It's funny how the idea of scootering tends to cause some riders, even experienced motorbikers, to throw safety out the window. I don't know why it is, but I've seen people who would think to put on proper boots, long pants and a helmet when riding a motorcycle decide to "skip all that" when getting on a scooter and head off wearing only shorts and flip-flops.
What gives?!
Just because scooters are slower than motorcycles doesn't mean riding them is any less dangerous. The roads you travel are still the same and the drivers just as poor at paying attention. Speed isn't always a factor in bad crashes.
Scooters are often smaller than motobikes, too, which means drivers are even less likely to notice you at intersections, and more likely to slam into you full force.
So why be nonchalant about what you wear?
I'm debating this because as I try to improve my riding ability, I'm wondering how to make the scooter my everyday vehicle, when the weather allows.
I live about four blocks from my job, and while it would seem to be ideal that I take the scooter daily, there is the issue of attire.
I can't go to work every day in motorcycle gear. I need to dress for my job, which can demand I go before members of the public and represent my company. Which means I must wear business attire most days.
I toyed with the idea of changing clothes once I get to the office, but then I ran into the other issue: getting to work on time.
My job (Web site management) demands that I be at my desk, bright and bushy-tailed, before everyone else even enters the building. And lately I've been so overworked that I've left about the same time as the sun is going down. So I've been rolling out of bed as late as possible before heading off to work, because I need the shut-eye.
(For those of you wondering about the time of my posting, I'm on vacation this week.)
Rolling out of bed late, packing up the proper attire, then getting dressed for scootering, getting to work, and then changing all takes up WAY more time than just rolling out of bed, throwing on my business attire and rolling into work in my car.
My boyfriend said I should just ride the scooter in high heels, like Italian women do.
I thought, 'Whoa, I don't think high heels will help me if I crash. My feet will be mangled much easier."
I have seen it, I must admit. The Italians sure do make scootering seem as safe as walking down the street, but it's not. At least not in my town where a motorcyclist is injured in a crash every day. (We have a lot of motobikers which I believe accounts for such crashes being so frequent.)
What I can't figure is why just hoping on a motor scooter, no matter how you are attired, is so "safe" and common in Italy. Is it because the number of cars is less, so severe accidents are less likely to happen? Is it because drivers are more aware of scooters and show them more respect on the road?
I'm wondering if there has ever been a widespread, governmental movement encouraging scooter riders in that country to change the way they dress when they ride to be safer.
But honestly, it would be nice if I could skip the extra step of changing my clothes. It would be great if I could ride wearing high heels and a dress and not feel that I'm taking a ridiculous risk.
But I don't think I ever could. It just doesn't feel safe.
And while it may be that the clothing really does little to save your life in a crash, I'd like to think, especially after my first spill, that it can reduce the damage.
Sure makes me feel less nervous around trucks when I'm properly attired.
