RATS - I Cant Believe I Said This
#51
I used to spend a decent amount of time in places where tourists can easily rent mopeds. It's a terrible situation because it puts inexperienced people on two wheels riding unfamiliar roads, often after some (or more) drinking. Despite being a minority of local moped riders, those tourists account for a large percentage of moped accident victims. Interestingly a significant cause is the speed bumps put there to improve safety.
I think this is the same problem now with the hire e-bikes that are appearing in towns and cities. Anyone can just hop on and ride quite fast without any skill or experience. I’m sure the accident rate will be much higher than it is with experienced cyclists or moped riders.
During the pandemic lockdown there was also a big cycling boom here in the UK, accompanied by a disproportionate number of fatalities. Again this was likely due to their inexperience. I remember seeing a whole family out on the road, wobbling all over the place and thinking how vulnerable they looked.
#52
Along for the ride
I used to spend a decent amount of time in places where tourists can easily rent mopeds. It's a terrible situation because it puts inexperienced people on two wheels riding unfamiliar roads, often after some (or more) drinking. Despite being a minority of local moped riders, those tourists account for a large percentage of moped accident victims. Interestingly a significant cause is the speed bumps put there to improve safety.