Gas prices are going up over $4 per gallon in some areas of the country. The solution? Get a scooter! One "scooter-ite" bought a Vespa GTS that uses about $7 of fuel every two weeks. Wow!Consider the cost of a 50 mile round-trip commute based on a fuel price of $3,79 a gallon: the scooter (Vespa S) would cost $2.65 per day; a Honda Accord, $6.10 per day, and a large SUV (Ford Expedition), $10.50 per day. A Vespa can travel 80 miles on a gallon of fuel.There is a downside to scooters, however: dealing with potholes, having to get a motorcycle license in most states, no protection in bad weather, and vulnerability around other vehicles, which are usually a lot bigger. Nonetheless, scooter sales have gone up 25% in the past year. Scooter prices range from $3,000 to $9,000, depending on size and "fanciness."In 2005, the latest year with complete data, the death rate for scooter riders was 129 per million scooters registered, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In comparison, the death rate was 78 for cars and light trucks, and 645 per million motorcycles registered. I believe this is a growing trend. It's not an accident that you've been seeing so many more motorcycles and scooters on the road. In addition to being more cost-effective, it's fun and "cool" to be on a scooter. I have a Harley-Davidson Road King that's been converted to a trike for safety. I had it "muralized," and it's a show-stopper. I've had a Vespa scooter, too, and that's also a fun ride.
