moped, or car?

[Kermit817]

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I am about to start med school in Florida, and since the weather is so nice down here (I'm from upstate NY) I'm considering getting a scooter. The big benefit is the gas mileage being 60-90 mpg. What I'm worried about is the cargo space for books and my laptop. Anybody use a moped to commute to med school? Any opinions about what scooter is best for this purpose? Should I just stick with my car?

 

[medstud2ndyr]

MOPED. It's fun to ride, just don't let your friends catch you on it.. Like a Fat Girl! 🙂

 

[eon462]

You might get pretty sweaty in the humidity down here.

 

[igcgnerd]

You may want to consider the amount of rain Florida gets

 

[OnMyWayThere]

Last time I was in southern florida I rented a convertible porsche and had the time of my life with this beautiful woman I met there... then we were on Fwy 395 (or some number like that) with the top down doing 80 on the fwy - within in a minute it went from sunny and a great time to a dark, black sky pouring in this car. Had to pull over in the FWY and put the top up... so becareful having a moped as your ONLY method of transportation in florida as the weather is very unpredictable and you dont want to be stuck when you have an exam!!

 

[SomeDoc]

I am about to start med school in Florida, and since the weather is so nice down here (I'm from upstate NY) I'm considering getting a scooter. The big benefit is the gas mileage being 60-90 mpg. What I'm worried about is the cargo space for books and my laptop. Anybody use a moped to commute to med school? Any opinions about what scooter is best for this purpose? Should I just stick with my car?

Look up the national statistics on motorcycle accident rates and mortality and then decide. You can be the best rider, but that wont prevent people from not seeing you on the road (this is one of the major causes of automobile-motorcycle accidents). Saving money on gas isn't worth the trade-off in safety when you're out of school because you're in a hospital, have to pay for medical bills, or worse.

 

[PlasticMan]

Scooter? Get a motorcycle! Especially if it's gonna be your only form of transportation. Remember some highways in FL, the speed limit is 75 if I remember correctly.

 

[Kermit817]

I will still have my car to drive on rainy days. My school is on the same road as my apartment, 5 miles away, and the speed limit is 35-45. I would never ride a scooter or a motorcycle on a highway, this would strictly be for getting around my little town.
My main concern is whether or not I would be able to carry the books and/or laptop I would need. I am in the PBL program at LECOM. Can anyone give me an idea of how many books I will typically have to be bringing to school each day?

 

[csnitchl]

I don't know how it would be for med school specifically, but I rode a 50cc in college in san diego and I loved it. You can buy a detachable trunk for them that will easily hold 5 or 6 large textbooks and probably a laptop (depending on the size I guess). Riding short distances on it in the rain isn't the end of the world, either.

 

[NotThatOne]

I am about to start med school in Florida, and since the weather is so nice down here (I'm from upstate NY) I'm considering getting a scooter. The big benefit is the gas mileage being 60-90 mpg. What I'm worried about is the cargo space for books and my laptop. Anybody use a moped to commute to med school? Any opinions about what scooter is best for this purpose? Should I just stick with my car?

If you are a guy (or was born male genital), get a motorcycle.

 

[Red Beard]

I had one of these for a few years, and used it to commute to COMP last year:
http://www.bikez.com/pictures/aprilia/2006/22683_0_1_2_scarabeo%2050%20street_Image%20credits%20-%20Aprilia.jpg

Of course, So Cal has PERFECT weather for this kind of thing.

Mine got 70 MPG! I loved going to the pump and pumping in $3 worth of gas and being set for the next two weeks 🙂

Unfortunately, it got stolen a month before the end of school 🙁 I know two other friends who have had their scooters stolen too--they are easy to pick up and put in a truck. Make sure if you buy one to get a good long cable lock and lock it up wherever you park it.

 

[Red Beard]

PS--as far as cargo space, you can strap a milk crate on the back or just have a big backpack. I never had to carry more than would fit in a backpack during first year.

And, to the 'male genital' guy...nothing sexier than brains on pavement when you lay down your sport bike in heavy traffic 😎 There's a reason many docs refer to them as 'donorcycles."

 

[MaximusD]

haha yeah I should get one for PCOM... how do you think they run in the snow?

 

[kaikai128]

I don't know if in FL this is the best idea. It rains pretty much every day for 6 months out of the year. Laptop + Rain + Moped/Scooter = Bad idea. Get a cheap car and a moped if you would like...or just a car...but only a moped isn't very practical.

 

[PlasticMan]

PS--as far as cargo space, you can strap a milk crate on the back or just have a big backpack. I never had to carry more than would fit in a backpack during first year.

And, to the 'male genital' guy...nothing sexier than brains on pavement when you lay down your sport bike in heavy traffic 😎 There's a reason many docs refer to them as 'donorcycles."

Better to go out in a blaze of glory, then fade away as a metrosexual. 😛 Seriously, the only people who talk like this are those who don't own motorcycles. I've driven motorcycles for many years, never had a problem. This is with driving them into Newark and in dangerous, heavy traffic. Yes, sometimes cars don't see you, but also the bike is small and nimble and can quickly swerve out of harm's way. If you're a good defensive driver and always wear all the gear, you should be ok. ALWAYS wear full face helmet, padded riding jacket, jeans, gloves, and boots at the minimum! My buddy put down his Ninja zx6 about 3 years ago at 70 MPH and walked away with only a scratches all over the the back of his jacket and helmet b/c he was in full gear! Just my $.02.

 

[MavsFan08]

I am about to start med school in Florida, and since the weather is so nice down here (I'm from upstate NY) I'm considering getting a scooter. The big benefit is the gas mileage being 60-90 mpg. What I'm worried about is the cargo space for books and my laptop. Anybody use a moped to commute to med school? Any opinions about what scooter is best for this purpose? Should I just stick with my car?

As long as you aren't interested in dates OR your name is John Dorian, you should be fine.

 

[Red Beard]

Better to go out in a blaze of glory, then fade away as a metrosexual. 😛 Seriously, the only people who talk like this are those who don't own motorcycles. I've driven motorcycles for many years, never had a problem. This is with driving them into Newark and in dangerous, heavy traffic. Yes, sometimes cars don't see you, but also the bike is small and nimble and can quickly swerve out of harm's way. If you're a good defensive driver and always wear all the gear, you should be ok. ALWAYS wear full face helmet, padded riding jacket, jeans, gloves, and boots at the minimum! My buddy put down his Ninja zx6 about 3 years ago at 70 MPH and walked away with only a scratches all over the the back of his jacket and helmet b/c he was in full gear! Just my $.02.

Or you can fade out as a cripple with a cane, a para/quadriplegic, or eating through a tube and drooling on yourself at a head injury 'rehab' facility.

My step father has spent his life riding motorcycles, shattered knee (from an accident that wasn't his fault), walks somewhat poorly with a cane. He's seen a good friend die in a split second accident with a car running a red light.

My mom spent more than 10 years working at a head injury rehab facility where something like a third of the residents were motorcycle accident victims.

Then there are EP friends of mine who have come to refer to motorcycles as 'donor cycles.'

You have your anecdotes about motorcycle safety, and I have mine 😀

I admit that a scooter isn't that much safer, except that it forces you to stick to the slow streets.

 

[scpod]

I am in the PBL program at LECOM. Can anyone give me an idea of how many books I will typically have to be bringing to school each day?

It depends on you. If you like to study at school, then you can leave most of them in your locker-- but you'll want darned near all of them with you in PBL at some point. Most groups split up who brings what books, so that everyone doesn't have to bring them all, but I like having my own copies on hand. If you study at home, then it would be tough to bring all the books back and forth.

But the big problem, like several people mentioned, is the rain. It rains 3 or 4 times a day sometimes. One minute it's sunny, the next minute it's pouring. It might last for 10 minutes or an hour. You can bet that it's gonna rain at least once a day in the summer/fall.