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Mopeds - THE solution|
For many years, bicycling advocates have vainly attempted to promote the bicycle's usefulness as a commuter vehicle. There is a far more realistic solution - the moped/scooter. It is a vehicle with the compactness and economy of the bicycle but that has nearly the speed of the automobile. My Tomos Targa LX can cruise at 45mph, costs 1400 dollars, $75 per year for insurance, 150 miles per gallon fuel consumption, can be locked to any post or no parking sign and can slice through any traffic jam. You cant take it on a highway but the small roads are so much more interesting anyway. You can get around without ever using a highway - believe it or not. You just need maps. The moped/scooter can be driven around any traffic jam so your actual overall speed may be higher than it would be in a car. The moped/scooter does not consume valuable urban land when parked. It is perfect for locking up at the suburban rail station/bus stop. Why pay for parking? you can even ride it into NYC via the tunnels as long as the bi ke is capable of 35+ miles per hour. The moped/scooter is widely used in parts of europe and in asia. It is a far more practical solution to traffic congestion and the blight of parking lots than the bicycle for most people. It's total cost of operation is 5 cents per mile maximum. Automobiles cost 30+ cents per mile and mass transit comes in at 10 - 30 cents per mile. So check it out - it's a very obvious but unexplored solution in North America. |