KymcoForum.com
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Stig / Major Tom on August 08, 2021, 01:43:26 PM
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Since retiring - I only ride my scooter at daybreak - through town into the country.
And I cannot recall the last time I was out on my scooter past 10:00AM.
Under no circumstances will I ride in a 5-lane heavily trafficked mall type commercial area, fronted both sides by restaurants, dept. stores, etc.. (I have photos of a red LIKE200i which was hit&runned by a van turning into Walmart there a few yrs ago. NO way that guy should have been riding there.)
I simply have no reason to play in traffic, in this town, on a scooter.
Are there times of day and/or places you never ride?
Stig
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I generally ONLY ride at night. It's much more peaceful and there's almost no traffic. And I live in a big city.
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I cannot say "never" but almost never will I ride on any road that has snow/ice on it. I've been on roads that had a cold 2 inches of firm slush on them but only 'cuz I had no choice if I were to get home from work. I also am not interested in riding gravel roads or dirt paths. Give me clear dry pavement no matter what the tempurature. ;D
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I ride my Like 150i ABS on any improved road except Interstates and other 55 mile plus roadways.
I attempted a relatively rough trail once , but the small wheels and limited suspension weren't up to it.
My night vision is poor, so I ride mostly during daylight hours.
Many years ago, I loved to take night rides on country roads on my NSU Fox.
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Rode snow once in '68 or '69. Never again. Don't like unpaved nor mud so avoid those unless being chased by satanic, deranged zombies.
Prefer paved two lanes and ride freeway frequently by necessity. Nachez Trace highway is ideal. I imagine Blue Ridge Parkway similar except for speeders and crowds.
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Scooter= not off road----once in Japan, took short cut, ended up with 100km of really ruff trail---on Helix=not fun. Bike and me dirty but otherwise ok---one of the problems of scooter=no pegs to stand on, tank to grip with knees.
Lived and rode 10 years in Tokyo...that kind of traffic ok. US, my 55 plus community, these old farts in their big tanks scare me! and they are rude!
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I generally ONLY ride at night. It's much more peaceful and there's almost no traffic. And I live in a big city.
Every one of my rides starts in the dark...so I'm fascinated by that !
What city ?....USA? Europe?
Asia?
Stig
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No, I’d never say “never”, but I prefer not to ride on motorways.
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never is a long time....but always try to avoid rush hour riding (4:30 - 6) and especially never rush hour on a Friday afternoon. Avoid riding at night, rain, interstates, dirt, gravel...
love riding on smooth 2 lane in mid morning to mid afternoon...the occasional after dinner ride - but I need to wait later in the evening as the setting sun in your eyes can be brutal!
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Every one of my rides starts in the dark...so I'm fascinated by that !
What city ?....USA? Europe?
Asia?
Stig
Detroit suburbs, and there are many deer along the roads I have to be careful about.
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“love riding on smooth 2 lane in mid morning to mid afternoon...the occasional after dinner ride - but I need to wait later in the evening as the setting sun in your eyes can be brutal!”
Reminds me of my youth Hawk, commuting for six months and riding east into the sunrise in the mornings and west into the sunset after work. As you say, brutal. And all those missed photo opportunities!
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Lots of times I don't ride excessive heat /cold or rain. I stay off the interstates when possible and will not ride in a large metroplex. I don't care for have traffic and avoid it like the plague. The scooters never go off rode, not built for it.
I mainly use the scooters for going on trips to small towns to eat. Around town for errands. I ride county roads that are in nice condition and less traveled.
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I won't start out a ride on ice although I've ended a few having to. And I prefer to not start my ride to work in the rain. But I have zero issues starting out in the rain for any other ride.
Now snow riding is a so so for me. I don't mind the snow as much as the ice I fear is under it or the 4x4 flying past me that think their big wheels are going to do anything for them when they start to slide .
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I won't start out a ride on ice although I've ended a few having to. And I prefer to not start my ride to work in the rain. But I have zero issues starting out in the rain for any other ride.
Now snow riding is a so so for me. I don't mind the snow as much as the ice I fear is under it or the 4x4 flying past me that think their big wheels are going to do anything for them when they start to slide .
Yep, I remember hauling nurses and food to a hospital in my new Rabbit during a blizzard in Ohio back in the 70's. Only vehicles out were police cars....then I saw a Jeep going 45 mph backwards through a light in downtown Dayton. He hit a few curbs and then rolled slowly onto his top on the sidewalk. I gave him a friendly honk as i drove by.
Idiots think 4WD makes them invincible.
Stig
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I ride almost everywhere. Although there are times when I cannot. When it is Icy out or when I need to go grocery shopping for the month. Other than that I ride whenever I can.
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“love riding on smooth 2 lane in mid morning to mid afternoon...the occasional after dinner ride - but I need to wait later in the evening as the setting sun in your eyes can be brutal!”
Reminds me of my youth Hawk, commuting for six months and riding east into the sunrise in the mornings and west into the sunset after work. As you say, brutal. And all those missed photo opportunities!
You too, In my youth had a job with Coleman for a very short time in Wichita. I drove into the sun going to work and into the sun going home. The pay sucked and working conditions were horrible so I found another job.
I worked shift work most of my life until I retired.
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Had a nice reminder of those work commutes yesterday KK. I do a bit of volunteering for the old employer and was called into County HQ yesterday for a bit of training. OK weather so I decided to take the scooter for the trip which in itself would be all the excuse needed for a ride, but the icing on the cake is that they paid my travelling expenses so effectively I was being paid to ride my scooter! Win win. Rain held off and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride out & back as it's the furthest I've been in a while.
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Neil training ,that's one thing about work I don't miss. We were required to take close to a 100 CBT's courses a year plus monthly safty meetings you couldn’t miss even if it was your day off or vacation. We had to take safe driving twice a year (Smith driving course)along with driving with a instructor. We had fire training once a year where we would spend the day putting out fires along with training. Then medical training, first aid, CPR and keep your certification each year. We had a host of other training as well and I don't miss it a bit.
What is funny is I was in a secured locked control room which I could not leave for my 12 hr shift. Since I could not leave the control room and never drove a company vechicle most of the training was not applicable to me, was required anyway.
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Neil training ,that's one thing about work I don't miss. We were required to take close to a 100 CBT's courses a year plus monthly safty meetings you couldn’t miss even if it was your day off or vacation. We had to take safe driving twice a year (Smith driving course)along with driving with a instructor. We had fire training once a year where we would spend the day putting out fires along with training. Then medical training, first aid, CPR and keep your certification each year. We had a host of other training as well and I don't miss it a bit.
What is funny is I was in a secured locked control room which I could not leave for my 12 hr shift. Since I could not leave the control room and never drove a company vechicle most of the training was not applicable to me, was required anyway.
Memorablest (that's maybe a word) training session:
How to deliver a baby on newspaper on a ping-pong table in the basement with flashlights during a nuclear attack by (USSR, Canada, Kentucky, etc. ?)
Actual 1960's Army medic training film in color - with a real female volunteer (the kid probably signed some wavers, too) and a couple of doctors who pretended to be soldiers. We had a boy!
The build-up to this day of training was exciting....and the film was very educational.... for those of us who managed to stay to the end! ....Like watching my first youtube belt change on a scooter, or checking the valves!
Stig
When our first child was due - I took my wife shopping for ping-pong tables at Sears.
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Stig remind me never to play Funny Story Top Trumps with you! Fool's errand.