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With the cost of crude oil at record high prices and gasoline skyrocketing at the pump, one FishHawk resident has found a way to keep his expenses in check: Stop driving the Lexus to work and buy a scooter.
“I decided to buy my scooter because of the high cost of gasoline at the pump,” said Juam Ramos, a FishHawk resident for the past eight years. “This thing is affordable. It cost me $1,300 to purchase the scooter including setup and delivery to my home. For 2.5 gallons of gas, I can commute back and forth to work for three weeks and insurance is only $90 a year.”
Ramos, who spent six months researching scooters before purchasing a Roketa MC-04-150Y, commutes between his home in FishHawk and Home Depot which is located on the corner of Brandon Blvd. and Mt. Carmel Rd. in Brandon. Before purchasing his scooter, he was driving his Lexus to work spending $40 a week in gasoline purchases. With the scooter, he is now spending about $2 a week, saving him approximately $38 a week in gasoline expenses. He said he still drives his Lexus when he has to make longer trips.
What is Ramos doing with the money he is saving? “I am using the extra money to help pay for my daughter’s education. She is attending Hillsborough Community College.”
Driving a scooter does present some challenges, admits Ramos. “I really have to be aware of my surroundings when driving. I am dealing with all sorts of vehicles now. There is more risk being a smaller vehicle on the road,” he said. To mitigate the risks, Ramos uses all the features on his scooter like the headlights and blinkers.
Ramos has a message for all motorists: “Please be aware of us on the road. We are trying to save money by using alternative forms of transportation.” Based on government documents, his point about the importance of motorist awareness is warranted.
According to the most recent data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of motorcycle-related deaths in Florida rose for the eighth straight year in 2006, with 562 persons dying. That is an increase of almost 22 percent over 2005. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and eight times more likely to be injured. Florida leads the country in motorcycle fatalities. The next closest state is California with 506 motorcycle fatalities. According to NHTSA, 47 percent were not wearing their helmets when they died.
One solution Ramos offered to make scooters and other alternative means of transportation safer is to create an extra lane like the commuter lane on highways. “The big issue in Brandon is traffic congestion. We could reduce it by creating a special lane for those traveling by alternative forms of transportation which might encourage others to do the same,” he said, adding that scooter usage in the Caribbean Islands is very common.
Ramos indicated there is an increasing trend in purchases of motorcycles and scooters.
According to the NHTSA, the Motorcycle Industry Council reports that motorcycle and scooter sales in 2005 increased by five percent over 2004, making it the 13th consecutive year of sales growth.
For more information, contact Ramos at 716-2820.
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