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Comment by TylerE | Hacker News Reader

At least where I live (NC) mopeds are hugely looked down upon, as any one riding them is assumed to be a drunk who lost their license due to DUI.

This assumption is not exactly unwarranted.

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So what would people assume about you riding a $1500 scooter on the road instead?

That you were a drunk who lost their license because of a DUI. I'm also from NC, and what the parent commenter said is accurate for any kind of scooter.

To continue with the other NC'ers (there's literally dozens of us!), I used to live in Wilmington, NC, which has a large number of scooters to the point a term I've taken from others is to refer to them as dui-scooters (read "dewey scooters").

I don't know the difference between a $1200 scooter or a dui-scooter. However, the overall opinion is if you aren't in a traditional vehicle or a crazy cyclist, you're riding the vehicle you're riding because you are not legally allowed to drive.

I don't know if the attitude you're conveying is yours, or the population, but it's really sad. That if you don't drive a car, you're crazy for riding a bike. And if you want the combined environmental and cost benefits of a bike with the speed and lack-of-work of driving, you must be a drunk.

Even if there is a grain of truth in some stereotypes, it is harmful.

It's not bikes, it's a moped.

For about the same money you'd spend on one of those scooters you can easily get a used motorcycle that will be far more comfortable and performant, it just requires a valid license.

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