To ride via scooter or not, that is the question. As the price of gasoline continues to exceed $3.50 on a consistent basis, an alternative form of transportation - specifically, the scooter - is catching hold in other parts of the state. The question is, will they become popular here?
      John Adams of Honda of Statesboro on Highway 67 South certainly hopes the scooter "craze" will land right here.
      "The scooter is a legitimate form of transportation, and I know that dealerships such as ours are selling them a pretty good pace in places like Atlanta and Athens," he said. "If you are just zipping around town, they make very good sense as a scooter can get as much as 107 miles per gallon."
      Adams said his dealership carries one model of scooter made by Honda and five different models made by the Korean manufacturer Kymco.
      "I would say that these models average between 60 and 80 miles per gallon, and they are very, very easy to drive," he said. "To me, they are really practical if you are only going five to 10 miles or so to work or to class. They are easy to park, and there are designated parking spots for them on most campuses."
      Adams said the maximum speed of the scooter was very important to his dealership.
      "There are a number of roads, particularly parts of the bypass, where people are exceeding 50 miles an hour, so we had to make sure that our scooters could keep up with that so that the driver would be safe," he said. "It is my opinion that a scooter that can only go 35 miles per hour or so wouldn't be safe on some of our major roads here. That is why all of ours can be driven comfortably at 55 miles per hour."
      Demand for scooters in our area remains low according to Adams.
      "It just hasn't caught on quite yet, but I really feel like it will," he said. "Right now, they seem to serve as second vehicle of sorts. On a pretty day, you might want to take out your scooter, instead of your car. It's almost recreational in a way, unlike European countries where scooters are the main form of transportation for many."
      You might be surprised at the profile of scooter "buyers" in Statesboro. "I would say they are mostly 30 to 50 year olds. Very few university students have bought a scooter from us. Hopefully, that will change."
      If you are interested in looking at a scooter, they also have them at the Yamaha and Suzuki dealerships in Statesboro.
      So, until next Tuesday, I bid you au revoir.
      Got a scoop for Jan? Call her at (912) 489-9463. or email her at jmoore@statesboroherald.com