Scooter commuter

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Tired of outrageous fill ups? It seems more drivers are trading in four wheels for two.

Sales at Vespa of Charlotte in South End are up a whopping 365 percent over last year. Owner Steve Speers says something popular in Europe for years is finally catching on here.

“The rest of the world relies on scootering as their first choice of transportation because of the gas savings,” Speers says.

Riding a scooter to work is now businessman Dean Prevette’s first choice. His other vehicle sits at home most of the time. And here is why.

“My Lincoln Navigator gets about 12 miles to the gallon. It costs me $80 to fill up,” says Prevette.

But with his Vespa, he pays about $10 to fill up and that lasts as long as a week and a half.

He’s done the math, says his scooter gets about 70 miles to the gallon. He does use premium gas, and his has a larger engine. But even with that, rising gas prices are no longer as scary.

He says, “Even if premium is at $5, I can still afford it.”

Store owner Steve Speers has a theory about scooter owners.

He says, “After a month or two, they almost look at their cars as the devil. I see a smile on their face, because they are thinking back to their automobile that is getting 15 to 20 miles a gallon.” Depending on the size and motor, gas mileage ranges from 60 to 100 miles a gallon. Scooters in Speer’s store range from $1,200 to about $9,000 and he sees customers come back again and again. Why?

He says, “Scootering has been accepted now as a formal mode of transportation.”

Dean Prevette actually works as a fuel systems engineer and saving fuel makes him one happy guy.

He says, “My office is relatively close to my home and I ride it every day that I have an opportunity, simply because it is a lot more fun that driving a big truck.”

Riding by on his black and tan Vespa, he may be on the cutting edge now. But if prices at the pump keep rising, Prevette admits that won’t be the case for long.

His explanation, “People are going to look for an alternative.”

And in case you’re wondering, on the smaller scooters with a 50 c.c. engine, you can only go 30 mph by law. The larger ones, which require a motorcycle license, can go as fast as 80 mph.