Yeah, I just got into mopeds about a month ago, but I'm seriously considering getting out of them.
Here's why, tell me if I'm nuts.
1) Where I live, is the suburbs on the cusp of the city. Between me and the city where I'd like my moped to take me is:
----Serious Ghetto
----Highways
----"mini highways" - streets with no bike lanes at 45mph
Obviously I can't go on highways. So on my first LONG ride into the city to run some errands, I took the mini highway route, cutting down side streets for shortcuts when I could. It was SCARY. People just don't know how to drive.
On my way back, I opted for the ghetto ride. It was more scary than the mini highway route. I'm talking streets that have drive by shootings in daylight. I got quite a few stares as I drove through.
Buffalo is just not a bike/moped friendly town. At least with a bike, I could ride on the sidewalk when it got too scary/traffic-y.
2) I have no one to ride with, and only my little neighborhood to ride if I did. No one I know, other than my roommate, has a moped. her schedule and my schedule don't mesh, so we can never joy ride together.
3) That leaves little trips for errands in my hood here and there for my moped. The thing is, all those little trips are totally in walking distance, and I feel like a lard ass not just walking and instead taking my moped.
4) I'm a drummer by trade. I tour with a few bands and have endorsements with a cymbal and electronic drum company. I compose music for soundtracks and the thing that pays the bills is web design. So my hands/arms are very important to my livelihood. A crash would be catasrophic, and it makes me drive like a total weenie. Seems like every day I log in here, someone is dying or getting severely hurt. :-(
I really love my moped, I love tinkering around with it and I bought another to totally rebuild and customize, but I sort of feel like maybe I should sell them and get out of it all together.
Thoughts?
