Due to recent traffic restrictions in Paris, more and more people have started drinving two wheel vehicles (you just need a regular licence to drive a scooter - under 125 cc). It is more dangerous than a car but very convenient and very quick. As a matter of fact, unlike in the United States it is still tolerated to weave in between cars, to take bus lanes and to park on sidewalks! It will not last very long though... In my neighbourhood they built parking spaces for 2 wheel vehicles and now they give tickets if you park outside these spaces. What can I say, things change...
Hi Eric This is an italian Vespa 50cc but as I can see from the photo it has the stock-pot modified. I think , infact, that the engine has been modified and it is 75 or 100 cc. In this way it goes 2 time faster than the original version. Here in Italy there is an old tradiction about engine elaboration .
ReplyDeleteAlso in Rome we have problem with motor bikes because they are really a lot!!! Ciao JOE
Oh yeah! Been fined yesterday for parking my scooter in front of my building's entrance.
ReplyDeleteWell Italy and scooters isn't that a long love story??
ReplyDeleteFred, where do you live? It also depends on the area and the width of your sidewalk!
Eric, strange, but something tells me you know a lot about how to park on sidewalks…
ReplyDelete;o)
Hi Eric.
ReplyDeleteNice yellow.
It's the same colour as the official Correos "post office" ones here but without the logo.
Eric -- I visited Los Angeles in September 2003, and after driving on their highways I can testify that motorcycles can and do weave between lanes of traffic there. (I'm not sure scooters would be tolerated on the highways.) Makes changing lanes a thrilling undertaking! Such a vacation! :-)
ReplyDelete-- phil
A nice colored scooter! It must be fun to drive this in Paris!
ReplyDeleteYou are now linked in my site under the Cityblogs.
Well, got lots and lots of it in Taipei, but I just hate it so much! Terribly noisy thing!
ReplyDeletePlus ça change, plus c'est la même chose, eh?
ReplyDeletePity that scooters aren't practical enough for most Americans - we could save a fortune on gas and reduce emissions all at the same time. So many of us live outside of the cities where you really need a whole car to get around safely and conveniently. But in a city - especially in Paris with the growing traffic nightmares - I can see they must be très utile!
Nice contrast with yesterday's shot. It'd be interesting to see them side by side :)
ReplyDeleteI drive an old Puch scooter around the city of Detroit (US), where I work in live. I've been fined for weaving between lanes. But driving the scooter is still more convenient and enjoyable. And parking is never a problem: no designated parking spots. Under Michigan law, my scooter is a "motorized bicycle", and as such I can chain it to any bicycle rack.
ReplyDeleteWonderful website here, by the way. Very well done, Eric; thank you!
Love this photo Eric. Like always, you didn't choose just ANY scooter to photograph!
ReplyDeleteNice Shot :-). In my opinion, they give tickets to earn more money. I don't think they really care about the sidewalk becoming a scooter parking lot :-( !
ReplyDeleteI love the look of that scooter. Especially the sticker. It just screams, "Get out of my way or you'll be sorry!". I once rode on a scooter in Rome and I have to say, it takes a lot of nerve to take to the streets there. I live in Minnesota and a scooter would be great for part of the year. But our famously long winters would put an end to scootering around mid October or so!
ReplyDeleteI still dream of having one here in Sydney - but it's more about the look, than for practical reasons ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe've got lots of them here in Manila...scooters and big bikes as well. Traffic is also the main reason why we have these terribly noisy and annoying things! Their like worms swirming around the cars!
ReplyDeleteAnne,
ReplyDeleteLove the visual. Worms swimming around the cars. :)
Where is my daily picture? We are the 4th of February already in Manila!
ReplyDeleteOn strike ? :-)
C'est une Vespa 50, probablement des années 70 et la selle n'est pas d'origine !
ReplyDeleteVery informative blog site.
ReplyDeleteIt must have taken a while to put all
this info here, Very cool.
I have a pocket bike canada site.
It pretty much covers pocketbike related stuff.
Come and check it out if you get time.
In all of my long life I have never quite seen a picture as awful as this... I am truly ashamed of this displeasure, have a good day sir.
ReplyDelete