West Seattle Blog…

West Seattle scenes: Westenders’ “Tour di Mari”

August 31, 2008 at 1:30 pm | In Seen around town, Transportation, West Seattle people | 8 Comments

Spotted quite the lineup along California SW between Alaska and Morgan Junctions this morning, so we stopped for pix: The Westenders Scooter Club (mentioned here during the Sustainable West Seattle Festival in May) stopped at C&P Coffee during their weekend-long “Tour di Mari” rally — as the Westenders’ website explains it, this is “… the famous Water Ride … perfected during Amerivespa 2007.” (You might recall multiple scooter-group sightings during that mega-gathering.) Members told WSB they were heading toward Des Moines after the coffee-shop stop.

You can find out lots more about the club online at westenders.org.

8 Comments

1. Go! Westenders Go! I saw you ride by Cafe Revo on sat, and was Jealous!

   Comment by chano — September 1, 08 7:44 am #

2. Cute, but they pollute as much as an SUV.

   Comment by pedal nulu — September 1, 08 1:28 pm #

3. I’m afraid you’re behind the times, pedal nulu. Old two-stroke scoots may pollute a bit, but modern scooters are quite ‘green’. Even modern two-stroke scooters are meeting Euro II & III emission standards, which are quite strict. Please do a little fact checking before you spout off.

   And another thing, it’s more than just emissions. Scooters reduce congestion on the roads, and for most people, make more practical commuter vehicles than bicycles.

   To be sure, there’s nothing as ‘green’ as a bicycle, but on Seattle hills, they’re just not going to work for everyone, so lighten up, greenie; don’t let the best be the enemy of the good.

   Comment by Alucard — September 1, 08 2:12 pm #

4. ….not to mention the 70-90mpg they get as opposed to a gas guzzler! Plus, you just can’t beat all the fun, much more fun to be had then in a “cage.”

   Comment by jett — September 1, 08 2:37 pm #

5. The times were last week on local NPR KUOW. I do not know if they did their fact checking but please Google, “KUOW Scooters” to be brought up to date, Alucard. Here is the quote, “BUT THE E.P.A. SAYS MILE FOR MILE, A SCOOTER EMITS MORE POLLUTANTS THAN A HUMMER.” The piece goes on to explain that scooters are not required to maintain their emissions standards as other vehicles, so their pollution could be much worse.
   “More than just emissions. Scooters reduce congestion on roads…” Alucard, I have not done any fact checking on your claim. Have you?
   But, I do know that like motorcycles, scooters are not supposed to ride 2 abreast. And I suspect that in a car dominant system like a ours, any congestion reduction the diminutive size scooters provide is negated by their slower speed and car drivers’ well founded fears of rear ending one.

   Comment by pedal nulu — September 1, 08 10:02 pm #

6. interesting discussion on the emissions topic:
   http://scooter.meetup.com/197/messages/boards/thread/3864982

   Comment by WSB — September 1, 08 10:40 pm #

7. The future… electric motorbikes.

   http://brammo.com/

   Comment by jai — September 2, 08 10:21 am #

8. Pedal Nulu – I don’t want to get in a p*****g contest with you, because we’re really after the same thing.

   On your comment regarding emissions, please study the thread cited by WSB. Emissions is a complex issue, and I think we can agree that while in some catagories, a scoot may not be so green, in others it’s quite good, and no one will deny scoots use less oil. And that’s a benefit any way you slice it, yes?

   Regarding congestion, you must look at the whole picture. When in motion, a scoots ‘footprint’ may not be appreciably less than a car, but we proved at Sustainable West Seattle we can put 8 scoots in the space a car takes. All vehicles, whether they be bikes or Hummers, need a place to park, yes? Ergo, the scooter does reduce congestion at some level.

   I get the impression you’re a bicycle afficianado, and that’s cool. We really shouldn’t get into a ‘greener than thou’ p*****g contest, as we both are equally threatened by clueless cagers. The bicycle is no more the perfect transportation solution than the scooter is, but each has their benefits & their place. You’re ‘greener’, but I carry more gear, and am better on the hills. Not everyone in Seattle is a Lance Armstong clone with a BMI in the single digits but we all need to get around. We both take up a lot less space

   I won’t fault your ride; extend to me the same courtesy. Peace?

   Comment by Alucard — September 2, 08 10:19 pm #

Sorry, comment time is over.