Gisborne is the perfect environment for riding a scooter. The following article was printed in the Gisborne Herald on 2 August 2008 in response to a marked increase in the amount of scooters buzzing around the city. With a scooter, Gisborne easily becomes more accessible and a 'five-minute town'
By Martin Gibson
The weather is keeping most people in their cars, but this will be the summer of the scooter if inquiries are anything to go by, dealers here say.
"I think it will really take off just before Christmas. Although we are not selling many right now, we're getting four or five inquiries a day, says Derek Mead at Gisborne Honda."
"Gisborne is a 'five-minute town' -you can get anywhere in five minutes, and a scooter will do 60 to 70 kilometres a litre.
"One of our customers works next to us in Hammer Hardware, and lives by the hospital. She spends eight dollars a month on fuel - perhaps nine dollars with the price rises."
Over at CGM Motorcycles, Phil Summerfield is astonished they are selling scooters in winter.
"Our sales have increased twofold since the last fuel price increases - there's a huge demand, especially considering how the weather is now."
As scooter demand has risen,
Although he is 105kg, service manager Karl Schwass says the little 49cc motor still "gets me along OK".
"One of our customers rode to
One who has made the shift is Charles Laverty, who owns Umami Deli with his wife Mariette. The couple took the scooter option after deciding they needed a second vehicle.
"We toyed with the idea of getting another car but with the price of fuel, and rising interest rates, it just didn't seem worth it.
"We live about four or five kilometres from work. I've had it for three weeks, and I haven't had to fill it up yet, although it's not too flash in this weather."
It is a less nerve-racking mode of transport than he thought it might be.
"You find your line and hold it and you're fine. People are pretty good - I think more and more people are looking at it as an option."
One man who came to grief on his scooter last year is right back on that horse. Co-owner of Soho Bar Tony Trafford was hit by a car.
"I got my scooter in August last year and six weeks later a lady pulled out in front of me and I broke both my wrists. It was a dumb accident. You have just got to drive like everyone's trying to kill you, but if you're careful you're fine."
Undeterred, six weeks after he got out of plaster Mr Trafford got another scooter and has been happily and safely scooting ever since.
"I was keen because it's so much fun and so cheap - it's an absolute bargain. I spend $4.50 a week in gas and with the fuel price increases it's up to $5. And I use it all the time."
The idea of Gisborne buzzing, Rome-like, with scooters appeals to him.
"I think everyone should ride a scooter. It would be so cool if there were more of them, as long as they were good ones."
When Steve Abramowitz and his partner bought Café Ruba, it came with a sign-written scooter that he uses to pick up supplies.
"Not just small things either - I use it to carry 20kg containers of oil, and I spend about $5 a week on gas. That's with me and stuff on it, and I'm 106kg - someone who is 70kg would take a month to get through that. It's also governed so it can't go faster than 50kmh, so there are no speeding fines either."
While he has had a couple of close shaves, he has not had an accident.
"The logging trucks know I'm going to stop for them - it's a matter of smaller weight giving way. I've
also had a couple of narrow escapes from women talking on their mobile phones, but I normally follow them and point out their mistake."
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