4 Scooter Pile Up

Scooters + Saskatchewan don’t really go well together.  Weather, distance, crappy roads, laws, and the general consensus that bigger is better, all make this true.  And I hate it!

I loved my scooter!  A little, red, 50cc was mine for a whole year!  Since that year in Taiwan, I have rented a scooter on a couple different trips and still get the same enjoyment.   Here is why:

• I have seen a family of 5 on one scooter,  someone carrying a ten foot tree,  a  dead pig slung over the seat,  five dogs on one scooter ( Think baskets, floor, and seat), Wicker car seats between people’s legs for  toddlers, recycling tied five feet high, a group of foreigners ( myself included) wearing Halloween masks on the way to a party….this was in a place where they don’t celebrate the holiday!
• Riding as a passenger on the back of a scooter is the best way to take pictures while road tripping. 
• You can squeeze into the smallest places/ lanes and make it to the front of traffic ( around cars, trucks, donkeys, busses, or camels.)
• You can ride on the sidewalk if you want
• A six pack of beer from 7-11 fit perfectly in my basket
• Side streets are easier to explore and it is easy to turn and run if you end up somewhere you shouldn’t be
• Cheap fuel
• The feeling of freedom while cruising around in a scooter is incomparable.  You see so much more and you are alone with your thoughts.
• The cool breeze is great for hangovers in those humid countries
• Scooter taxis are a bit awkward, but very handy

Just to even this out, here are a few not so good stories.

• I’ve been in 4 scooter accidents ( NONE were my fault!)
• One of these was a four scooter pile up.
• Riding a half hour to work in the rain gets old fast.  Those yellow ponchos would stick to the exhaust.

Every once in a while I see someone in the cities around here on a scooter.  I smile.  I know what they are feeling.  If you ever get the chance to rent one while travelling, I say go for it.  Just make sure you allow yourself time to get used to it.  Find a big empty lot …or just find a friend who can handle a passenger. 

Someday, I will get my bike license and cruise around more of Canada.  Would I look silly with a side car for my dog?