I’m visiting Italy and floored by the number of mopeds. Found the same thing in Vietnam. Having spent time in New York, Chicago, St Louis, Seattle, Miami and lots in Orlando, I’ve never seen anything like this in the USA. Is there a cultural reason or economic reason the USA prefers motorcycles over mopeds?
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Work for most people is a 20-40 minute car ride away as a result of residential suburbs being placed away from areas of dense employment. And that’s at car speeds.
You want to spend an hour or more a day with your ass planted on a moped? I really wouldn’t.
When cities are built out with more mixed residential/commercial construction it’s easier for people to get to a nearby place of employment riding a moped. This is more common both in older European cities, and in places without much in the way of strict zoning laws, like Vietnam.
We have more disposable income, often weather that is not conducive, and not many large cities.
Mopeds SUCK long distance, especially when two months of the years are brutally hot, three are freezing, and it precipitated 130 days a year. (In the mid atlantic region)
They’re only viable for relatively short distances, only during certain seasons, and of those seasons you can use one it’s only when it isn’t raining.
Also I grew up playing grand theft auto where mopeds were lovingly renamed “faggios”. Mopeds never had a chance in North America. I drive 25km one way for work. I’m not doing that on a faggio.
PS I won’t be surprised if this gets automodded outta here.
It’s just how the US is designed, we have to travel 50%+ farther to get where we want to go, because everything is more spread out. Italy is the size of Florida and Georgia while having twice the population. That density makes a big difference.
Because the distances you travel are much longer than in Europe and often utilizes high speed motorways, primarily.
It might be helpful for you to look into the sheer size difference of the US compared to most countries in Europe
Ever driven 55 miles to go to work on a moped in DFW?
If you live in a city center and use it to commute to work, maybe. If you live in the suburbs and want to commute to work, probably not a great idea. You wouldn’t want to share a highway with aggressive, careless drivers on a moped.
It could only really work well in the denser big cities. And in those places, it’s too late. Cars have too much of a foothold. Everywhere is spread out too much to make it practical.
One fundamental commuting issue that mopeds do not resolve is the parking problem. In a city like New York, most people do not have parking facilities provided either at their home or office. So once you get to work, what do you do with your ride? Street parking won’t be an option in an area like Midtown.
Even cyclists experience this problem. Very few office buildings offer bike racks to employees, so unless your employer allows you to bring your bike into the office, you’ve still got a logistical issue on your hands.
This is why most New Yorkers rely on either public transportation or taxis. Once you get to where you’re going, you want your ride to just go away.
Our population density outside of a few cities is not that dense. Where there is significant density, e.g. NYC, there are good low cost metro options negating the need for something like a moped.
Honestly, I’d be concerned with my safety. There are way too many bad drivers in 3-Ton SUVs driving around that would barely flinch if they ran me over.
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