Rising gas prices = More scooters and Motos on the roads?

[Drunken Monkey]

When I was in Bangalore last week, there was a lot of talk about how motorcycles and scooters were a big part of the congestion problem. They looked forward to more cars on the road so that it would be easier to "maintain lane discipline."

Oddly enough, they're wrong about lane discipline. In Buenos Aires everyone uses the lane markers as a 'rough guideline' and traffic zips there because folks manage to squeeze 'extra' lanes out of their roads. And studies have shown that this sort of 'lane anarchy' actually speeds things up.

Of course it also helps that the cars are small and the drivers there are some of the most focused I've ever seen.

[ducati_tim]

India or Maine?

What's the difference? 

[Slide Panda]

Here (around) DC people can hardly manage to not bash into the people next to them when they have a standard lane all to themselves.. but it's because most have no focus - talking on the phone, reading, texting, trying to find their rug rats toy which is under the passenger seat... it's a wonder there aren't more wrecks here.

Lane anarchy can work as long as folks pay attention.  Our problem is no attention..

[ducatiz]

Lane anarchy can work as long as folks pay attention.  Our problem is no attention..

change the law to ban insurance and lose your license on first offense for any reckless driving conviction.

people will drive a lot more careful.

[FatguyRacer]

change the law to ban insurance and lose your license on first offense for any reckless driving conviction.

people will drive a lot more careful.

Sadly they wont. 

They'll just drive the same, only without insurance. Then when you get into an accident with someone with no insurance, you'll be the one getting the bendover treatment.

[Slide Panda]

Did a little random searchig this morning and came across
http://news.carjunky.com/motorcycles-a-fuel-efficient-alternative-cde041.shtml

IT's a little out of date, but it notes that 2 wheel sales have tripled in this decade - though I doubt a lot of that is attributable to the current rise in fuel prices as much as other factors in the market in those years. 

A friend who works in moto sales said that the sales floor has been dead for a while now - not shocking with folks in economic 'hunker down' mode, and the view that 2 wheels = play thing.

But as the resident rider in my circle of friend I'm hearing more chatter about neighbors, co workers, etc looking into scoots for commuting.   The ole take the SUV to work 10 miles away and spend $10 a day for the commute ain't looking so good to folks - especially vs a 80 mpg Vespa they can park on the sidewalk (50 cc scoots can do that here)