Scooters Safer than 'Cycles, So Says Study

[Rincewind]

According to a recent study from Down Under, motorcyclists are 3x more likely to die in an accident then trained scooter riders.  Does this tip the balance of the argument whether bikes or scooters are safer?  Will you be trading in your dangerous high performance bike for a scooter?




Scooters Safer Than Mopeds And Motorcycles: Study

New research has shown that in the realm of two-wheeled motorists, moped riders are involved in more accidents, motorcyclists are more than three times as likely to die on the road, and scooter riders are the safest of the three.

Motorcycles were the most lethal of the three, according to the research, with 3.4 percent of reported crashed resulting in fatality, compared with one percent of reported moped and scooter crashes.

According to the study, the difference in crash severity was related to the circumstances the vehicles were used in.

    "Scooter riders also exhibit safer behaviour than motorcycle riders, despite both groups meeting the same licensing requirements. This suggests a difference in attitude which sees motorcycle riders taking more risks on the road."


http://www.themotorreport.com.au/53964/scooters-safer-than-mopeds-and-motorcycles-study

[Cablebandit]

Perhaps the ATGATT mindset makes us feel invincible.  Maybe if we dress like urban hipsters riding scooters we'd be better off.

[bomber]

an outstanding example of statistics being used to illustrate a point that simply doesn't stand an examination using logic ;-}

[Cablebandit]

The first thing a statistician or accountant asks the boss when given a new project:

"What would you like the results to be?"

Then work to that point.  

[ChrisZRX]

I'd bet, on average, motorcyclists ride many more miles than scooter riders.  

[jeepinbanditrider]

I'd imagine it's tied to the average speed of the bike.  A motorcycle is capable of much faster speeds what most people consider a scooter can only reach 45 maybe 55 and spend a lot of time well below that speed.  You're much  more likely to survive a crash at 40 or 45 than at 70 or 80

[Biking Sailor]

Given that most are bought by people with a completely different mindset than sport bikes or over the road bikes, this doesn't surprise me one iota.

+1 and from the article:

 "Scooter riders also exhibit safer behaviour than motorcycle riders, despite both groups meeting the same licensing requirements. This suggests a difference in attitude which sees motorcycle riders taking more risks on the road."

Some tools are just more dangerous than others (chainsaw verses a bow saw).  Couple that with a healthy dose of HP & attitude and ya get what ya get.

[Cablebandit]

Some tools are just more dangerous than others (chainsaw verses a bow saw).  Couple that with a healthy dose of HP & attitude and ya get what ya get.

My chain saw has never attacked me.  However I did cut off a finger with a bow saw.  

[Kneescrubber]

I don't ride a motorcycle cuz it's safe.

[Cablebandit]

If you want to be safe buy a cruiser:

Type of Motorcycle   Deaths per 10,000 Registered Motorcycles

Cruise   5.7
Touring   6.5
Sport   10.7
Supersport   22.5

Curious that just about all the motorcycle fatalities around here are on cruisers.

[Biking Sailor]

If you want to be safe buy a cruiser:

Curious that just about all the motorcycle fatalities around here are on cruisers.

Around here, cruisers seem to outnumber all others about 10 to 1.  And many aren't used all that much.  Not too dangerous sitting in a garage.  Craigslist is full of 5 year old cruisers with 2500 miles.  

and

If your chainsaw doesn't come after ya once in a while, ya need a bigger chainsaw!  

[bomber]

The whole story reminded me a bit of the "gun violence" pieces in the local papers . . . . . . darned dangerous guns, out doing violence.

I'm betting is you put a large number of, say, 21 year old recently returned combat vets on Vespas rather than on Liter Bikes, you'd see the numbers shift a bit . . . .  .

[Rogue]

I've had more close calls on my bicycle than my motorcycle.  They need to include bicycle fatalities in there just for comparison.

[atadaskew]

While these statistics make sense in Australia with their trained scooter riders, I doubt it would apply in the US.
I love my thcooters, but the vast majority of other thcooter riders on the street are obviously untrained, most probably do not have a license, most (judging by missing license plates) are unregistered/uninsured, most have extensive road rash, most are riding around on almost flat tyres.
Basically they are treated like toys in the US, with very few riders wearing suitable gear.

It is quite amusing though that some have taken umbrage to the findings of this report.  What's surprising about it?  Or is it a denial thing that quite possibly riding really fast on a sport bike on public roads may not be the smartest thing to do?

[stew71]

I've had more close calls on my bicycle than my motorcycle.  They need to include bicycle fatalities in there just for comparison.

I've actually encountered outright hostility from drivers while on my mountain bike. I'm in the bike lane minding my own business and I've had drivers swerve at me, pretending to hit me, cut me off.  I have to chalk it up to some sort of road rage or jealousy.

[Kootenanny]

I don't know the licensing laws in Aus--are 49cc scooters given a "free ride" there WRT licensing like they are here?  Does the study include both licensed and unlicensed scooter riders?

That said, though, those results don't surprise me a whole lot.  Mopeds are probably the most likely to be ridden by people completely unfamiliar with them, or with 2-wheel vehicles in general (I think: fat tourists on rentals).  On the other hand, motorcyclists are probably the most likely to be doing highway speeds, and therefore the consequences of any incidents (say, hitting wildlife) are more likely to be severe--plus, AFAIK the "bar-hopping" mentality many "bikers" have is not prevalent in scooter culture.  In contrast, most scooter riders are probably just getting from coffee shop to bistro in a less adrenaline-addled manner...

[Rogue]

I've actually encountered outright hostility from drivers while on my mountain bike. I'm in the bike lane minding my own business and I've had drivers swerve at me, pretending to hit me, cut me off.  I have to chalk it up to some sort of road rage or jealousy.

Heck yeah!  I've had many try to swerve into me while I'm in the bicycle lane!  Jackasses!  I never can understand this kind of hatred against bicyclists by motorists.  Just the other day this moron swerved into me and missed me by inches then flipped me off as he went by.  WTF?    Then you've got the yellers, honkers, etc.  I had this old fart lady honk at me because she had to wait for me to go by before she could make a left turn into a driveway.  

So if you think you get no respect on a motorcycle, ride a bicycle for a while then get back to me.

[Rogue]

It is quite amusing though that some have taken umbrage to the findings of this report.  What's surprising about it?  Or is it a denial thing that quite possibly riding really fast on a sport bike on public roads may not be the smartest thing to do?

Well judging by those You Tube videos of scooter crashes in Asia, I don't think riding a Scoot has much to do with the low accident rates.  From my perspective, a Scoot easily leaves you flowing alongside cagers and you're constantly at their mercy.  

[spd2918]

I'd bet, on average, motorcyclists ride many more miles than scooter riders.  

And a lot faster, too.

[atadaskew]

 I had this old fart lady honk at me because she had to wait for me to go by before she could make a left turn into a driveway.  

Maybe you should have pedaled faster?