Just returned from NYC, and we were surprised to see many more scooters around than we have seen previously. There wasn't a day/evening we were out that we didn't see several scooters both parked and moving along the streets of midtown Manhattan. Personally, after riding with our taxi driver from the airport (this one was the worse I have ever had! ) I am not sure I would feel safe with all the darting across lanes and slamming of brakes - I saw one car behind a scooter floor it to speed up and try to cut off the scooter and merge - GEESH!!!
We saw mostly Vespas and Vinos, and it looked like most had the battle scars of NYC traffic and parking. Across from my parents-in-law's building my husband and I stood and watched a neatly coiffed lady trying to parallel park her car in a tight squeeze with a scooter behind her. She saw us eye-balling her, and she was very cautious and got settled without any threat to the scooter. She may have been just as cautious without the scooter-police, but we just couldn't leave the scene without trying to create a safe environment for the sweet little scooter.
I did see one BUDDY!!! in midtown. It was a green Italia Bud. Anyone here riding around that way? I would say we were around Columbus/Broadway/Amsterdam (don't remember which one right now) and 67th/with possible range of five or ten blocks on either side. You out there???
I learned how to ride my first scooter in NYC (a 1982 Vespa 100 Sport, which I brought with me to Seattle when I moved here; now she languishes in the carport while I ride my Buddy every day).
All the darting across lanes and slamming of brakes makes for some pretty harrowing riding, for sure. Getting doored by a taxi is no fun - but pretty much par for the course in NYC.
Sometimes I miss the Big Apple. But much better to ride in Seattle, I say .
"Never attribute to malice what can be explained by mere stupidity."
New York is overrated...what a ridiculous thing to say! One could say that the midwest (Phoenix included) is overrated as well, but that would be presuming that anyone who was not born there cares anything about it.
this thread make me realize I don't think we have too much NYC presence on MB. It seemed there used to be a couple of members in Brooklyn but that was it. I think the last time I was in the NY was winter last year so I did not see any, and the time before that was May 06, and that was just before Buddy arrived on the scene. Vespas seem pretty popular there
While I live in NJ, I'm originally from Brooklyn, and worked in Manhattan for many years. Only left to follow a job and raise a family, so I consider myself to be in exile. As soon as the kids are out of the house, I'm leaving the green hell of the suburbs and going back where I belong. Can't wait to trade in trees, lawns, and flowers for concrete, glass, and steel.
It's funny, I can stand in the middle of Times Square, surrounded by thousands of people, and I'm perfectly at peace. Put me in the middle of some rolling meadow by myself, and my skin starts to crawl. Watching a subway train roar through an open cut, that's impressive. Watching a river flow through the Grand Canyon, man, it's just a big, leaky hole in the ground. Nature? Bah! You can have it.
As they say, when you leave New York, you ain't goin' nowhere.
peabody99 wrote:this thread make me realize I don't think we have too much NYC presence on MB. It seemed there used to be a couple of members in Brooklyn but that was it...
Brooklyn is the new Manhattan! I'm a native, and maintain a love/hate relationship with the city, pretty common w/ NY'ers... One good thing about scooting here, you get to practice the msf maneuvers every time you ride!
peabody99 wrote:this thread make me realize I don't think we have too much NYC presence on MB. It seemed there used to be a couple of members in Brooklyn but that was it...
Brooklyn is the new Manhattan! I'm a native, and maintain a love/hate relationship with the city, pretty common w/ NY'ers... One good thing about scooting here, you get to practice the msf maneuvers every time you ride!
If Brooklyn is the new Manhattan, where's the new Brooklyn? How to make sure your business in Brooklyn succeeds: put "Brooklyn" in the name.
I actually love Brooklyn and would probably live there if I loved out East. One of the reasons there's a stronger Buddy presence there is that the only NYC dealer is Brooklynbretta. Vespa Soho is one of their top 4 dealers in the country. When I was there last November, it was interesting to see that Vespas and maxis seemed to be all over Manhattan. Saw many more smaller scooters, more Japanese scooters, and one Buddy in Brooklyn.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
ericalm wrote:
If Brooklyn is the new Manhattan, where's the new Brooklyn?
Manhattan. They just traded places
How to make sure your business in Brooklyn succeeds: put "Brooklyn" in the name.
You ain't kiddin'!
Vespas and maxis seemed to be all over Manhattan. Saw many more smaller scooters, more Japanese scooters, and one Buddy in Brooklyn.
There's more and more Buddies poppin' up in my hood, the land of Brooklynbretta. Scooters are also getting popular with Chinese take-out delivery - these guys ride in any weather, and I mean any weather - snow, sleet, rain, sub-zero temps, nothing stops them.
charlie55 wrote:While I live in NJ, I'm originally from Brooklyn, and worked in Manhattan for many years. Only left to follow a job and raise a family, so I consider myself to be in exile. As soon as the kids are out of the house, I'm leaving the green hell of the suburbs and going back where I belong. Can't wait to trade in trees, lawns, and flowers for concrete, glass, and steel.
It's funny, I can stand in the middle of Times Square, surrounded by thousands of people, and I'm perfectly at peace. Put me in the middle of some rolling meadow by myself, and my skin starts to crawl. Watching a subway train roar through an open cut, that's impressive. Watching a river flow through the Grand Canyon, man, it's just a big, leaky hole in the ground. Nature? Bah! You can have it.
As they say, when you leave New York, you ain't goin' nowhere.
That's funny, I feel just the opposite. I'm born & raised in Jersey, & while I hang out in Philly a lot & I used to hang out in NY a lot, I feel totally claustrophobic with the crowds. I love an open road in front of me, & to just be able to go without anything blocking me. I don't think I could never live in NYC, but I'm sure I'll enjoy some brief scooter trips there & Philly once the weather warms up. I guess it's whatever you're used to...
) I am not sure I would feel safe with all the darting across lanes and slamming of brakes - I saw one car behind a scooter floor it to speed up and try to cut off the scooter and merge - GEESH!!! 
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