Modern Vespa

Coming clean...

Ok, I'll play.

I recently added a bmw GT to the stable, so juggling 3 bikes in limited space in garage. After a couple of days riding my MP3, I decided to get the BV out. To do so, I needed to move the GT. Decided to fire the GT and let it run for a couple of minutes while I got the BV out and geared up. Yes, I forgot to turn off the bmw and left the GT idling in closed garage for 2 hours. Still running when I returned, not overheated and bike has been checked out and seems it is fine.

I was putting a new carb on my old Rattler. It was bigger than stock and the throttle cable touched the pet carrier bucket a bit. I didn't think much of it, had some clearance. I started the scoot off of it, and adjusted some things. Once I thought I had it a bit dialed in. I straddled the scoot and removed it from the center stand. I then proceeded to sit on the scoot, pushing down my seat and pet carrier to the point it pushed down on the throttle cable! The scoot shot away with me on it shooting across the street into my neighbors yard and stopping by hitting the kill switch and intimately getting acquainted with the neighbors hedges...WEEEEEE!

I doubt if anyone's done something dumber than this. I almost got somebody killed while riding my scoot. Been feeling guilty about it for a couple weeks. This will be a teeny bit long.

Anyway, as anyone who's been here for a while knows, there have been several post/threads about the need for some cagers to get ahead of a person riding a scooter. I read those posts not really thinking a lot about it.

On the 300, I never noticed it because nobody gets much of a chance to get ahead of me. I prefer to ride ahead of the traffic when possible.
I did begin to notice it a lot more when I was riding the 150. Even though I typically ride 5-7 miles over the speed limit (which is pretty normal for traffic in Austin), people would zoom by to cut back in my lane. I thought it was funny. That's when I started playing the "game." As they'd start around me, I'd slowly increase my speed to see how fast I could get them to go to pass me.

Sometimes, they'd go 20 miles or more over the speed limit. I kinda secretly hoped one of them would get stopped by the PD (a bit of schadenfreude, I know).

Finally, a couple weeks ago, I got a "live one." As he started around (again, there was no reason, as I was traveling faster than the posted speed of 35) I slowly increased from 40mph to about 55mph. He had to be doing 75 at the speed I was passed.

Of course, while he was looking at and concentrating on me, the light changed ahead. A girl, who was texting, stepped off the curb because she saw the light was green, hardly looking away from her phone.

I saw it all in slow motion. It was terrifying. There was no way the guy could stop. He just barely missed her by, literally, just 3 feet.

I stopped at the light. The guy was gone. The girl was standing in the crosswalk trembling.

Maybe three people learned a lesson that day. I hope so.

I know, for damn sure, that I did.

The "game" has officially ended forever...

^^^
I commend you. Not because of your Asshattery, but because no one was hurt.
And mostly because you had the courage to post it, so we could ALL learn something. It's not all about us.

My CoolAss cover is MIA...