Crowded? Moped? (buy, DMV, dangerous)

[JoJoMoGo]

Originally Posted by Clevelandgal

I would not bother with a moped ( you know there is a difference between a scooter and moped, right?) anyway, this is a great scooter town. There is a lot of free parking downtown. When you ask about speeds, gas mileage and prices it all depends on what you get. I actually have 2 scooters, one a freeway worthy Vespa which has a top speed of just over 80. This makes it good for more urban freeways vs long stretches where people are going 90. The other is a Genuine Buddy which is a smaller urban scooter great for your needs. Mine is just about to turn over 15000 miles and is been flawless. I can't recommend this brand/ model enough.
Scooters do's/donts:
take is seriously, it is not a goofy toy. You are on the road and could be crushed easily. So take the motorcycle training classes ( you need a mc licence anyway), wear proper gear- no flips flops etc. i know someone who had her foot torn off -literally- in an accident and she was wearing tennis shoes. And be defensive in your driving. People sometimes get stupid thinking they somehow can't get hurt on a scooter. The pavement hurts just as much going down on a scooter as motorcycle. I usually wear a full face helmet (unless temps are too high, and I accept the risk of wearing a 3/4 helmet) and people think I don't need such a protective helmet "on that little scooter". I want to say, " really dumb dumb you don't think my face will smash at 70mph on pavement?" ( one would probably need facial reconstruction at anything more than 25 mph).

Night driving brings much more risk- poor visibility, drunk drivers. I really avoid too much night riding. I am typically on foot after dark. if you think you will need to ride at night a lot, I'd be wary.

Get a reliable brand. There are very few cheap Chinese brands that seem to last. And those that do seem to need a lot of repairs. I would check out Motorsport scooters, everything they sell is dependable. If a scooter is going to be your primary transportation, you want it to be reliable. I may not sound like an advocate, but i am- I love riding, there is nothing like the physics and the freedom of being on 2 wheels. my spouse and I have been car light (2 to 1 car) since 2006 and shudder at the thought of riding in a "cage" every day. The risk is known and understood in our home, but the power of 2 wheels cannot be denied

Thank you for your great input. I realize that a moped is 50cc and under and a scooter is to 150cc. I think? lol
Anyhow, I'm hoping that I have a short commute if it all pans out how I want it too, so hopefully I won't have to do too much driving, but I would take it seriously. I'm a small girl so I would be very careful.
I guess I didn't factor in the whole clothing thing. Do you have to wear boots and leather?
I look forward to no longer being in a cage as well! Living in the Seattle area it's not realistic to drive one of these (especially out in BFE, where I am).
Looking forward to a whole new change!

[JoJoMoGo]

I do plan I taking the motorcycle training course. I've read somewhere that if you take this it's an automatic pass on your test?
Tony - yes I signed up with a couple different temp agencies, and I only got back the standard email. I plan on calling them today or tomorrow to hassle them. I have also applied A LOT online; craiglist, linkden, indeed, company webistes, etc. I am afraid I'm not being taken seriously because of my current location.
I plan on busting some dorrs down when I come into town and demanding a job! haha One day will be focused on finding an accounting job, the next will be focused on hitting every bar/resturant downtown to find a serving/cocktailing job. Then the next will be looking at apartments.

[whiteboyslo]

There are two parts to getting your motorcycle endorsement. The first is the written portion. You can do this at any time at the DMV. Passing this will get you a provisional permit that allows you to ride with certain stipulations. To get the full-fledged license, you need to pass a riding portion. That portion is taken care of if you take (and pass) an approved Motorcycle Safety Course.

As to wearing leathers and boots, you don't HAVE to. Legally, in CA, all you need is a DOT-approved helmet. But, at minimum, I would recommend the following:

• Full-face SNELL or ECE-approved helmet. You can wear open-face or 3/4, but it's a risk I prefer not to take having seen some nasty stuff.
• Jacket, with padding. Don't buy a basic leather jacket from a department store and think it's adequate. If it's not made to ride in, it may (and likely will) tear up the second you hit the ground. It doesn't HAVE to be leather, but GOOD leather will hold up better in a crash then a mesh or textile will. I wear leather a majority of the time and only switch to my mesh jacket when it's really hot out and only if I'm commuting. If I'm out 'playing', it's all leather all the time. If it's too hot to wear, it's too hot to ride.
• Riding gloves. Again, you need ones made specifically for riding. And again, they make different styles depending on what you want/need out of gloves. You probably don't need any full-gauntlet style glove, but keep in mind that your hands usually will take a beating in a crash because you'll instinctively try to use them to break you fall or slow you down.
• Boots. Preferably you want something made for riding because it will have some better protection built in. They make many styles of riding boots and shoes, so it's not hard to find something that suits your style while still offering great protection.

Seems like a lot, but good gear is the difference between disfiguring scars (or worse) and walking away. I've seen enough accidents both in-person and from watching hours of motorcycle racing to know that. It's one area you DON'T want to skimp.

Mike

[JoJoMoGo]

AWWWW that sounds like a lot. lol. Maybe I'll just stick with a moped!

[whiteboyslo]

If it can get you over 40MPH or so, I'd still say you should have gear. Heck, you'd be amazed how much damage you can do at speeds less than that.

Mike

[bloom]

death trap

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by JoJoMoGo

AWWWW that sounds like a lot. lol. Maybe I'll just stick with a moped!

It's expensive for clothing, but it's cheap for insurance - all that gear.

[earlyretirement]

Originally Posted by bloom

death trap

Yeah, I've had some friends that were in some serious accidents (most of them weren't even their fault). No way I'd want to depend on a motorcycle or scooter in San Diego. It's just too spread out with long distances.

[JoJoMoGo]

I would definitely want to be safe and get the gear when I purchase. Like I said I don't plan on doing too much traveling with it, just mainly to get me around the city when I don't feel like walking. I would be crareful but I understand I can't control others. Would you say it's about as dangerous as a bicycle in the city? If I was to buy a good brand used, is there a certian mileage I should stay under?

[JoJoMoGo]

If I was just to get a moped (50cc, 30pmh) at first...I don't need a license? I can ride on the road? Are there roads I can take from downtown to beaches on it? If so how long does that take?