haven't riden yet and already getting teased at work!

Howardr · Post by **Howardr** » Fri May 30, 2008 6:37 pm

Most of my co=workers have been having some fun at my expense, but I arrived yesterday to one our newest staff, showing me the pictures the scoot he bought the night before.
Soon, we'll have our own little scooter gang.

NathanielSalzman · Post by **NathanielSalzman** » Fri May 30, 2008 7:13 pm

EP_scoot wrote:Yeap, we are a little different . . and the 15 of us with Blurs, maybe a little more.

Indeed!

Yeah, it's human nature to deride people who break from the herd. I like the question from Heroes: "Are you a robot or an alien?" Do you follow the crowd and what everyone expects from you, or do you make up your own mind and look at things like transportation in an innovative way? Are you open to alternate points of view?

I think a lot of people are threatened by other people's views or beliefs because they think those views expect something from them. But just because someone is expressing an alternate point of view doesn't mean you have to adopt it. For example, I'm a Christian, but my faith doesn't require anything from YOU. It requires a lot from me, but short of injustice and inhumanity, you go on 'bout your business. Carry on. I'm happy to talk about it, but even then, you're not expected to see the universe the way I do. I think a lot of people don't realize they're free to simply disagree. Just because someone is gay doesn't mean you have to be gay too. You can keep being a straight person. It's okay. You have permission.

That road goes both ways, of course. As lots of people express themselves with the full intent that anyone in ear shot think the way they do, or else they're somehow inferior.

It's weird how something so globally ubiquitous as a scooter brings out - at least here in the states - people's underlying insecurities like homophobia, or the false, macho bravado found in so much of motorcycle culture. Maybe it's because we're such a superlative nation - everything has to be the biggest, fastest, and grandest in order to have any value. So the guy driving an H2 is therefore threatened by you on your 220 lb scooter because, I guess, you invalidate his world view in some way. You don't need a huge, flashy truck to tell you who you are. Your scooter makes people uncomfortable, and frankly, I find this hilarious.

But maybe it's more basic than that. We've driven cars for a hundred years now. The notion of getting around on the road way in a different way is something the average person just doesn't think about. We're socially conditioned to think "I need to get around - I'd better buy a car." So any time someone varies from that paradigm, people don't know what to think about it, tap into their own insecurities, and call you a fag so that they can dismiss your existence. It's sad, really. Poor, misguided cagers.

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Fri May 30, 2008 9:11 pm

NathanielSalzman wrote: It's weird how something so globally ubiquitous as a scooter brings out - at least here in the states - people's underlying insecurities like homophobia, or the false, macho bravado found in so much of motorcycle culture. Maybe it's because we're such a superlative nation - everything has to be the biggest, fastest, and grandest in order to have any value. So the guy driving an H2 is therefore threatened by you on your 220 lb scooter because, I guess, you invalidate his world view in some way. You don't need a huge, flashy truck to tell you who you are. Your scooter makes people uncomfortable, and frankly, I find this hilarious.

But maybe it's more basic than that. We've driven cars for a hundred years now. The notion of getting around on the road way in a different way is something the average person just doesn't think about. We're socially conditioned to think "I need to get around - I'd better buy a car." So any time someone varies from that paradigm, people don't know what to think about it, tap into their own insecurities, and call you a fag so that they can dismiss your existence. It's sad, really. Poor, misguided cagers.

Well put.

BadBrains · Post by **BadBrains** » Fri May 30, 2008 9:18 pm

jmazza wrote:
NathanielSalzman wrote: It's weird how something so globally ubiquitous as a scooter brings out - at least here in the states - people's underlying insecurities like homophobia, or the false, macho bravado found in so much of motorcycle culture. Maybe it's because we're such a superlative nation - everything has to be the biggest, fastest, and grandest in order to have any value. So the guy driving an H2 is therefore threatened by you on your 220 lb scooter because, I guess, you invalidate his world view in some way. You don't need a huge, flashy truck to tell you who you are. Your scooter makes people uncomfortable, and frankly, I find this hilarious.

But maybe it's more basic than that. We've driven cars for a hundred years now. The notion of getting around on the road way in a different way is something the average person just doesn't think about. We're socially conditioned to think "I need to get around - I'd better buy a car." So any time someone varies from that paradigm, people don't know what to think about it, tap into their own insecurities, and call you a fag so that they can dismiss your existence. It's sad, really. Poor, misguided cagers.
Well put.

I second that! I've never thought about it in those terms before, but you can pretty much sum it up in one response to an antagonist...

"Does my scooter make you uncomfortable?"

NathanielSalzman · Post by **NathanielSalzman** » Fri May 30, 2008 9:27 pm

BadBrains wrote:"Does my scooter make you uncomfortable?"

Yeah, I really do think that's at the root of it. And you're unflappability will totally deflate their posturing.

I really do think that my scooter makes some cagers very uncomfortable - and I mean on the street. They get this weird look in their eye. Like they're thinking "There's a scooter! What the hell do I do? Do I stop? Do I go? Should I drive faster and/or more erratically? Yeah, that's a great idea!" Cars assume I'm slow, so they'll cut me off or run stop signs, or (I swear!) look for ways that they could possibly squeeze around me when we're both stopped at stop lights and they're behind me. Nobody's done it yet, but very often the car behind me will creep slight to one side or the other but then give up on the idea since I'm more toward the middle of the lane.

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Fri May 30, 2008 9:33 pm

Pearls before swine...

Post by **ericalm** » Fri May 30, 2008 9:50 pm

chadhargis wrote:So...my big old 6'5", 200lb self bought a little 125cc scooter. I get a lot of funny looks, but I'm married, so I'm not trying to impress anyone.

Now, if I were huntin' for the ladies, I guess I'd have to take the motorcycle. LOL!

I'm also married, but if I were not I don't know that I'd be dating anyone with any kind of disdain for scooters. That would just be too indicative of a vastly different mindset, aesthetic values and so on.

Of course, if I weren't married, I'd probably have a couple of motorcycles, so that may be moot.

(But marriage to the right person is totally worth it. I don't need more stuff. Right, honey?)

Racenut · Post by **Racenut** » Fri May 30, 2008 10:57 pm

We just had a little office birthday party thing, just cake and ice cream.. anyway a couple of the guys sorta started to give me a hard time. They know I like to go fast so a scooter wasn't quite what the expect to see me on. By the time we were done with cake, they wanted to come out and check it out.

Sitting on it, wanted to hear it run etc..

Ended up with "Hey, that's pretty nice, I could get into that" hahahaha

KABanshee · Post by **KABanshee** » Fri May 30, 2008 11:20 pm

I ride a scooter to make up for the size of my penis.

sc00ter · Post by **sc00ter** » Fri May 30, 2008 11:33 pm

To each their own as far as your fellow workers are concerned. I have always had a scooter even when I had a real bike (94 CBR900RR). I just prefer and love scooters more than bikes. You will get the last laugh when it comes to fill up time, the cage sheep at the gas station will wonder over and be shocked when you tell them "90ish to the gallon"! Besides, Id rather have someone laugh at my scoot than want to race me for real on a big bike. Humor is safer for my health and insurance. Im secure enough not to let comments about my scoot bother me.

voodoosix · Post by **voodoosix** » Sat May 31, 2008 12:40 am

i have a blessing in disguise i guess... im just one of those people who look like theyre about to whip off on someone at the drop of a hat. im not mean or anything, im actually quite a nice guy but i just have a ticked off look about me. that and some wild tattoos help!

sometimes i use it to my advantage

i just started a new job in a factory, the 1st day... i pulled up on the scoot and parked in the middle of the Harley crowd, stepped off the bike, looked at the other guys, and said "how are you ladies doing..." and walked off. no one said a peep about my scooter (which i was waiting for), till people began asking legit questions, gas mileage, price, speed etc...

i still rag the bikers and dont even give them a chance to come up with a retaliation... as i ride every day and on rainy days when i come in off the scoot i ask "where all the hardcore bikers are?.....the bunch of sissy's"

here's me in a good mood

bjj4287 · Post by **bjj4287** » Sat May 31, 2008 1:14 am

voodoosix wrote:i have a blessing in disguise i guess... im just one of those people who look like theyre about to whip off on someone at the drop of a hat. im not mean or anything, im actually quite a nice guy but i just have a ticked off look about me. that and some wild tattoos help!

sometimes i use it to my advantage

i pulled up on the scoot and parked in the middle of the Harley crowd, stepped off the bike, looked at the other guys, and said "how are you ladies doing..." and walked off.

i still rag the bikers and dont even give them a chance to come up with a retaliation...

"where all the hardcore bikers are?.....the bunch of sissy's"

lol

KABanshee · Post by **KABanshee** » Sat May 31, 2008 4:49 am

voodoosix wrote:i have a blessing in disguise i guess... im just one of those people who look like theyre about to whip off on someone at the drop of a hat. im not mean or anything, im actually quite a nice guy but i just have a ticked off look about me. that and some wild tattoos help!

sometimes i use it to my advantage

i just started a new job in a factory, the 1st day... i pulled up on the scoot and parked in the middle of the Harley crowd, stepped off the bike, looked at the other guys, and said "how are you ladies doing..." and walked off. no one said a peep about my scooter (which i was waiting for), till people began asking legit questions, gas mileage, price, speed etc...

i still rag the bikers and dont even give them a chance to come up with a retaliation... as i ride every day and on rainy days when i come in off the scoot i ask "where all the hardcore bikers are?.....the bunch of sissy's"

You sound like me down at the steel mill. Good stuff voodoosix

That is a tough lookin scoot I might add.

addictionriot · Post by **addictionriot** » Sat May 31, 2008 4:59 am

hehe

charltons · Post by **charltons** » Sat May 31, 2008 4:15 pm

voodoosix wrote:i have a blessing in disguise i guess... im just one of those people who look like theyre about to whip off on someone at the drop of a hat. im not mean or anything, im actually quite a nice guy but i just have a ticked off look about me. that and some wild tattoos help!

sometimes i use it to my advantage

i just started a new job in a factory, the 1st day... i pulled up on the scoot and parked in the middle of the Harley crowd, stepped off the bike, looked at the other guys, and said "how are you ladies doing..." and walked off. no one said a peep about my scooter (which i was waiting for), till people began asking legit questions, gas mileage, price, speed etc...

i still rag the bikers and dont even give them a chance to come up with a retaliation... as i ride every day and on rainy days when i come in off the scoot i ask "where all the hardcore bikers are?.....the bunch of sissy's"

here's me in a good mood

It doesn't hurt that you have a great looking scoot!