Scooters!!!!!

I am going to take a moment and discuss scooters. As a kid, my dad had a green Honda scooter that I occasionally got to ride on with him. In High School my mother bought a blue Honda, or maybe a Yamaha, and I rode that from time to time too. They were fun to ride on, easy to maneuver, and generally safe for riding around town. I have also owned a couple of motorcycles, and consider myself an acceptable rider. I learned how to lane-split in California on the Interstate while traffic was stopped, and while it was scary at first I became comfortable, but not complacent, going 25mph between semis and other vehicles.

Pretty normal stuff, I thought.

Then I arrived in Indonesia.

I am not as good, or brave, a rider as I thought. These people take it to a whole new level. I mentioned it in my last post, but it bears repeating. They carry enormous loads on their bikes, weave in and out of traffic, go cross-ways to traffic, against traffic, on the sidewalk, run red lights, make random U-turns, and I have not seen a single accident yet.

Amazing!

This was taken the other day, please notice the large sheet of plywood in the passenger's arms.

This is the line-up of scooters at a red light. I cross this street on the way to work.

And they're off!

As I say, Madness!

One of these days I will take video during a taxi ride. Or maybe not, since it will terrify most people in the states.

Be well!