Victoria by Vespa

Victoria is the perfect city to own a scooter in, if you don’t mind a bit of rain. Let’s face it, that is unavoidable. I have owned a multitude of different cars over the years, and most of them I have liked. I have had everything from 1970s Volkswagen Camper Vans to Classic Minis (those really tiny ones that were hip in the sixties), bicycles of all shapes and sizes and a motorcycle.

I recently acquired a 2010 150 cc Vespa scooter. It is bright red, zippy and the most entertaining thing I have ever driven with the exception of those classic minis. It is the ideal vehicle for Victoria. It is cheap to insure, and costs about $30 a month to fuel if I drive a lot in a month. I have a family, and somehow, we manage to get everywhere we need to be and do our grocery shopping too.

It has become something of a game to see what we can actually carry on and in it. It has a spacious “trunk” under the seat, a front and rear rack and a package hook that allows a grocery bag to rest on the foot platform. We have a pet carrier on the rear rack and have carried everything from dogs, cats, tables (yes, really), and my 6’7″ friend on the back. We also brought home a rolling-rack for clothes. Admittedly, it folded, but it was still large.

So far so good.  It attracts a lot of attention, bright red and retro-looking.  It feels like I imagine flying would feel to a bird (the Italian Vespa is named after a wasp because of the sound of the bike’s little engine).  It also has its dangers.  It is small and people don’t always see it.  You have to be vigilant, for sure.  There is only a helmet to protect you if there is an accident.  It can also be parked almost anywhere and free in many cases.  I choose to take the back roads to avoid the heavy traffic, which allows a new view of the city.

Scooters come in all sizes. A 150cc like mine requires a motorcycle licence, but anything under 50cc can be driven by anyone with a standard driver’s licence and can’t go too fast!  It can also be ridden in a skirt without having to throw your leg over the seat.

I enjoy every trip, my girls call them “Vespa Adventures!”