ride around in a 6 foot circle or carry your moped away they were out of luck, most scooters however that have been made in the last 20 years have an ignition key switch as well as a fork lock, scooters like the Honda Metropolitan have a very complex lock that locks the center stand down, the fork locked to the side, the under seat storage locks closed while closing the helmet lock and this happens all with a single motion and turn of the key.

[euromodder]

Scooters are great for commuting due to their fuel efficiency.
With a 4 stroke you're not polluting too much.

Originally Posted by katiep

My worry is where to park it. On the street? There isn't a parking lot for my work.

Can't you park it inside @ work ?
It doesn't need much space, all you need is access to a suitable spot.
A small storage area that's accessible from the street, back entrance , ... ?

How to keep cool? How to keep dry?

Same problem as motorcyclists, but there are plenty of solutions for that.

With a 30mph moped, most people won't wear much in the way of protective clothing.
The wind will keep you cool as long as you're rolling.

A motorcycle rain suit will keep you dry in the rain, they are made to be worn over other m/c clothing.


I'm looking into electric bikes / scooters far too often at the moment, I can see myself buying one of them to get to work.