Scooters - are they as dangerous as they sound?

[LaineyW]

My DD has just announced that she'd like a scooter for her Super Sweet 16th birthday in October...

Sounds like a nightmare to me but does anyone have any experience of owning one? I haven't the faintest what they cost, how much tax/insurance would be etc. and am wondering how we can knock this on the head before she gets completely fixed on it.

Thanks to all replies!

[chenin]

Gawd... that is an expensive pressie for a 16th?

What on earth will she get for her 18th? A car?

I don't agree with this sweet 16 nonsense.... it is an american thing. Surely you can't have an 18th big birthday and a 16th too? But maybe it is me....

[mumeeee]

DD3 is 16 tomorrow and she will not be geting a scooter. She is having a party at hollywoodbowl. sShe is aranging everything herself I'm paying for the bowling but her friends are paying for thier own food. That seems to be the way it is done amongst her friends.

[Surreynanny]

I had a moped when I was sixteen although I had worked to earn the money for it. It gave me great freedom and i loved having it and progressed onto motorbikes.
However i do think it depends where you live, I grew up in north devon where there is not a huge amount of traffic i would be reluctant for my daughter (16 this year) to have one now we live in Surrey as the traffic is so bad here. Would recomend as much training as she can get if she has one and get good quality clothing especially gloves and insist she wears it and reflective gear - a real life saver.

[MamaG]

MAte's son had one

broke his pelvis within 4 months as he came off the tghing

[Carmenere]

Scooters are great fun but dangerous imo. I don't know anyone who has had one and not fallen off. They are not ideally suited for our climate imo, you get wet and they tend to be skiddy when roads are wet.
There is no way my dd will be getting one, I would much rather her to get a car.

[Kezza7779]

My mum and i both contributed to a moped for my 16th birthday (12 years ago) and yes i fell off but overall it was brilliant. my friends had them too and it gave us a lot of freedom and of course responsibility. I left school at 16 and went to work so for me, it increased my job prospects / options as i could get anywhere and at antyime.
I was quite a sensible (ish) teen and was sensible on the roads.
My dad has always had superfast sports motorbikes and gave me some good tips for the road...
i.e
Ride in the center of a busy road as opposed to along the curb edge so cars dont try and squeeze past you and overtake - they'll have to wait until its safe and clear,
Avoid country lanes with blind / bad bends.

Your daughter would have to complete a test too which is basically where you are taken out with an instructor and examined on your road safety. you cot ant really fail it as they keep you there and drum it in to you until youve grasped all you need to know.

When i had my moped the tax was £10 per year, MOT about £20 and insurance at about £170 i think.

It stood me in good sted formy driving lessons / test too as i was already aware of how to cross roundabouts, road markings, signs etc so all in all it was a good experience.

I understand it is VERY worrying as in a serious accident bikes are lethal, they offer you minimal protection so it is important you wear the right gear, a good waterproof and tough motorbiker jacket and trousers(i dont mean the hellsangels leather ones) and a good sturdy helmet.

Also mopeds are restricted to around 25 to 30 mph so it is unlikely that at these speeds your daughter will be on dual carriage ways or national speed limit roads. with the advice form my dad she should be pretty safe....

let us know what you decide and sorry for the essay!xx

[discoverlife]

If you do get her a motorbike/scooter get he a proper bike shaped one. One that you have to sling your leg over the seat, NOT a step through. The step throughs are not as stable as as a proper bike shape, there is nothing to grip with your legs (I always feel like a parrot on perch when on a step through) , a bit like riding a horse, its much better if you can hold on with something other than your hands.

If you got to a bike shop and purchase a new bike you will normally get the first year insurance and tax built in with the price and quite often they will throw in a helmet.
Your daughter needs her provisional licience and her CBT, but I think there may be more to do now as I passed my test a long time ago.

Persuade her that an open face helmet does not protect her pretty face if she comes off, an full face helmet at all times.

So the protective gear should be at minimum,
A full face helmet approx £60+ to £360

Gloves £15+ get the ones with armour on the knucles (proper bike gloves not something out of Primark) Nearly lost a finger because the glove shredded through.

Bike Jacket,£80+ they do really nice girls one, shaped for women. With Teflon fibres through the fabric, armour at shoulders, elbows and back also the extra pad at the kidney area. They are also waterproof.

Bike trousers,£60+ you can get jeans with the armour built in, or ones that match your jacket. Also leather ones with armour are good. But I have to admit that the jeans ones are more comfy in hot weather.

Boots, £60+ Always wear boots, no matter what. Ankles are very difficult to repair. I lost the skin from the top of my boots to my knee's in one accident but only had bruising on my ankles, the doctor said I was lucky, if I hadn't been wearing boots I may have lost my foot.

Also instil in her, SHE WILL COME OFF. Anybody who tells you they have never come off a bike is a lier.

[discoverlife]

PS I have been riding bikes since 1980, so I have had plenty of time to accumulate a few war wounds. But boy did I have a good time.

[WendyWeber]

2 wheels are just dangerous - however careful the rider is, they are semi-invisible to a lot of drivers and if hit by a car, the rider is incredibly vulnerable.

I've just been googling hoping to find a website that might put her off but can't find one - posts from this forum might do it:

[Kezza7779]

My bestfriend recently died in a car crash.....bikes can be dangerous but so can cars. U dont mention cutting people out of cars nd zipping them into body bags etc...

[WendyWeber]

kezza, you posted yourself:



of course people get killed in cars too, but a lot more people survive accidents in cars than on bikes.

[discoverlife]

It is dangerous, bloody dangerous at times. But there are and always will be people who love the excitement of it, I did. The biggest growing group of riders on the road now are the 40+ riders, the ones who had to give up because of life, family etc. I call them the 'Born Again Bikers'.
Those are the ones you won't be able to keep away from bikes. But if you catch your daughter soon enough you may dissuade her, if you can't dissuade here, get her the best equipment and training you can.

[LaineyW]

Thank you so much for all the words of advice, both for and against!

I think I will just let DD sit and read this page! We live in a smallish village but it is right on one of the most dangerous A roads in the country so I've already told her that riding on that road would be a no-no anyway, even if we miraculously could afford a scooter.

My niece has one and yes, it has allowed her to get to work far more easily than if she didn't, but I know it's a constant worry for her mum.

Particular thanks to Kezza7779 and discoverlife. (I didn't look at your reply as a essay at all Kezza, it was exactly what I hoped to get back!)

[Flllightattendant]

As an experienced biker who has come off a few times, and not been unlucky enough to lose any parts of my person insodoing, I have still known of an awful, awful lot of kids (16yr olds) that have died coming off scooters. People my mates knew etc. Tragic.

As everyone seems to agree, they are hard to see and often just missed or ignored by other traffic. I see them here white lining it through the rush hour traffic and it chills me.

Motorbikes are dangerous also but at least they make more noise so people in cars can hear you coming a bit better - also much better control on a bike as DL says cos you can steer it with your knees as it were...you can get out of trouble faster.

I have had a near miss on my bikes every - yes, every - time I have been out on them. Every time, someone pulls out, or you get overtaken too near, or whatever. It is terrifying and one reason I no longer have one sitting on my drive - partly as I'm a mum now and don't want to risk my kids not having a parent, but partly I have to admit the relief of knowing that despite loving riding, I am always nervous getting on a bike - that pressure is now gone.

I really would not recommend it - in 1950s Milan, perhaps, but not over here with modern traffic

[discoverlife]

I agree with you about the noise on a bike. One of the reson I prefered the old 20 yers+ Honda's, Kawasaki's etc. They were LOUD. The modern bikes are too quiet, all you here is a whoosh. No warning at all. The old bike had 'presence'.
But I've hung up my leathers for other reasons not to do with safty (DH HAD to give up riding and its lonely riding on your own) so I hung up mine with him.

[discoverlife]

Honda CX650 Silverwing, nicknamed the Leviathan, because it was humongeous , heavy beast. Full Fairing and luggage kit.
DH had a beautiful Susuki Intruder, 700cc. Metallic burgundy red paintwork, and a red and white stripped seat. Full Leather panniers, a real American looking bike. People always thought it was a Harley.

We used to do long trips around the country on them, staying overnight at YHA's. DS2 and DD loved coming with us. The last one was right dowmn the LLyn Penninsula and to St.Davids Bay. Some of those lanes are just meant for riding down, you just couldn't get the same feeling in a car.

Dd started riding with us when she was abot 13 and DS2 started as soon as his feet could touch the pegs about age 8.

[Flllightattendant]

Oh how cool..!

I never knew there was a 650, I tried a 5 once, that's the despatch bike isn't it - or 'maggot' I believe it's called? It was enoooormous! The 650 must be HUGE! Blimey. Now if I could handle one of those I could call myself a biker...

The Guz was a lightweight in comparison...though being a V twin it sounded big...hehe

[Flllightattendant]

Oh I get you, it's similar to a Goldwing, right?
I know what you mean now!

[discoverlife]

Yep a baby Goldwing. But it still took two of us to pick it up off the ground, only happened once when the side sand slid and I couldn't hold the weight up without doing the splits and some serious damage.
I really wanted a fully kitted out Goldwing with the armchair seats. We were on holiday in Spain once and the resort we were on was hosting the European Goldwing Convention. I walked around with my tongue hanging out for 4 days. About 300 Goldwings all togged out in their fiery, beautiful.

[discoverlife]

Oooops Finery.