The Green Routine has created a handy calculator to help you determine whether buying a scooter will save you money. When gas prices started getting above the $3.00 mark, I started thinking that it might be a good idea to buy a scooter. I’ve got a quick commute to work and don’t drive much on a typical day, save for running an errand or two. I’ve long had a thing for Vespas, which are undeniably stylish and cool, and saving on gas money sounds like a good excuse to buy one. Not that I’ve ever gotten to the point of seriously considering it, I’m just thinking theoretically.
Clearly, there are a lot of things that haven’t occurred to me while daydreaming about jetting around town like Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. (And since I’ve never actually driven a scooter, that’s probably a reasonable depiction of what I might look like driving one.)
I entered my best approximations into the calculator and it tells me I’d save $108.05 per month if I switched to a scooter. Even for a lower-priced Vespa, it would be almost three and a half years until the gasoline savings paid for it. Ah, but there’s so much more. In addition to the price of the scooter itself, there are all kinds of associated costs—motorcycle license, insurance, registration, taxes. Those are costs that never go away. Plus, I wouldn’t be able to get rid of my car altogether. You can’t really drive a scooter long distances on the interstate, you obviously can’t haul much in it, and there’d be a wee problem during a downpour or when there’s ice and snow all over the roads (assuming I could even tolerate being exposed to the freezing temperatures during the winter).
In short, it wouldn’t be a smart move to buy a scooter for the purpose of saving money on gas. Now, if my point were just to have a bitchin’ Vespa to scoot around town in, that could be smart indeed. (“Smart” as in “What a smart denim outfit!”)
Great article, thanks for the link!
You’re welcome. Thanks for the post!
That photo of the Vespa is priceless … not so much for the vehicle itself but the FASHIONS! I can practically hear the wah-wah pedal in the background … “waka-jawaka” …
Here’s an interesting website if you’re interested in more energy-efficient transportation:
http://www.electric-bikes.com
As for myself, I finally took the plunge and purchased a bicycle in May 2007. I knew that gas prices would continue to rise, but I also wanted to do something that was both good for my health AND good for the environment. So finally I went to John’s Cyclery in St. Albans and told them what I was looking for: A bike that I could ride primarily on roads to commute to and from work whenever the weather allows, something I could ride recreationally … but I wasn’t looking for a lot of bells and whistles, and I DEFINITELY wasn’t interested in “extreme” biking over cliffs and boulders and such.
The salesperson directed me to a Trek Hybrid, and that was that. Bike, helmet, and repair stuff set me back about $450, but in retrospect it was the best investment I’ve made in a LONG time. The 7.8 mile commute from my home in Rock Lake Village and my parking building on Capitol Street takes about 40 minutes, 35 minutes if I’m making good time and the wind is at my back. I’ve lost about 30 pounds, but better yet I’ve saved a LOT of money on gasoline.
Of course, it goes without saying that Charleston is not exactly a bike-friendly town. You should see me trying to stay out of rush-hour traffic on MacCorkle Avenue! I’ve been honked at and yelled at; the most common expressions are “ASSHOLE!”, “FAGGOT!”, and “GET OFF THE FUCKING ROAD!” So far I haven’t had anything THROWN at me yet, but I know it’s just a matter of time. And I realize that one of these days I could very easily be creamed by someone driving an SUV who is paying more attention to her cell phone than the road ahead. But I’d still like to believe the benefits outweigh the risks.
OOoooooo, I want one so bad! Not for my commute, just for knocking around town.