It’s beginning to look a bit like Europe and Asia here in the Parkland.

As gas prices more than doubled, area residents looked for ways to save money at the pump.

Taking a cue from Europe, where residents rely on scooters to get around town, more and more of the bright colored motorized vehicles are cruising Parkland area streets. Scooters also are popular in Asia.

Store owners here can’t keep them in stock.

“We’re completely out and we can’t get any more until the ‘09s come in,” said Keith Mason, manager of Donelson’s Cycles in Park Hills. “We’ve always sold them, but they’ve become really popular in the past year.”

What’s hot

Most popular are the 50 cc and under scooters which get up to 100 miles per gallon. Scooters do not require a motorcycle license, although a license to drive is required. They are legal to drive on the street, and they have lights, rearview mirrors and other necessary equipment. Helmets are not required, although, as with bicycles, they are a wise choice for safety reasons.

Scooters with larger engines fall into the same category as motorcycles. They must be registered, insured, and the driver must have a motorcycle license. However, scooters get better gas mileage than a motorcycle, Mason said.

An 80 cc scooter, for example, can average 80 miles to the gallon, he added.

Scooters are automatic, compared to motorcycles that involve a clutch and several gears. Bigger scooters that can go fast enough to keep up with traffic are allowed on highways.

Mason said that scooters provide more wind protection than motorcycles because they include windshields. The seat contains a large storage area.

“It’s big enough to put a full-sized helmet in,” said Park Hills Police Chief Bill Holloway, who has been riding a scooter for more than a year. Holloway has been a motorcycle rider since the 1960s. As he gets nearer to retirement, Holloway said, he has had to face some uncomfortable realities.

“I’m not going to get any younger,” he said. “I think there comes a time that you have to change.”

Who rides them?

Scooter buyers come in all ages, although they seem especially popular with Baby Boomers. Park Hills Mayor John Clark rides his scooter to city council meetings. Holloway uses his for errands and leisure rides. His scooter, a  50cc Vino, gets 110 miles to the gallon.

Every Saturday, Holloway gathers with his brother Joe and up to 20 area residents who ride scooters. The group winds their way through back roads to Bismarck for breakfast.

“When you see somebody riding a scooter, there’s a smile on their face,” Holloway said. “You don’t have to dress up. No matter what you have on, you can ride.”

If you can ride a motorcycle, you can handle a scooter, Holloway and other owners said.

Scooter concerns

Scooters are not without their critics. In Desloge, where the city is considering an ordinance to allow golf carts and four-wheel utility vehicles on the streets, some people have complained that the new ordinance would have requirements that are not necessary for scooters. Scooters do not require a slow-moving vehicle sign or an orange safety flag. Scooters do not require insurance, while street traveling golf carts and utility vehicles would need insurance for drivers to get a permit.

Scooters are legal across the state to ride in the streets, but drivers who are not used to seeing them are afraid for their safety. One concern is the lack of a requirement to wear a helmet, especially when the smaller vehicles can reach 45 miles per hour or more.

Scooters ridden on the street are subject to obey all traffic laws. For example, if you drive faster than 30 mph in Park Hills on the small scooters, you will get a speeding ticket, Holloway said.

Some of the larger scooters are as big as large motorcycles. Marty and Diane Estepp recently were looking at a large scooter that they intended to buy.

“We’ve been shopping for one,” Marty Estepp said. “We thought about a scooter, then we thought about a motorcycle. We’re going to go with the scooter.”

The couple plans to spend weekends cruising on the scooter for fun. It won out over a motorcycle because of the automatic transmission, the couple said.

“The big benefit is to energy and (gas) savings for the person who owns a scooter,” Holloway said. “Scooters are everywhere in Italy and in a lot of Asian countries. It’s become a way of life.”

Learn to ride

The renewed interest in motorcycles and the new passion for scooters has resulted in additional motorcycle safety classes at Jefferson County College. The Continuing Education Program offers a two-day, 48-hour course that includes classroom training and a motorcycle range. The program is open to adults 15 and older and is offered on weekends.

The course provides motorcycles and Missouri Motorcycle Safety Program instructors put students through various drills on the motorcycle range. The course is for novices as well as experienced motorcycle riders, said Hal Neisler, continuing education coordinator. Those who complete the course successfully only have to do the written portion of the test to get a motorcycle license.

“If you’ve been on a bike for years and want to brush up on safety, it’s a good idea,” Neisler said. “A lot of times we have husbands who have been riding for years and they sign up when their wives decide to learn. The comments we get from the husband were that they learned a lot.”

So many people signed up for the course, the school created three additional classes this summer. The summer program is full, and registration for the fall courses begins Aug. 1. Neisler expects a price increase for the class, which will be held for six weekends after Labor Day and could then cost about $225.

Class is held regardless of the weather, Neisler said.

The prevalence of scooters and motorcycles in response to the gas crisis increases the likelihood of accidents. Although several motorcycle accidents have been reported in the Parkland since the spring, including five fatalities, thus far, Holloway said, he hasn’t noted any scooter accidents.

Paula Barr is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 172 or at pbarr@dailyjournalonline.com.

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