NATTER: MY SCOOTER

I feel as if I am writing a composition for school but I love my bike and what it means to me and I would like to share and show it off to everyone, so that’s that! To me, my scooter is my stand and fight against increasing petrol prices, green house emissions and against the ACT Government for charging paid parking to only certain people and places in the ACT. It is also my answer to my mid life crisis!

I believe it is blatant discrimination that public and private sector employees should pay for parking in the city centre precincts within the ACT, be it Civic, Woden, Tuggeranong or Belconnen but those in the Parliamentary precinct and Defence establishments are exempted.

Yes, I am only getting on my high horse now because it affects me….I should have voiced an opinion sooner. But what is angering me at the moment is that I heard a rumour that the ACT government is in the process of converting the free parking at the Futsol (off Commonwealth Avenue) to paid parking because too many people are parking for free and are not using the paid areas. The cheek, I say. Although I don’t park there everyday, the parking area has been a source of convenience when I can’t (more like won’t) ride my bike; especially when it is raining or when I was getting over my flu.

Anyway, with my scooter, I don’t have to pay for parking because it is free parking for motor bikes in the ACT (actually I don't utilise any public parking because I actually have my own parking spot at work) and it costs me around AUD$6.00 to $7.00 to fill up my tank which lasts me for 6 days. I would be paying AUD$30.00 for the same amount of travel in my car.
So, I present to you my scooter…..it is a125cc BOLWELL. I was going to buy a REAL Bike but bikes do not have much storage space compared to a scooter. With my scooter, I could literally pack the kitchen sink in it. It is now 8 months old and I paid around AUD$4 100, including on road cost and my kit (helmet, gloves and full armoured jacket). The insurance is around AUD$19.00 a month.

My only issue with riding my bike – ACT drivers. If you think they have no regard to other car drivers, think again. Their courtesy is virtually non existent when it comes to bike riders. To be fair though, I have seen some moronic riders out there too; having no regards to road rules and speed. :(