Darwin scooter rider Aleja Perkins has called for motorists to be
more mindful of sharing the roads.
The 23-year-old cafe manager, from Bayview, is angry at the way she
is treated on the roads and is now scared to use her only form
of transport.
``People sticking their fingers up, being impatient, overtaking on
merging lanes so I have had to brake and telling me I have to ride
on the shoulder is what I deal with,'' she said. ``It makes me
feel angry and scared.''
Ms Perkins said riding her yellow Jive Bug nicknamed ``Bumblebee''
is not only more economical than driving a car but is her way of
contributing to the environment.
``I ride for economical and environmental reasons,'' she said.
``Just this week three people have given me the finger -- I don't
want to start off my day like that.
``To motorists, give us a chance -- I am doing everything legally.
``I'm not going to risk my life so you can get there five minutes
earlier.''
The dangerous behaviour of other motorists is obvious for Ms Perkins
with some of her friends having minor accidents on the roads.
``A couple of my friends have been clipped by people overtaking,''
she said. ``They were knocked off their bikes.''
And she said scooter riders need training before they start the motor.
``A couple of hours of scooter awareness should be mandatory,'' she
said.
``There are a lot of scooter riders who don't know how to behave.
``I see them riding across shoulders and then stopping in the middle
of lanes at lights.
``It makes me angry.''
Copyright 2008 / Sunday Territorian
Source: Northern Territory News (includes Sunday Territorian), MAY 18, 200
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Injured rider in plea for mercy
A DARWIN scooter rider says drivers need to take more care after she
was badly injured in a crash this week.
Annette Mashford broke her arm and suffered cuts and bruises when
she was knocked off her scooter by a P-plate driver near the Casuarina
Shopping Centre on Wednesday.
Ms Mashford, 40, said she was riding her scooter on Rowling St between
the Casuarina Police Station and the post office when
the driver went through an intersection without seeing her.
She had to be taken to hospital by ambulance.
``My arm is broken in two places, my face is a total mess and my bike's
a write-off,'' she said.
``It was the most painful experience of my life and I have had two
kids.''
There has been growing tension on the road between scooter riders
and drivers as the two-wheel transport gains popularity.
Darwin scooter rider Aleja Perkins told the Sunday Territorian last
week that she was often abused when out on the road.
But drivers have since flooded the Northern Territory News with letters
complaining about scooters slowing them down.
``If you are consistently doing 60km/h in an 80km/h or 100km/h zone
you are not doing everything legally,'' one reader said.
But Ms Mashford said drivers needed to take more care as many people
turned to scooter riding to combat rising fuel costs.
``People are just not looking,'' she said.
``They are all taught to be aware of cars but they are just not taught
to look out for people on scooters and motorbikes.''
Copyright 2008 / Northern Territory News
Northern Territory News MAY 24, 2008
was badly injured in a crash this week.
Annette Mashford broke her arm and suffered cuts and bruises when
she was knocked off her scooter by a P-plate driver near the Casuarina
Shopping Centre on Wednesday.
Ms Mashford, 40, said she was riding her scooter on Rowling St between
the Casuarina Police Station and the post office when
the driver went through an intersection without seeing her.
She had to be taken to hospital by ambulance.
``My arm is broken in two places, my face is a total mess and my bike's
a write-off,'' she said.
``It was the most painful experience of my life and I have had two
kids.''
There has been growing tension on the road between scooter riders
and drivers as the two-wheel transport gains popularity.
Darwin scooter rider Aleja Perkins told the Sunday Territorian last
week that she was often abused when out on the road.
But drivers have since flooded the Northern Territory News with letters
complaining about scooters slowing them down.
``If you are consistently doing 60km/h in an 80km/h or 100km/h zone
you are not doing everything legally,'' one reader said.
But Ms Mashford said drivers needed to take more care as many people
turned to scooter riding to combat rising fuel costs.
``People are just not looking,'' she said.
``They are all taught to be aware of cars but they are just not taught
to look out for people on scooters and motorbikes.''
Copyright 2008 / Northern Territory News
Northern Territory News MAY 24, 2008
Learn to share Darwin's roads
RE: ``SCOOTERS need road sense too'', (Northern Territory News, May
22). Anonymous Bosch: when has it been illegal to not do the speed
limit? It's a maximum not a minimum.
As the price of fuel goes up and city parking problems and green house
issues continue, we will all have to work together to fulfil
our transport needs.
I have a car, a motorbike, and a pushbike, which are all legally allowed
on the road no matter what their top speed might be.
And while at times some road users such as trucks, caravans, push
bikes or scooters may not be able to maintain the speed limit they
have as much right as anyone else to be on the road.
It is commonsense, when faster traffic comes up behind to move over
to let it pass when safe to do so.
On the other hand, if you come up behind a slower moving vehicle just
relax, stay back a bit and show the same courtesy you expect
from them, and maybe they will feel better about moving over than
if you tailgate and try to push them off the road.
So until we have separate roads for bikes, scooters, buses, caravans
and trucks, we all have to share the existing system.
John Bailey, Rapid Creek
Northern Territory News (includes Sunday Territorian), MAY 26, 2008
22). Anonymous Bosch: when has it been illegal to not do the speed
limit? It's a maximum not a minimum.
As the price of fuel goes up and city parking problems and green house
issues continue, we will all have to work together to fulfil
our transport needs.
I have a car, a motorbike, and a pushbike, which are all legally allowed
on the road no matter what their top speed might be.
And while at times some road users such as trucks, caravans, push
bikes or scooters may not be able to maintain the speed limit they
have as much right as anyone else to be on the road.
It is commonsense, when faster traffic comes up behind to move over
to let it pass when safe to do so.
On the other hand, if you come up behind a slower moving vehicle just
relax, stay back a bit and show the same courtesy you expect
from them, and maybe they will feel better about moving over than
if you tailgate and try to push them off the road.
So until we have separate roads for bikes, scooters, buses, caravans
and trucks, we all have to share the existing system.
John Bailey, Rapid Creek
Northern Territory News (includes Sunday Territorian), MAY 26, 2008
From the local paper: 125cc scooter the right ride
A comment from the local paper
"Seeing petrol top $1.60 has prompted my entry into the scooter debate.
Neither a car nor a 50cc scooter is appropriate motorised personal
transport for Darwin.
A car is wasteful and a 50cc scooter is simply too slow, irrespective
of the legalities of riding significantly under the speed limit.
Metropolitan Darwin has light traffic, and several long straight roads
with speed limits of 70km/h or 80km/h, and a 50cc scooter cannot
keep up.
One solution is a 125cc scooter. The 125cc automatic transmission
scooters have maximum speeds around 100km/h and tiny fuel consumption.
They are sold in vast numbers in Europe and Asia so the technology
is proven.They are robust, reliable, comfortable, easy and forgiving to ride,
and cheap. Of course, for many purposes, a pushbike is an even better solution.
Phil Giffard, Nightcliff
OPINION Northern Territory News MAY 29, 2008
"Seeing petrol top $1.60 has prompted my entry into the scooter debate.
Neither a car nor a 50cc scooter is appropriate motorised personal
transport for Darwin.
A car is wasteful and a 50cc scooter is simply too slow, irrespective
of the legalities of riding significantly under the speed limit.
Metropolitan Darwin has light traffic, and several long straight roads
with speed limits of 70km/h or 80km/h, and a 50cc scooter cannot
keep up.
One solution is a 125cc scooter. The 125cc automatic transmission
scooters have maximum speeds around 100km/h and tiny fuel consumption.
They are sold in vast numbers in Europe and Asia so the technology
is proven.They are robust, reliable, comfortable, easy and forgiving to ride,
and cheap. Of course, for many purposes, a pushbike is an even better solution.
Phil Giffard, Nightcliff
OPINION Northern Territory News MAY 29, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
My son and I bought scooters earlier this year Hughie bought a Bolwell Jolie (aka Sym DD) scooter recently and convinced me I needed something similar, a Bolwell Red Devil even though its blue (aka Sym BL05W)
I found a photo taken in about 1970 when I was about 20! This was my Vespa.
Here is the Red Devil in blue
I found a photo taken in about 1970 when I was about 20! This was my Vespa.
Here is the Red Devil in blue
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