Annoying Scooter Moments

[Corsair]

Alright, so when owning a scooter I found there are definitely somethings you have to start learning to let slide. Sometimes though there are moments when things get outright ANNOYING! (annoying is the cleaner word I chose to use).

#3 - Having cars that feel like they just can't be behind a scooter, only to pass you up jump back over and then go slower than you!!!

#2 - Seeing a Jackhole that thinks their vehicle is a office/club/kitchen/library/text messaging/super-smart-auto-pilot-having-sensory-deprivation-tank COMPLETELY not pay attention and come over into my lane!

AND #1 - When I say that I ride a scooter people automatically think:




WHY OH WHY OH WHY are all of them called scooters?!! Now that's friggin annoying do I really have to say "motor" scooter every time?





I know there are TON of other things but what are your top three annoying scooter related moments? (let's keep it safe for work...lol)

PS
Yeah I may be a bit cranky because I haven't been riding in awhile...lol

[justscooten]

im with ya man if i here the word moped one more time im going to shut someone. and what is it with people in cars that think that 3 feet from my taillight is a safe distance?

[maribell]

here in tejas, people actually drive the motorized chair on the side of the road like it is a scooter.

[ERik3tb]

that happens here in Wyoming as well. They follow the traffic laws for the most part, but stay near the side of the road or on the shoulder.

[lojical1]

here in tejas, people actually drive the motorized chair on the side of the road like it is a scooter.

OMG I have yet to see that maribell, but I hope to have my camera with me when i do.

[KRUSTYburger]

here in tejas, people actually drive the motorized chair on the side of the road like it is a scooter.

OMG I have yet to see that maribell, but I hope to have my camera with me when i do.

THAT'S GOTTA BE A SIGHT! I know here in P'cola there are A LOT of retired geezers in mobility chairs, but they have the decency to stay on the sidewalk... I guess if I couldn't walk I'd do that too, just get some off-road tires for that sucker and drive on the side. Around here you're more likely to see people on riding lawn mowers in the street... I guess I live a little to close to ALABAMA! (no offense)

[lojical1]

*snickers* dude, you said geezers. I wonder who the oldest Buddy rider is ?

[Liz C]

48 ('n' a half, thank you very much!)

- her geezerliness, LC

PS The mobility scooter dude in "Stuck on You" was awesome. But that was L.A. after all. We don't roll that way in T-town.

[KRUSTYburger]

By "GEEZERS" I meant REAL geezers like 80-100 year-old retirees ! We have a lot of old folks coming here to retire cuz the weather is (supposedly) so nice. 48 isn't old at all, def not geez-worthy. My dad rides a scooter (not a Buddy) & he's 56. You are simply a seasoned scooterist , I mean that in the best way possible! It's kinda inspiring... Plus you got sweet taste in scooters as well as cardigans! ITALIAS RULE!!!

[jmazza]

Liz C-

Glad to see you're back scooting after the little wreck! Did you ever post what was needed on the Buddy or any other recaps?

[wben55]

maribell wrote:

here in tejas, people actually drive the motorized chair on the side of the road like it is a scooter.

And before "motorized chairs" their lawn tractors w/o the decks. When I was growing up, in my hometown of Iowa Park (Tx). Our next door neighbor used to ride his all over town. Even on US 287.

[louie]

[ Around here you're more likely to see people on riding lawn mowers in the street... I guess I live a little to close to ALABAMA! (no offense)

it's on krusty.

i'm 49 but that's nothing we have a man riding in bham who's 80. he's got a yellow helix he rode to chattagoona with a group of us and takes other regular long rides. after talking to him seems he's done it all.

[Corsair]

Hey I don't care how old any one is. If you enjoy scooters (and don't crap on anyone that's not riding a Vespa) you're alright by me

So back on topic, what annoying moments have you had? I definitely have more:

SETTING
Our hero walks into a standard motorcycle shop looking for a jacket/helmet/whatever


Salesman: You should definitely try on [insert over priced power ranger brand jacket that in no way shape or fashion fits]

Me: OH, hey, didn't see you there... you kinda snuck up on me didn't you?

Salesman: sneaky sneaky sneaky (ok maybe he didn't say that)

Me: Umm well that's not quite what I'm looking for but do you have any...

Salesman: [interrupts] So what do you ride???

Me: [with enthusiasm] I got a Genuine Buddy

Salesman: A what now?!

Me: [thinks to self, hey I get to tell someone about the Buddy!] Oh It's great! It's a 125 scoo...

Salesman: [walks away]


The opinions expressed here do not reflect those of Genuine Scooter Co or it's affiliates. They do however reflect those of a ticked off scooterist that's a bit tired of salesman that feel if you aren't on or looking for a 1000000cc Hayabusa you aren't worth talking too (even though you're not the one who started the conversation in the first place)

[polianarchy]

Jerks who work in jerky motorcycle shops are pretty much my pettiest of peeves. When I roll up to the local powersports shop and get all sorts of disrespect from the dealers, I just try on everything in the store while taking careful notes of brand and style, and then scoot home to order it all from NewEnough.com

Anyway, nine times out of ten the customers end up all gravitating towards me & my scooter saying, "Hey Babydoll! What kind of gas mileage you get? How fast do you go? Didn't I just see you down Broad Street?" Living well...it's really the best revenge, don't y'all think?

[Kurzer]

How about when your riding your bright frikkin red Triumph Daytona 600 with a 140db exhaust next to the drivers window of a truck and the b**ch decides to change lanes instead of slowing down for the car in front of her that's turning but she doesn't bother looking to the left where you are she just goes that f*$king wh%re and you bump your elbow on the door and she still comes over and you cant accelerate because there's a car there and you can grab a handfull of brakes cause there's a car there so you're forced into the oncoming lane because there's no center lane and the f&$king c^&t keeps coming so you drop back because the car behind you has that look on her face like OMFG did she just do that? for realz? OMG STFU n00b and she made a spot for you so now you're so pist your seeing red and go around this stupid truck that's now got back into the right lane because she didn't want to be inconvienenced by having to press the brake and you send her the bird and yell and swear and at the next stop you lite up your rear and cover her in smoke so she can't see to go on the green and then still swearing in your lid she drives next to you flipping you off like OMG what's his problem? f^#king crotch rockets...





... but I'm not bitter ...

Also, I hate it when people flash you because you have your bright on at 2pm on a cloudless 78 degree day, yeah, that too.

***edit*** I realize this looks bad for females, but rest assured, it was just this instance. Many times it's a male but I don't consider the gender of any importance, I have learned to hate most all cars equally.

[Corsair]

wow... now that's stress

[Kurzer]

Oh, thought of another thing that happens sometimes.

I'm riding the Buddy doing 40 in a 35 in the slow lane and some car is riding your tail (no-one is in the left lane) so after a while of this, I change to the left lane to get into the next left turn lane and at the light this lady in a mini van rolls down her window and says you're too slow and you should get off the road...

1: You're in the slow lane
2: You're doing 5 over
3: Does she not see the license plate?

Lesson: Stay away from mini vans.



Here's another with slightly less stress

Coming up to an intersection with your light green, tooling along, it's a beautifull day... Some chick in a BMW 3 something comes off the freeway and decides that her red light is merely a suggestion and you can turn right without stopping in Oregon so she just goes, only looking left once she's in the lane... this is the first time she sees a scooter doing a stoppie (if I was on the 50, I would have been in her door).

She's visibly shaken, I like to see that, that means she really didn't mean to do it. So at the next stoplight she rolls down her window saying she's sorry and how stupid of her... I say no worries, things like that happen every day for me. The look on her face is omg are you serious? LOL so she says "Well I hope you'll remember this time for a while" then proceeds to flash me her uppers

I have never forgotten that time I was almost taken out... but not because it was stressfull

[KRUSTYburger]

...then proceeds to flash me her uppers

wait, WHAT NOW?!

[twharton]

Krustyburger,

Drive down Pace or Cervantes through Brownsville on any day and you have a 50/50 chance of seeing a mobility scooter going w/ traffic along the curb. I even saw one on the 3 mile bridge to GB once about a month ago.

I wonder if he gave the Bridge Walker (local celebrity) a ride?

[KRUSTYburger]

Drive down Pace or Cervantes through Brownsville on any day and you have a 50/50 chance of seeing a mobility scooter going w/ traffic along the curb. I even saw one on the 3 mile bridge to GB once about a month ago.

HEY! I just rode all the way down Cervantes yesterday to visit a friend of mine... Didn't notice any mobility chairs, but there are often a lot of hood rats on bmxs thinking they are allowed to ride around in the street. Pensacola is bad about that tho (no bike lanes)... I used to ride my pimped-out Huffy Starliner around and unless you have a neighborhood/backroad route it friggin sucks.

[twharton]

Krusty,

Saturday morning rode my PX into my office from GB into Pensacola in the light fog around 08:00. God it was beautiful coming across that bridge...no traffic and surreal fog over the water. We live in paradise. Rode over to the beach on Sunday w/ my wife for a burger at the Paradise Inn...I mean I rode my bike. Beat all those drivers on the bridge.

"Where thousands live the way millions wish they could. "

[Kurzer]

...then proceeds to flash me her uppers

wait, WHAT NOW?!

LOL (.)(.)'s

[weaseltamer]

so she says "Well I hope you'll remember this time for a while"

what the HELL?? is this near miss a lesson to the scooter rider for what... being there? hoping-for-the-love-of-god- a cager *might* follow some traffic laws? that dummy should be glad she didnt roll by me.

[lojical1]

what the HELL?? is this near miss a lesson to the scooter rider for what... being there? hoping-for-the-love-of-god- a cager *might* follow some traffic laws? that dummy should be glad she didnt roll by me.

weaseltamer sounds like she keeps her Kryptonite chain handy!

Seriously folks, ride safe out here.

[jmazza]

so she says "Well I hope you'll remember this time for a while"

what the HELL?? is this near miss a lesson to the scooter rider for what... being there? hoping-for-the-love-of-god- a cager *might* follow some traffic laws? that dummy should be glad she didnt roll by me.

I don't think THAT is why she said she hoped he'd remember it for a long time...

[Kurzer]

so she says "Well I hope you'll remember this time for a while"

what the HELL?? is this near miss a lesson to the scooter rider for what... being there? hoping-for-the-love-of-god- a cager *might* follow some traffic laws? that dummy should be glad she didnt roll by me.

I don't think THAT is why she said she hoped he'd remember it for a long time...

hehehehehe they were perfectly round

[InBloom71]

When I tell people I have a scooter, sometimes they ask me "is it electric or gas?" I am still trying to think of what kind of scooter they are thinking I have? I believe they are thinking about those darn cheap 100 and something dollar battery scooters that go about 8 mph when fully charged. They also make gas versions of those things. A couple of years ago I would see kids on them in my neighborhood. Anyway, I tell them that my scooter is a gas engine scooter. So they ask me how fast it goes and I say "oh.... I had ut up to 60 once but that is pushing it a little." Sometimes they look at me like I could not be telling the truth.
I too hear the word moped all the time when they are referring to my scooter. I always tell them the true definition of a moped. Motor + Pedals = MoPed. MY SCOOTER IS NOT A MOPED AND IT IS NOT A KIDS TOY! IT IS A SMALL MOTORCYCLE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO SWING YOUR LEG OVER!
You practically have to take someone for a ride to show them that it can carry two people 45 mph without breaking a sweat. Then they go "WOW! this thing goes pretty fast!"

[poop colored buddy]

WARNING < LAW BREAKAGE> in the following story, dont be stupid like i am!!!!

so i agree with you all that there is so many annoying things about cagers and their attitudes towards scooters, so i decided to test one of my theories out last night, it goes a little something like this...I always notice that cars will do just about ANYTHING to pass you on a scooter, even if you are speeding. I think it might have something to do with a thought that scooters MUST go slow. So im on my Stella and i always notice that people will ride my @$$ and then as soon as they get any opening, jam on the gas and pass me, even if im going 10 mph over. Yeah yeah i know its bad, but sometimes i go 55 in 45mph zones and this phenomena STILL happens at an alarming rate. So yesterday i decide to go 60 mph in a 40 mph zone to test it out. It was a section of road with no side streets for about a mile so it was as safe as you can get while still being dumb and speeding 20 over. As sure as the sun rises i got passed THREE TIMES!!!! all three times they would tailgate me, and then romp on the gas to pass me, then they would get about 50 yards ahead, realize they are going about 70mph in a 40, slam on the brakes, and then continue on down the road at about 50 mph. WHAT GIVES! I am absolutely convinced that slowly but surely someone has pooped in the gene pool and idiots are taking over the world.

[kazoo]

My theory: I think some motorist think you are going to fall down and obstruct their travel. You know, like when you were a kid pushing the stick attached to the board down the sidewalk and you hit a bump!

[Tiffan]

When I tell people I have a scooter, sometimes they ask me "is it electric or gas?" I am still trying to think of what kind of scooter they are thinking I have? ......... I always tell them the true definition of a moped. Motor + Pedals = MoPed. MY SCOOTER IS NOT A MOPED AND IT IS NOT A KIDS TOY! IT IS A SMALL MOTORCYCLE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO SWING YOUR LEG OVER!

you know, I generally tell people I've got a scooter.. then the blank face or smirk... "You know, like a Vespa?" "OOHHH! YOU have a VESPA???" Then I clarify, "No, It's actually called a buddy, they're made in Chicago, so it's American. And Cute. And 80 Miles to the gallon."


That seems to work very well for me. Just mention Vespa and they'll get it.

[jmazza]

...except you know they aren't made in Chicago, right?

I give the Vespa reference too. It definitely helps.

[dannyW]

When I tell people I have a scooter, sometimes they ask me "is it electric or gas?" I am still trying to think of what kind of scooter they are thinking I have? ......... I always tell them the true definition of a moped. Motor + Pedals = MoPed. MY SCOOTER IS NOT A MOPED AND IT IS NOT A KIDS TOY! IT IS A SMALL MOTORCYCLE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO SWING YOUR LEG OVER!

you know, I generally tell people I've got a scooter.. then the blank face or smirk... "You know, like a Vespa?" "OOHHH! YOU have a VESPA???" Then I clarify, "No, It's actually called a buddy, they're made in Chicago, so it's American. And Cute. And 80 Miles to the gallon."


That seems to work very well for me. Just mention Vespa and they'll get it.

Its made in Taiwan, and imported by a company in Chicago, but the bike is made by LMO, and Piaggio owns LMO, and Piaggio makes Vespa.

I think its the whole "buddy" name that throws people off.

But eff em, Buddy's are great bikes.

[KRUSTYburger]

hehehehehe they were perfectly round

(.)(.) WOAH! Doesn't anybody think that almost hitting a scooterist with your car because you weren't paying attention, and then flashing them afterward is like the most bizarre thing ever?!! I'm dumbfounded. I can't believe no one else is having a crazy reaction to this. IS THAT A NORMAL WAY TO APPOLIGIZE IN OREGON?! I guess she thought it would make up for it or something? Maybe it's just cuz I'm a chick and wouldn't have made me feel better, but that's like REALLY ODD. ..... ..... .....

[Valgal20]

A Nice Set of Breasts can Change the World! They are Like Credit cards with no limit, if I had some like that, Id join a nudest colony just to show them off. Heck Id even be ok with a flash of boobidge as an apology. But thats just my strangeness.

[EP_scoot]

Well, as far as boobage show goes, it is a good thing that after the flashing you did not end up like this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG2PQ9E8Ea4

[Kurzer]

Well, as far as boobage show goes, it is a good thing that after the flashing you did not end up like this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG2PQ9E8Ea4

hahahahahahaha that's awesome!!

and yes, it was very strange, even for Oregon

[KRUSTYburger]

My annoying scooter moment (aside from the ones already listed) is this:
Where I work it is a fairly busy street, so there is a light to get out of the parking lot... the light is not on a timer, stays red all the time until you drive up to it, then it changes. Me & my Buddy are not heavy enough to make it change . I have to wait for someone to pull up behind me.

[Kurzer]

My annoying scooter moment (aside from the ones already listed) is this:
Where I work it is a fairly busy street, so there is a light to get out of the parking lot... the light is not on a timer, stays red all the time until you drive up to it, then it changes. Me & my Buddy are not heavy enough to make it change . I have to wait for someone to pull up behind me.

Try >>this<<, I know it's silly and shouldn't work, but I used it on my 50 and it actually tripped more lights, not all lights, but a lot more than I was doing before I had it.

[aerogirl7]

When you are stopped within the sensor loop at a light, tapping your center stand on the ground is usually enough for the magnet to recognize your presence.

[ysofisonly50?]

... when scootin' in countries where people have no problem spitting phlem outta vehicles' windows.. (yuuuk )
yeah, i got hit twice, i kid you not.

[KRUSTYburger]

Thanks for the advice, I will most def try that center stand thing... Hope it works! If not, looks like I got a pretty good back-up plan. Thanks again

[Valgal20]

Im worried about cigeret buts flying at me! Burning hot ash, ouch!

[gt1000]

When I'm riding, nothing annoys me.

[Corsair]

Im worried about cigeret buts flying at me! Burning hot ash, ouch!

That's when you're thankful for a full face helmet

... when scootin' in countries where people have no problem spitting phlem outta vehicles' windows.. (yuuuk )
yeah, i got hit twice, i kid you not.

I think I would go temporarily insane after that ...Arrrrghhh ehhh bleh... where's the throw-up emoticon...

[louie]

My annoying scooter moment (aside from the ones already listed) is this:
Where I work it is a fairly busy street, so there is a light to get out of the parking lot... the light is not on a timer, stays red all the time until you drive up to it, then it changes. Me & my Buddy are not heavy enough to make it change . I have to wait for someone to pull up behind me.

when i come up to a light that is triggered i pull on top of the cross sections (overlapping cornor bits) of the magnetic strips in the rode so the battery is sitting on top of biggest consentration of sensors. i figure the battery must have enough metal bits to trigger it. i found only one light this doesn't work on. i've done the center stand thing but have found it awquard.

[GaryEPSP]

I've stopped right on top of the mag strips on the street and waited through a complete cycle of lights. If no one is around, I proceed. I'm happy to go to court over it if I get a ticket.

[dan39839]

that happens here in Wyoming as well. They follow the traffic laws for the most part, but stay near the side of the road or on the shoulder.

Sun city CA has a dedicated "Lark Lane" on most streets

[EP_scoot]

Corsair wrote:

Valgal20 wrote:
Im worried about cigeret buts flying at me! Burning hot ash, ouch!


That's when you're thankful for a full face helmet


ysofisonly50? wrote:
... when scootin' in countries where people have no problem spitting phlem outta vehicles' windows.. (yuuuk )
yeah, i got hit twice, i kid you not.


I think I would go temporarily insane after that ...Arrrrghhh ehhh bleh... where's the throw-up emoticon...

EEEEWW . . . and that is when a modular or 3/4 helmet comes in handy

[maribell]

Despite being hit with cigarette butts several times i haven't been burned yet. They just bounce off. Then you roll up to the cager at a light and ask them to look where they throw.

[aerogirl7]

Not so much annoying as painful was when I had a bee make its way into my jacket while riding. All the sudden I had searing pain in my shoulder and had no idea what had happened...then more searing pain from my hip. Started shaking my jacket around and managed to get the bugger out. Definately swollen and miserable by the time I made it home.