My old friend Curt has this electric car. While it is approved for driving on surface streets, it looks like a four-seated golf cart. It can only go up to 40 mph, so it wouldn't be appropriate to drive on the freeway, but he and his wife drive it around town on short trips. I think the charge is good for 24 miles round trip.
It made me think about my own commute to work and alternatives my current driving habits. I hate the idea of carpooling. Of my colleagues who have carpooled, there always seemed to be the problem of what time to arrive at work and, more important, what time to leave. I don't like having to live around someone else's schedule.
My car is a hybrid, but not a mega-mileage hybrid. It gets decent mileage, but not great mileage.
One reason for my musing about this has more to deal with the ethics of living in the current war-monger atmosphere and fighting in wars that have more to do with giving big oil companies control over oil prices. The less money I spend on gas, the less tainted I feel. I have no delusions about bringing down the oil companies, but I can choose where my money goes.
I don't want a motorcycle because I don't plan on going on any long trips. I just would want something to get to work and back and use for short errands.
Public transportation is undependable around here, so it's not an option for getting to work.
The pros for either a Vespa or electric car are not that different. The cons are greater. In both cases, other motorists would probably show me little respect and I'd have to be extra careful on the road. For an electric vehicle, there is the question of sized and overcrowding my garage. A Vespa would leave me more vulnerable to other motorists, as well as the weather and road conditions. Of course, this is California, so the weather doesn't change that much.
I the price difference is also significant.
So I brought this up while dining with my brother, my SiL, and my mother. The Bro and SiL thought it was laughable to get a Vespa. But most passersby I asked (my friend Curt, Blowhard Canary and his GF, and Zoe all thought the Vespa would be better).
Anyway, I'm far from having the disposable income right now, but am just thinking about it.
7 comments:
We've been considering getting a small motorcycle/scooter like the Yamaha that Doni had in the late seventies. Good for tooling around town, and economical. Although I'm sure some steeped in the local culture would end up calling it "gay," I see nothing wrong with it as long as you can stay out of big vehicles' ways.
Vespas rock. They're trés sexy. Anyone calling em "gay" has deeper problems that can be dealt with in a comment.
Plus, the higher end models will do freeway speeds, if you so desire.
Wish I could afford one even though I live in the Pacific NorthWet and couldn't use it 365 like you probably can in CA.
HH
The kids like it for the cool factor. They have little interest in the environmental, political or financial factors.
I'm against the vespa for safety reasons. I've seen too many downed motorcycles due to lane changes by idiotic car drivers. And thats in congested traffic, not even taking in acct the drivers that are pissed because you're not driving fast enough.
I have the perfect compromise: a '68 VW. Has about the same horse power as a Vespa and the comfort of the electric car. Maybe even a little warmer. It probably won't start half the time, so you'll save gas. And they float. that would come in handy should the Lake Perris Dam break. You could sail to Elsinore! For free!
I've seen far more serious-looking car accidents these days than I have motorcycle accidents.
The sheer numbers of cars vs motorcyles is the reason for that.
Some stats here: http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-Safety/crash.htm (btw, this is for single vehicle only, does not include 2 vehicle, like car and motorcycle).
Of particular interest in the rept: Per mile traveled in 1998, a motorcyclist is approximately 16 times more likely to die in a crash than an automobile occupant. And 3x (times) as likely to be injured.
Hmm, I think it might be time to motorize a uke!
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