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Leave the queues behind and learn to drive a scooter
David Williams, Motoring Correspondent3 Jul 2009
When first moving to the capital, most see only the bright city lights and overlook the everyday practicalities of getting about - while those who've lived here for years become highly skilled at planning the most complex cross-city trips.
Even so, the congestion charge, crowded buses and Tubes, frequent delays and the sheer cost of getting about has led to a rise in Londoners ditching their traditional commute and taking to two wheels.
In 2008, 126,000 motorcycles, 25, 812 of which were scooters, were licensed by the Department for Transport in the London region, a 2.3 per cent rise over 2007.
Motor Cycle News (MCN), the leading motorcycling newspaper, says it has seen more than 60,000 extra people searching for bikes via its online Bikes for Sale section, compared with last year.
One Londoner who decided enough was enough is 24-year-old Felicity Callaghan from Clapham. She moved to London three years ago for work and quickly became frustrated with her Tube commute, which was costing about £100 a month.
Felicity also maintained a car and shouldered the associated costs so that she could visit friends and family outside London at weekends.
Earlier this month she joined the scooter revolution when she contacted Metropolis Motorcycles at Vauxhall to book a one-day CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) motorcycling course. "I'd never considered riding a bike until I moved to London," said Felicity, who works in marketing communications.
"But the longer I spent on Tubes and buses, the more I thought about how easy it would be to jump on a bike to get to work every day. There's nothing more frustrating than being stuck on a Tube, especially when you know there is glorious weather outside.
"I'd never ridden a bike before, so I was a little apprehensive and had images of hardcore bikers barking orders at me and telling me off when I didn't get it right.
"But my instructor Simon was the complete opposite. He was patient and thorough, taking his time to ensure I understood everything properly before we moved on."
The CBT course involves five stages: introduction, practical on-site training, practical on-site riding, practical on-road training and practical on-road riding.
It costs £120 for weekdays or £140 for Saturday or Sunday, and generally lasts three to four hours off-road and a minimum of two hours, by law, for the on-road section.
Trainees only move to the next stage when their instructor is satisfied they have learnt the theory and demonstrated practical skills to a safe basic level.
Felicity passed her test with flying colours. "I couldn't believe how easy it was," she said.
"Scooters are much easier to ride than I thought they would be, because you don't have any gears to handle. As soon as I passed I went on www.motorcyclenews.com and started looking for a new scooter."
Felicity said scootering around London is more fun, cheaper and quicker than public transport.
"My friends can't believe it and are now thinking about doing their CBTs too. I'm already thinking about getting my full bike licence and doing a tour around Europe. I've been bitten by the biker bug."
Marc Potter, the editor of MCN, says: "Two-wheeled vehicles have become highly desirable in cities and are no longer associated with hairy bikers.
"Scooters and motorcycles are comparatively cheap to buy and run; fuel costs are low, parking is often easier and sometimes free. It's quicker to get about and you avoid commuter nightmares such as Tube and bus strikes.
"Motorbikes and scooters are exempt from London's congestion charge too, but the best thing is weaving through traffic jams while motorists can only sit and glare."
Watch the video of how Felicity got on
Reader views (16)
It is not a good option any more to use a scooter or bike in London since the introduction of the parking tax in the City of Westminster by councillor Chalkley. This is going to discourage lots of poeple from using a scooter or bike in the future, what a shame !
I am surprised that the London Standard has not started a campaign against such a stupid money grabbing levy.
- Thierry, Balham, London, 07/10/2009 21:03
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Bike school's are good places to learn at, as they know everything you'd need to know about your machine & how to be safe while riding it.
I agree that most scooter riders dont wear protection when riding through towns,(as there Not proper bikers, just people wanting to have a cheap mode of transport aka they just jump on it and off they go.
( i suppose 50cc's are ok for learners, and low-powered 125's too.. lol
new scooterists (aka the office woman type) think scooters only do 50mph all out if there lucky, so say 5-30mph through towns.
But there wrong,
my last chinese built 125 scooter did 40mph if that, all out. LoL!
But i still wore my bike gear, even if i did look odd to these scooter boys you see tearing about on there little 50cc scoots.
so its up to them if they want become skinless, lol
i'd rather look silly to them, and be safe.. then look cool & loose my skin. 
after that chinese thing, i brought a honda 125 fespantheon (if anyone wants to get one) & saw the light.
It can do 60 all day if you wanted too, and 70mph no probs,(havent been over 70 yet, but there still some to go) thank goodness.
so full bike gear is needed, i've always worn that!
really i think the age limit for riding a scooter of any type should be 22, as your more grown up at that age, and dont go bombing about like these youngsters do.
(I'm 27 & have been riding since 2005 and havent looked back.
no offence ment, lol
- Socrates, Nottingham, 29/09/2009 06:40
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I love my cycle but since I did my training on my moped my bike has gained a couple of cobwebs! oops did my training at metropolis too with a guy called Chris (??) very very nervous but soon got it. keep get overtaken so i think motorbike is next summer!!
- Hannah Moore, London, 29/09/2009 05:40
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I did my CBT with Metropolis and they were great. I also bought a scooter from them as well. So for me it was so easy and convinient to get on the road.
No more bloody sweaty tubes or breakfast breath!
- Dave Kidd, London, 29/09/2009 05:40
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Charles Siu is evan more funnier.
- Joe, Swanley Kent, 29/09/2009 05:40
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I did my CBT and got a scooter but have since upgraded to a motorbike. There is definitely a divide between scooter and motorbike riders. Why is it that hardly any scooter riders wear protective gear? Some even don't wear gloves! If you come off at 20mph+ and slide leg and arm on tarmac your flesh will be stripped to the bone in a few seconds. The amount of women I see riding mopeds into the city in skirt and high heels is unbelieve! Kit up or you may live to regret it....
- Mac, London, 29/09/2009 05:40
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Motorcycles are the future,quick,mobile,traffic free and the least pollutant motorised transport.
Shame the Councils have done nothing about extra parking spaces and shame on Westminister for charging you to park. It's easier to park a car in Westminister than a motorcycle!
- Joe, Swanley Kent, 29/09/2009 05:40
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So quick and so easy to ride
So quick and so easy to die on!
- Mike, London England, 29/09/2009 05:40
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Mike, your'e very funny.
- Joe, Swanley Kent, 29/09/2009 05:40
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You might take into account the probability that your scooter will be either trashed, stripped of parts or stolen.Everyday occurrences in Central London.
- Jay, London, UK., 29/09/2009 05:40
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Good on you, MickinLondon, screw the council and all credit to you for finding a solution that works. Drive safely and don't forget, there's never any shame in backing off and letting a bus or car cut you up, you can just stroll past them at the next set of lights!
- St, London, 29/09/2009 05:40
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Motorbikes are the best way to get around in town.
Only thing is, selfish car drivers - petrolheads like Clarkson, for instance - don't like bikers and do their best to 'put them off'. Take that as you wish, but there is satisfaction in passing a driver, who deliberately cuts you up, when they get caught up in the gridlock ahead, as they invariably do...
The best car drivers are those who have ridden, or do ride, bikes, as their road sense is usually very good, though young bikers need to be careful - remember your CBT training and ride defensively!
- Chris M, Ventnor IW, 29/09/2009 05:40
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Thank you ST,London.
I am an ex London taxi driver; so I don’t worry about being cut-up, it went with the job…..LOL.
I gave up looking for help from Westminster Council; you have to be a freemason here to get anything at all from them; I could write bundles on them; they even sold my mothers grave under Shirley Porter; and me and my wife want to be buried with her, still we got our grave yard back after a long fight…..LOL.
They are short of social workers I am told, but they have thousands of traffic wardens, it just makes me laugh even louder at them and their cop-outs.
And it’s true what you say; my moped even beats Ferraris to the next set of traffic lights….LOL.
If you see an old boy around the centre of London, on a 50cc moped, with a large bag of shopping strapped to his back, that will be me, give me a wave OK……LOL.
A blue badge would make things easier on my old back, but they need those badges for the wealthy in Westminster with bigger cars and younger bodies…..LOL
You take care as well; ok………Mick.
- Mickinlondon, london., 29/09/2009 05:40
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You save so much money on a scooter. In this way, you can afford your funeral expenses.
- Charles Siu, London UK, 29/09/2009 05:40
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I have a car that is mostly left in my garage; I only use it now to take my wife to hospital when she needs emergency help; [she has a bad heart and advanced Alzheimer’s disease] and to do the weekly shopping for food as I have to take her with me if I am out for more than half an hour, so I need the car for her-sake.
But for everything else that I have to do, like go to the doctors for her medication, and the odd things we need though the week I use my 50cc moped or my bike; not only is it cheap, it is also very fast doing things like that; being a carer, time is vital, my wife cannot do anything for herself, and if I am not around for any reason, she turns on the taps and can’t turn them off again, and worse, and she is liable to leave the home and just walk away; as she doesn’t know her name or address now, or have any road sense, time is vital to me as I can’t be away long at anytime.
My council won’t give us a blue badge as my wife can walk 80 yards in their opinion, and they still use a two year out of date medical report to justify not issuing a blue badge, [ she is 79 years old] and they won’t give her an up-to-date independent medical examination etc; so I don’t use the car much at all; but the moped and my bike are a god send to me; I do not need a blue badge to use either of them; although I can’t carry my wife on my moped, as she would just fall off it.
But with my moped; I can function ok, doing all the vital daily things I need to do for her.
- Mickinlondon, london., 29/09/2009 05:40
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I would agree with you except that Westminster are introducing a parking charge for motorbikes which totally defeats the object of encouraging a less polluting, congestion easing way of travelling. What is even more outrageous is that they have set up a company to sell their ruse to other councils so it is obviously simply to raise money. The government should be stepping in here to stop this charge with the intention to encourage greener transport and to stop greedy councils from milking people who try are trying to do their bit for London and the environment.
- Andy Davids, London, 29/09/2009 05:40
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