Driving scooter in america is embarrassing??

Question

I really wanna buy a scooter to go to work and possible places like mall or movies... but do you guys think people will make fun of me? I know places like Greece, France, Italy, Brazil this is normal, but in america its really new.

I live in Tampa, Florida and I feel like if I buy one it will be embarrassing.

Answer 1

I love it.  I ride a Kymco People S250; great looking bike.  Get lots of comments and head nods.  Lots of waves from the big HD guys.  Fun to be on the leading edge.  You will only see more and more scoots as time goes by.

Will it ever be like Taipei or Ho Chi Min City?  No.

Answer 2

If riding any bike embarrasses you, then don't ride.  I ride a cruiser (Honda) and usually with Harleys.  Being the odd man out on my bike choice doesn't bother me (or them, thankfully).

Ride for the fun and economy, not for the status or opinions of others.  Please take the safety course as well.

Good luck, and happy riding.

Answer 3

Embarrassed of what ? Enjoying yourself ? Saving a ton of $$ on gas ? Ride what you want to ride.....just do it safely.

Answer 4

Every day the price of gas goes up you'll have a bigger smile on your face.Talk your friends into buying scooters too. Then you'll have someone to race.Customize it & trick it out.Pretty soon everyone will wanna be like you.I know .it for a fact.

Answer 5

   Scooters are becoming a trend in this country so you would be at the forefront of it.

Answer 6

A lot of folks ride them now and the number will continue to grow. Go for it.

Answer 7

Scooters are catching on in some areas and the fuel economy is hard to beat.  But as a die-hard biker, you'd never catch me dead on one unless I was trashing it like Mikey on American Choppers did.  Their handling sucks and most of them can hardly get out of their own way with a stiff tailwind.  But if it's what you want, then go for it.  Riding in the rain sucks no matter what you're riding though.

Answer 8

Would you rather be embarrassed or poor?

Answer 9

Only you know if you will be embarrassed, but here's a news flash - no one else really cares what you do, ride, etc.

If you think you will be embarrassed by riding a scooter, why not go for a smaller real motorcycle?

Answer 10

No way should you be embarrassed.  It's economical, fun and becoming chic here in US too.  Get a cool little Vespa and just be careful zipping around all those SUV's.

Answer 11

Scooters are not new to America. They have been sold here since the late 1940s. They are just getting more attention now due to gas prices. They are less popular here since Americans gravitate towards motorcycles; America subsidizes gas and buys in such quantities that prices have been historically lower (no such luck right now); and because of the great distances that Americans drive, scooters have been mainly popular in cities rather than suburbs.

That being said, I have been riding scooters since 1995 and love them. Noon has ever bugged me about the scooters. people are actually curious and positive about them.

Florida is one of the biggest markets for scooters. The good weather makes it great for year-round riding. You do have rain, but it is reasonable to rid in the rain based on your experience, preparedness and how long you'll be in the rain.

I rode around Miami Beach on a trip and had a much easier time finding parking than the cars that were circling the area. I was the one who looked smart. :)

Get the scooter. Just make sure you take a class so that you have the skills to drive well in all sorts of conditions.

Good luck!