The world is too much with us.
How's that? Two poetry citations before the blogging begins? Wait. I'll come back to them.
I haven't posted for several days.
Why?
Simple.
I have nothing much to say.
How is that possible? So much information. The Brits have let the Lockerbie bomber go. The Taliban have picked new leaders. Dick Cheney says that we're not safe. The Eagles signed Michael Vick. H1N1. K-Fed took the kids to the zoo. There's just so much going on.
And of course, that's the problem. There's SO much stuff going on, so much to know. But how much do we REALLY know? Nothing, really. We are AWARE of so very much, but we haven't digested any of it. We haven't reflected on any of it. The stuff just lies there on the tops of our brains until it's swept away by new stuff. I mean, really. If we had two seconds to think about it, would anyone outside of an Alzheimer's unit spend more than two minutes with Jon and Kate?
My response has not been to cut myself off from the world. Au contraire. I read the Wall Street Journal and cruise Huffington Post daily. I watch cable news and listen to NPR. But I don't feel the need to react immediately. Because that's what I would be doing. Reacting. And when you react, the other guy has set the agenda.
I let things simmer, sink in.
If the world was too much with William Wordsworth in 1802, what would he think about the world today?
And would Longfellow have been inspired to write anything at all if Paul Revere had a Twitter page?
Scooter Diary Part 3: Size of Motor
Americans have traditionally described their cars in terms of displacement by cubic inch. That Chevy that the Beach Boys sang about was a 409 cubic inch monster. More recently, American carmakers have given in and used metric measures. My minivan has a 3.3 liter motor.
On the other hand, motor scooter motors are categorized by displacement in cubic centimeters (cc). That 409 works out to over 6,700cc and, for the metrically challenged, I can report that 3.3 liters is the equivalent of 3,300cc. Is it any wonder then, considering that until recently they generally maxed out at 250cc, that scooters have never caught on in the USofA? They are so darn small.
Motorcyclists have long been aware that you can squeeze one heckuva lot of fun filled performance out of small motors, and whether they like it or not, motorcyclists are first cousins to scooterists. We’re all brothers on two wheels. Sisters, too. But even American motorcyclists have succumbed to the high displacement disease. It is not unusual for motorcycles designed for cruising to approach or exceed 1,000cc. To my way of thinking, this is pure silliness on a par with buying a Ferrari to putt around town. You have to detune them to get them to run properly in high gears at speeds lower than they were designed for. Then, when you really wanna open them up to see what they can do, they are not ready for it.
But I digress…
For convenience sake, assume that all of the scooters described herein have four stroke motors. Four stroke motors are like the motors in cars. Two strokes are different animals. If you don’t know the difference, make certain that you never even consider buying a two stroke. Assume as well that they are all of the 'twist and go' variety. That is, they have what are called CVT transmissions, not requiring any shifting of gears.
• 50cc
These are the smallest scooters. In some American states, you don’t have to have any sort of license to ride one and they don’t need to be registered or inspected. For this reason, in such states they have become a favorite of folks who have lost their licenses because of DUI convictions. In many European countries, teens who are not old enough to drive larger displacement machines or cars can legally operate 50s.
The top speed of a derestricted 50cc scooter is 40 MPH or more. Not much more. Less than that going up hill. (The speed of a scooter can be restricted in a variety of ways. RPMs can be limited electronically, airflow and fuel flow can be constrained. Derestricting 50s is a cottage industry in Europe, where in some countries 50s are shipped with these and other restrictions because they are not supposed to be capable of exceeding about 30 MPH.)
50cc scooters are suitable for the learner, particular in more urban environments. They are not suited for roads with speed limits of 45 MPH or more. They get in the way. They frustrate the drivers of cars. The most severe accidents occur when the speed differential is greatest, and frustrated car drivers and 50cc scooters are a volatile mix. On city streets, though, 50s have plenty of zip and, because fuel consumption may approach 100 MPG, they can be an economical and enjoyable form of transportation. Just check out any European city. Scooters work for them. Eventually, scooters will work for Americans too.
• 125cc/150cc
I’ve put these two displacements together because they serve the same purpose but on different continents. For some reason, 125s are the customary next step up from a 50 in Europe. In the USofA, we move up to 150s. Don’t ask me why the difference. I just don’t know. I’ll talk about 150s because I am, after all, an American and I own one.
Depending on the weight of the rider, 150cc scooters are capable of speeds approaching 65 MPH running at full revs on the flat, so you can keep up with the traffic on just about any highway except an Interstate. I know. 65 MPH is the limit on most Interstates. But a 150 must be running flat out, must be in perfect tune and the highway must be flat to reach and maintain that speed. And most cars exceed 65 MPH on the Interstate.
I don’t take my 150 on the Interstate.
If you sustain high speeds over long periods, you’re looking at 65 to 70 MPG. At lower speeds on long, easygoing runs, I’ve recorded over 80 MPG.
In sum, 150s are fast and economical but they have their limitations, minor though they may be.
• 250cc
These babies have it all. They can cruise at 70 MPH. They get over 60 MPG. They are bigger and more stable and more comfortable than their smaller cousins.
For those comparing scooters to motorcycles, beware. A 250cc motorcycle, tuned up and rarin’ to go, is leaner and lighter and has a top speed 20% or more higher than a 250cc scooter. That’s generally true up and down the line when comparing these two-wheeled rideables. So, if you want to smoke the rear tire and race your buddies, you want to buy a motorcycle anyway.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a go-anywhere, easy-going two-wheeled ride (and you can ignore all of the hyphens), a 250cc scooter is the way to go.
• 400cc and Above
Here’s where I freely admit that I demonstrate my prejudice.
The Japanese makers in particular are pushing these higher displacement scooters. Just as American automakers pandered to those who thought muscle cars and SUVs were the ultimate in four-wheeled transportation and, in the process, nearly ruined the concept of the automobile as an economical and efficient form of transportation, so these high-displacement scooters are being marketed as the ultimate scooter experience.
They are not. They are stealth motorcycles.
There is a place for these big babies, I suppose. I know folks who have physical disabilities, some due to motorcycle accidents oddly enough, who have difficulty sitting on a motorcycle for extended periods, who find the shifting of gears on a motorcycle difficult or impossible. And it is true that the riding position on a scooter is, in general, more comfortable and easier on the back than a motorcycle. And there are those who will use high-displacement scooters for tours of the Rockies, say, where steep hills require steep horsepower.
But for the average Joe, a 250cc scooter is enough and should be enough.
On the other hand, motor scooter motors are categorized by displacement in cubic centimeters (cc). That 409 works out to over 6,700cc and, for the metrically challenged, I can report that 3.3 liters is the equivalent of 3,300cc. Is it any wonder then, considering that until recently they generally maxed out at 250cc, that scooters have never caught on in the USofA? They are so darn small.
Motorcyclists have long been aware that you can squeeze one heckuva lot of fun filled performance out of small motors, and whether they like it or not, motorcyclists are first cousins to scooterists. We’re all brothers on two wheels. Sisters, too. But even American motorcyclists have succumbed to the high displacement disease. It is not unusual for motorcycles designed for cruising to approach or exceed 1,000cc. To my way of thinking, this is pure silliness on a par with buying a Ferrari to putt around town. You have to detune them to get them to run properly in high gears at speeds lower than they were designed for. Then, when you really wanna open them up to see what they can do, they are not ready for it.
But I digress…
For convenience sake, assume that all of the scooters described herein have four stroke motors. Four stroke motors are like the motors in cars. Two strokes are different animals. If you don’t know the difference, make certain that you never even consider buying a two stroke. Assume as well that they are all of the 'twist and go' variety. That is, they have what are called CVT transmissions, not requiring any shifting of gears.
• 50cc
These are the smallest scooters. In some American states, you don’t have to have any sort of license to ride one and they don’t need to be registered or inspected. For this reason, in such states they have become a favorite of folks who have lost their licenses because of DUI convictions. In many European countries, teens who are not old enough to drive larger displacement machines or cars can legally operate 50s.
The top speed of a derestricted 50cc scooter is 40 MPH or more. Not much more. Less than that going up hill. (The speed of a scooter can be restricted in a variety of ways. RPMs can be limited electronically, airflow and fuel flow can be constrained. Derestricting 50s is a cottage industry in Europe, where in some countries 50s are shipped with these and other restrictions because they are not supposed to be capable of exceeding about 30 MPH.)
50cc scooters are suitable for the learner, particular in more urban environments. They are not suited for roads with speed limits of 45 MPH or more. They get in the way. They frustrate the drivers of cars. The most severe accidents occur when the speed differential is greatest, and frustrated car drivers and 50cc scooters are a volatile mix. On city streets, though, 50s have plenty of zip and, because fuel consumption may approach 100 MPG, they can be an economical and enjoyable form of transportation. Just check out any European city. Scooters work for them. Eventually, scooters will work for Americans too.
• 125cc/150cc
I’ve put these two displacements together because they serve the same purpose but on different continents. For some reason, 125s are the customary next step up from a 50 in Europe. In the USofA, we move up to 150s. Don’t ask me why the difference. I just don’t know. I’ll talk about 150s because I am, after all, an American and I own one.
Depending on the weight of the rider, 150cc scooters are capable of speeds approaching 65 MPH running at full revs on the flat, so you can keep up with the traffic on just about any highway except an Interstate. I know. 65 MPH is the limit on most Interstates. But a 150 must be running flat out, must be in perfect tune and the highway must be flat to reach and maintain that speed. And most cars exceed 65 MPH on the Interstate.
I don’t take my 150 on the Interstate.
If you sustain high speeds over long periods, you’re looking at 65 to 70 MPG. At lower speeds on long, easygoing runs, I’ve recorded over 80 MPG.
In sum, 150s are fast and economical but they have their limitations, minor though they may be.
• 250cc
These babies have it all. They can cruise at 70 MPH. They get over 60 MPG. They are bigger and more stable and more comfortable than their smaller cousins.
For those comparing scooters to motorcycles, beware. A 250cc motorcycle, tuned up and rarin’ to go, is leaner and lighter and has a top speed 20% or more higher than a 250cc scooter. That’s generally true up and down the line when comparing these two-wheeled rideables. So, if you want to smoke the rear tire and race your buddies, you want to buy a motorcycle anyway.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a go-anywhere, easy-going two-wheeled ride (and you can ignore all of the hyphens), a 250cc scooter is the way to go.
• 400cc and Above
Here’s where I freely admit that I demonstrate my prejudice.
The Japanese makers in particular are pushing these higher displacement scooters. Just as American automakers pandered to those who thought muscle cars and SUVs were the ultimate in four-wheeled transportation and, in the process, nearly ruined the concept of the automobile as an economical and efficient form of transportation, so these high-displacement scooters are being marketed as the ultimate scooter experience.
They are not. They are stealth motorcycles.
There is a place for these big babies, I suppose. I know folks who have physical disabilities, some due to motorcycle accidents oddly enough, who have difficulty sitting on a motorcycle for extended periods, who find the shifting of gears on a motorcycle difficult or impossible. And it is true that the riding position on a scooter is, in general, more comfortable and easier on the back than a motorcycle. And there are those who will use high-displacement scooters for tours of the Rockies, say, where steep hills require steep horsepower.
But for the average Joe, a 250cc scooter is enough and should be enough.
Scooter Diary Part 2 - Region of Manufacture
Scooters come in all different sizes, shapes, prices, and packages. They can, however, be grouped into a discreet number of categories, first by region of manufacture, then by size of motor, then by body style, and all by price.
Keep in mind. This is not meant to be a definitive, scholarly, side-by-side comparison of every brand of scooter. These are merely my impressions and opinions.
REGION OF MANUFACTURE
Scooters are manufactured in Japan, China, and Europe. Yes, you can argue that Taiwan is not China, but let’s not quibble.
• JAPAN
The major Japanese scooter builders are Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki – the motorcycle folks. Their scooters are uniformly more expensive than a Chinese scooter of comparable engine displacement, but may be less expensive than European counterparts. More on price in a subsequent post.
Simply put, the engineering, fit, and finish of Japanese scooters is on the whole superior. The term ‘bullet proof’ applies. Not that there aren’t occasional operational quirks to be noted. But on the whole, nobody designs and builds a scooter better than the Japanese. Because Japanese scooters are available from a wide network of factory authorized dealers with comprehensive service departments, warranty services are readily available. And because most independent motorcycle mechanics are accustomed to working on major brand Japanese motorcycles, post-sale service is not a problem even in areas without a particular marque’s dealer.
I can attest to the fit, finish, and economy of operation of Japanese scooters. I bought a Yamaha used, put 1,000 miles on the clock, sold it for exactly the price that I purchased it, and I never took a wrench to it and never saw the inside of a dealer’s garage.
So if the object of the exercise is to buy a scooter, hop on board, twist the throttle, and take off down the highway without a care in the world, and if price is not a particular concern, buy Japanese.
• CHINA
The Chinese are famous for their knockoffs – knockoffs of designer clothes and accessories, knockoffs of copyrighted intellectual property, knockoffs of a capitalist economic model. Chinese scooters are no exception.
Their motors (designated GY6) are knockoffs of Honda motors. Their chassis designs are knockoffs of the designs of the Japanese and Europeans. And like a Chinese-manufactured fake Rolex, Chinese scooters are cheap. Cheap in price – up to one-third the price of a Japanese scooter of similar displacement. Cheap in construction – manufacturers save money by not spending time on the labor necessary to smooth down welds, by using low-grade rubber for hoses and cheap spark plugs, by …well, you get the picture. Cheap.
You don’t jump on a Chinese scooter and ride into the sunset. You at least change all the fluids and, if you’re smart, the tire’s valve stems. You check all the nuts and bolts for tightness. You change the fuel filter and keep an eye on the fuel lines. And then you jump on and ride. And you keep checking and checking and checking.
There are no dealer networks for Chinese scooters because there are no recognized marques like Yamaha or Honda. Jonway is becoming a reasonably well known name, but Jonway scooters are manufactured under license in more than one factory. The majority of Chinese scooters are sold over the internet (eBay is a favorite shopping place for both scooters and parts) or by single-store importers. Warranties are worth about what you would expect under such circumstances. And because Chinese scooters have a reputation for cheapness (there’s that word again) and because they have found their market niche by underselling the name brands, it’s hard to find a mechanic who will deign to work on them. As a result, a prerequisite for owning Chinese scooter is a willingness to serve as one’s own mechanic.
Having said all of that, I chose to own a Chinese scooter after I sold my Yamaha. I’ve got a good set of tools, I’m relatively handy with them, I have time for one more hobby, and there are plenty of internet resources available to walk me through the most complicated maintenance and repair jobs. I’ve had it for a year, I’ve put 5,000 miles on the clock, and my scooter has never needed servicing that I couldn’t provide myself.
• EUROPE
I’ve never owned a European scooter, so believe me or don’t.
For many years, the image conjured up when the word ‘scooter’ came up in the conversation was of the Italian Vespa. Stylish and zippy, Vespa had the field to itself for decades. The chassis design is distinctive and has therefore been copied by just about every other maker. Now other European manufacturers like Sachs in Germany and Peugeot in France are in the business. But Vespa and their Italian competition Aprila dominate.
European scoots are like European sports cars. Have I mentioned stylish? Goes without saying. But there’s a dark side. Like European sports cars, European scooters tend to be finicky, as individual as their human owners, with their own quirks and foibles. You don’t work on a Vespa, you get to know it and come to an accommodation. There are substantially fewer dealerships than the Japanese but more mechanics willing to work on them…that is, if your mechanic can come to an accommodation…
Again, we’ll have a more detailed discussion concerning price later, but generally the European scooters are in the same price range as the Japanese and in some instances more expensive.
• TAIWAN
OK, so I lied. Taiwan deserves at least a paragraph or two.
There are a few recognizable marques – Kymco and SYM come to mind – and the Taiwanese also build scooters under license for other more recognizable brand names…which shall remain nameless. Their quality is generally superior to the Chinese, inferior to the Japanese, and as you would expect, they are priced between the two.
Both Kymco and SYM are building dealer networks but they are still few and far between. If there’s a dealer near you, Taiwanese scooters are a reasonable alternative if you don’t want to get your hands greasy but don’t have the money to go Japanese.
Keep in mind. This is not meant to be a definitive, scholarly, side-by-side comparison of every brand of scooter. These are merely my impressions and opinions.
REGION OF MANUFACTURE
Scooters are manufactured in Japan, China, and Europe. Yes, you can argue that Taiwan is not China, but let’s not quibble.
• JAPAN
The major Japanese scooter builders are Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki – the motorcycle folks. Their scooters are uniformly more expensive than a Chinese scooter of comparable engine displacement, but may be less expensive than European counterparts. More on price in a subsequent post.
Simply put, the engineering, fit, and finish of Japanese scooters is on the whole superior. The term ‘bullet proof’ applies. Not that there aren’t occasional operational quirks to be noted. But on the whole, nobody designs and builds a scooter better than the Japanese. Because Japanese scooters are available from a wide network of factory authorized dealers with comprehensive service departments, warranty services are readily available. And because most independent motorcycle mechanics are accustomed to working on major brand Japanese motorcycles, post-sale service is not a problem even in areas without a particular marque’s dealer.
I can attest to the fit, finish, and economy of operation of Japanese scooters. I bought a Yamaha used, put 1,000 miles on the clock, sold it for exactly the price that I purchased it, and I never took a wrench to it and never saw the inside of a dealer’s garage.
So if the object of the exercise is to buy a scooter, hop on board, twist the throttle, and take off down the highway without a care in the world, and if price is not a particular concern, buy Japanese.
• CHINA
The Chinese are famous for their knockoffs – knockoffs of designer clothes and accessories, knockoffs of copyrighted intellectual property, knockoffs of a capitalist economic model. Chinese scooters are no exception.
Their motors (designated GY6) are knockoffs of Honda motors. Their chassis designs are knockoffs of the designs of the Japanese and Europeans. And like a Chinese-manufactured fake Rolex, Chinese scooters are cheap. Cheap in price – up to one-third the price of a Japanese scooter of similar displacement. Cheap in construction – manufacturers save money by not spending time on the labor necessary to smooth down welds, by using low-grade rubber for hoses and cheap spark plugs, by …well, you get the picture. Cheap.
You don’t jump on a Chinese scooter and ride into the sunset. You at least change all the fluids and, if you’re smart, the tire’s valve stems. You check all the nuts and bolts for tightness. You change the fuel filter and keep an eye on the fuel lines. And then you jump on and ride. And you keep checking and checking and checking.
There are no dealer networks for Chinese scooters because there are no recognized marques like Yamaha or Honda. Jonway is becoming a reasonably well known name, but Jonway scooters are manufactured under license in more than one factory. The majority of Chinese scooters are sold over the internet (eBay is a favorite shopping place for both scooters and parts) or by single-store importers. Warranties are worth about what you would expect under such circumstances. And because Chinese scooters have a reputation for cheapness (there’s that word again) and because they have found their market niche by underselling the name brands, it’s hard to find a mechanic who will deign to work on them. As a result, a prerequisite for owning Chinese scooter is a willingness to serve as one’s own mechanic.
Having said all of that, I chose to own a Chinese scooter after I sold my Yamaha. I’ve got a good set of tools, I’m relatively handy with them, I have time for one more hobby, and there are plenty of internet resources available to walk me through the most complicated maintenance and repair jobs. I’ve had it for a year, I’ve put 5,000 miles on the clock, and my scooter has never needed servicing that I couldn’t provide myself.
• EUROPE
I’ve never owned a European scooter, so believe me or don’t.
For many years, the image conjured up when the word ‘scooter’ came up in the conversation was of the Italian Vespa. Stylish and zippy, Vespa had the field to itself for decades. The chassis design is distinctive and has therefore been copied by just about every other maker. Now other European manufacturers like Sachs in Germany and Peugeot in France are in the business. But Vespa and their Italian competition Aprila dominate.
European scoots are like European sports cars. Have I mentioned stylish? Goes without saying. But there’s a dark side. Like European sports cars, European scooters tend to be finicky, as individual as their human owners, with their own quirks and foibles. You don’t work on a Vespa, you get to know it and come to an accommodation. There are substantially fewer dealerships than the Japanese but more mechanics willing to work on them…that is, if your mechanic can come to an accommodation…
Again, we’ll have a more detailed discussion concerning price later, but generally the European scooters are in the same price range as the Japanese and in some instances more expensive.
• TAIWAN
OK, so I lied. Taiwan deserves at least a paragraph or two.
There are a few recognizable marques – Kymco and SYM come to mind – and the Taiwanese also build scooters under license for other more recognizable brand names…which shall remain nameless. Their quality is generally superior to the Chinese, inferior to the Japanese, and as you would expect, they are priced between the two.
Both Kymco and SYM are building dealer networks but they are still few and far between. If there’s a dealer near you, Taiwanese scooters are a reasonable alternative if you don’t want to get your hands greasy but don’t have the money to go Japanese.
Rios Brazilian Steakhouse - Nazareth, PA
Beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, chicken, beef, beef, beef, sausage, beef, pineapple, beef, beef, beef.
Yummmmmmmm!
Two people = $60.00 with tip.
BEEF!
Yummmmmmmm!
Two people = $60.00 with tip.
BEEF!
Diary of a Motor Scooter Enthusiast: Part 1
I’ve been riding two-wheeled motorized vehicles for most of my life.
As kids, we stood milk crates on end, fit wheels on the bottom connected up to lawn mower engines braced inside, and putted around local country lanes until the contraptions fell apart.
When my wife and I first married we couldn’t afford to keep two cars, so we bought a used, street-legal Suzuki 185cc dirt bike. When one of us needed the car, the other took the bike. Cheap, reliable, economical transportation.
Years later, perhaps experiencing a second childhood, I purchased an older, gently used Honda CB500. After riding that more powerful machine for a couple of years though, I realized two things. First of all, I’d never learned to ride a motorcycle slowly. The object of the exercise seemed to be to run up through the gears as quickly as I could in order to go as fast as I could until I had to stop, then start the process all over again. Secondly, as I approached 50 years of age, my reflexes weren’t keeping up with my right wrist. (For those of you who don’t understand that reference, a motorcyclists’ right wrist is the one that twists the throttle.) A dangerous combination.
So, just as I’d given away the Suzuki to the son of a friend years before after we’d purchased our second car, I gave the Honda away to a neighbor boy after I realized that I wasn’t suicidal.
In the spring of 2008, when the price of gasoline approached $4.00 a gallon, my third childhood kicked in. I went looking for a motorcycle. I found a motor scooter…to be exact, a Chinese-manufactured 150cc machine manufactured in the Shanghai JMStar factory with the model name Zeus. (The more clear-eyed of you will note the word Alpha on the side of my scoot. The factory called it a Zeus, the importer labeled it an Alpha. Who knows what causes humans to name their machines as they do?) It was light, cute, and peppy. It was cheap - $1,500. It would reach 55 miles per hour with relative ease. It would get 70 miles per gallon or more.
I was hooked.
My scooter became my chief form of transportation as well as my passionate hobby. Who knew? And who knew that there were scores of us in the Lehigh Valley, tens of thousands of us in the USofA, perhaps millions of folks throughout the English-speaking world who were similarly afflicted? We meet on the internet. We talk about our scooters, our jobs, our families, our lives. We trade jokes and funny videos. We become cyberfriends who are as real to each other as our old school chums, more real because we are brought together by common interest rather than by accident of proximity.
More about scoots in general and my scoot in particular in Part II.
As kids, we stood milk crates on end, fit wheels on the bottom connected up to lawn mower engines braced inside, and putted around local country lanes until the contraptions fell apart.
When my wife and I first married we couldn’t afford to keep two cars, so we bought a used, street-legal Suzuki 185cc dirt bike. When one of us needed the car, the other took the bike. Cheap, reliable, economical transportation.
Years later, perhaps experiencing a second childhood, I purchased an older, gently used Honda CB500. After riding that more powerful machine for a couple of years though, I realized two things. First of all, I’d never learned to ride a motorcycle slowly. The object of the exercise seemed to be to run up through the gears as quickly as I could in order to go as fast as I could until I had to stop, then start the process all over again. Secondly, as I approached 50 years of age, my reflexes weren’t keeping up with my right wrist. (For those of you who don’t understand that reference, a motorcyclists’ right wrist is the one that twists the throttle.) A dangerous combination.
So, just as I’d given away the Suzuki to the son of a friend years before after we’d purchased our second car, I gave the Honda away to a neighbor boy after I realized that I wasn’t suicidal.
In the spring of 2008, when the price of gasoline approached $4.00 a gallon, my third childhood kicked in. I went looking for a motorcycle. I found a motor scooter…to be exact, a Chinese-manufactured 150cc machine manufactured in the Shanghai JMStar factory with the model name Zeus. (The more clear-eyed of you will note the word Alpha on the side of my scoot. The factory called it a Zeus, the importer labeled it an Alpha. Who knows what causes humans to name their machines as they do?) It was light, cute, and peppy. It was cheap - $1,500. It would reach 55 miles per hour with relative ease. It would get 70 miles per gallon or more.
I was hooked.
My scooter became my chief form of transportation as well as my passionate hobby. Who knew? And who knew that there were scores of us in the Lehigh Valley, tens of thousands of us in the USofA, perhaps millions of folks throughout the English-speaking world who were similarly afflicted? We meet on the internet. We talk about our scooters, our jobs, our families, our lives. We trade jokes and funny videos. We become cyberfriends who are as real to each other as our old school chums, more real because we are brought together by common interest rather than by accident of proximity.
More about scoots in general and my scoot in particular in Part II.
Healthcare Reform: Simple Truths
For those of us who believe that healthcare reform is vital to our personal health and our national security, and for those of us who believe that a single-payer option is not only desirable but necessary, it is time to display our passion. It is time to expose the bumper-sticker attacks on healthcare reform with bumper-sticker truths of our own. And to those who complain that my truths are incomplete and cherry-pick statistical information, I say, “So what? Why should the rules that I play by be any different than yours?”
TRUTH #1: GOVERNMENT DOESN’T RATION HEALTH CARE. INSURANCE COMPANIES DO.
What is managed care? Rationing. Why not cover pre-existing conditions? Rationing. Why do 14,000 Americans lose their health insurance every day? Rationing.
On the other hand, Medicare and Medicaid are portable, affordable, and cover pre-existing conditions.
So if you qualify for government healthcare, you are not subject to rationing. If you own private insurance, you are.
TRUTH #2: SINGLE-PAYER HEALTHCARE IS BETTER FOR YOUR HEALTH.
America, the nation that is 33rd on the list of infant mortality, has a higher infant mortality than Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and France. Most if not all of the countries with a lower infant mortality rate have single-payer systems.
Americans, in the nation that is 30th on the list of life expectancy, have a lower life expectancy than Boznia and Herzegovina, Jordan and France. Most if not all of the countries with higher life expectancies have single-payer systems.
It has been argued that infant mortality and life expectancy are not valid measures, that other factors outside of the purview of insurance companies apply. But the United States sits at the back of the pack of industrialized nations in terms of accessibility, efficiency and cost-effectiveness, coordinated care, and chronic care management.
TRUTH #3: SINGLE-PAYER HEALTHCARE IS MORE COST-EFFECTIVE THAN PRIVATE INSURANCE.
Americans spend more per capita on healthcare than any other country in the world. America spends more as a percentage of GDP on healthcare than any other country in the world. Americans spend more per procedure than any other country in the world.
Personal spending on healthcare – spending to pay for healthcare-related taxes, insurance, and out-of-pocket expenses – is higher than any other country in the world.
Spending on healthcare in America has increased at a rate higher than nine European Union countries (including France) and Canada.
Combining the above three truths, a cost/benefit analysis clearly demonstrates that the insurance industry produces a poor product at a high cost. If the insurance companies were automobile manufacturers or steel producers, they would have been forced into bankruptcy long ago.
Finally, if you have a soft spot in your heart for the health insurance industry...
TRUTH #4: A PUBLIC OPTION WILL NOT KILL THE INSURANCE COMPANIES.
In France, the single-payer system pays for 75% of most healthcare bills. Nearly everyone purchases supplemental private insurance to cover the remaining 25%. Competition is healthy and insurance companies are making substantial profits.
TRUTH #1: GOVERNMENT DOESN’T RATION HEALTH CARE. INSURANCE COMPANIES DO.
What is managed care? Rationing. Why not cover pre-existing conditions? Rationing. Why do 14,000 Americans lose their health insurance every day? Rationing.
On the other hand, Medicare and Medicaid are portable, affordable, and cover pre-existing conditions.
So if you qualify for government healthcare, you are not subject to rationing. If you own private insurance, you are.
TRUTH #2: SINGLE-PAYER HEALTHCARE IS BETTER FOR YOUR HEALTH.
America, the nation that is 33rd on the list of infant mortality, has a higher infant mortality than Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and France. Most if not all of the countries with a lower infant mortality rate have single-payer systems.
Americans, in the nation that is 30th on the list of life expectancy, have a lower life expectancy than Boznia and Herzegovina, Jordan and France. Most if not all of the countries with higher life expectancies have single-payer systems.
It has been argued that infant mortality and life expectancy are not valid measures, that other factors outside of the purview of insurance companies apply. But the United States sits at the back of the pack of industrialized nations in terms of accessibility, efficiency and cost-effectiveness, coordinated care, and chronic care management.
TRUTH #3: SINGLE-PAYER HEALTHCARE IS MORE COST-EFFECTIVE THAN PRIVATE INSURANCE.
Americans spend more per capita on healthcare than any other country in the world. America spends more as a percentage of GDP on healthcare than any other country in the world. Americans spend more per procedure than any other country in the world.
Personal spending on healthcare – spending to pay for healthcare-related taxes, insurance, and out-of-pocket expenses – is higher than any other country in the world.
Spending on healthcare in America has increased at a rate higher than nine European Union countries (including France) and Canada.
Combining the above three truths, a cost/benefit analysis clearly demonstrates that the insurance industry produces a poor product at a high cost. If the insurance companies were automobile manufacturers or steel producers, they would have been forced into bankruptcy long ago.
Finally, if you have a soft spot in your heart for the health insurance industry...
TRUTH #4: A PUBLIC OPTION WILL NOT KILL THE INSURANCE COMPANIES.
In France, the single-payer system pays for 75% of most healthcare bills. Nearly everyone purchases supplemental private insurance to cover the remaining 25%. Competition is healthy and insurance companies are making substantial profits.
Back in the Blogging Business
As some of you who are in the blogging community know, Yahoo has recently discontinued support for Yahoo 360 blogs. I've archived my original blog and I'm beginning this new one. You can click through to my archived blog by visiting my website: www.southfrancerental.com.
I'll be blogging on any number of issues. France will be a major focus for sure. But since we're still a couple of years from retiring there permanently, and we only visit once or twice a year for a couple of weeks at a time, I'll broaden the scope and write about whatever comes to mind...healthcare, motor scooters, food and drink, whizbangs and crackerdoodles, whatever.
So stay tuned.
I'll be blogging on any number of issues. France will be a major focus for sure. But since we're still a couple of years from retiring there permanently, and we only visit once or twice a year for a couple of weeks at a time, I'll broaden the scope and write about whatever comes to mind...healthcare, motor scooters, food and drink, whizbangs and crackerdoodles, whatever.
So stay tuned.
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