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August 27, 2007
Can Scooters Save New York City?
On the corner of a slightly run-down street in the Meatpacking District of New York, a row of 30 shiny, colourful scooters stands out like a coloured umbrella on a rainy day.
Every Wednesday, at about 1900, these Vespas, Stellas or Lambrettas show up and are parked in front of the Brass Monkey bar, the meeting point for the New York Scooter Club.
With a drink in hand, two-wheel aficionados discuss their latest acquisitions, look out for vintage models or try out their friends' scooters.
Scooter riders say the small but sometimes noisy vehicles are the best answer to a dreary subway commute or, even better, to the traffic congestion that chokes New York streets.
"I commute every day from Queens. It can be scary, it takes a little bit of getting used to [driving in between big four-wheel-drive cars]," says one rider.
"But it's fun, I'm outside, it's great and quicker than being stuck in a traffic jam."
Jonathan Perkel, one of the club's founders, says he believes scooters would take off as a transportation mode if they were exempt from the congestion charge that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is trying to impose on cars driving into the centre of town.
London Mayor Ken Livingstone introduced congestion charging in 2003. Singapore also charges a similar tax.
Think of the money I'm saving by riding this - to fill it up costs $5 and it lasts for a month
Scooter rider Graham Fowler
But Mr Bloomberg is fighting stiff resistance to his plan, including in the state capital, Albany, where opposition from lawmakers last month meant that New York state failed to get a $500m (£248m) federal grant to implement the plan as a pilot project.
The US Department of Transportation did award the city $345m to fund part of the plan, but this will mostly be used to improve public transportation.
Outside the Brass Monkey, the scooter club's conversation turns to congestion pricing.
"I'll still be happy to pay the tax if scooters are not exempt," says Graham Fowler, originally from the UK.
Posted by Frank at August 27, 2007 6:44 AM
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