PCC is seeing an increase in Scooters and Motorcycles
Story by Melissa Krumholt
Photos by Rocky Brown
Jessica Pell commutes from downtown Los Angeles to Pasadena City College on a “chromed out” 2006 blue Vespa LX 150 motor scooter. Riding a Vespa in LA instead of a car might seem a bit impractical, but the ease of moving through traffic actually makes it ideal, she says. Her commute takes her down Figueroa Street, through some of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, while avoiding the crawling traffic often found on the 110 Freeway. Near the end of her journey she soars high above the Arroyo Seco when she crosses the historic Colorado Street Bridge with its antique street lamps and the old hotel on Grand Street (now a courthouse) floating in the distance. The thought conjures imagines of Audrey Hepburn cruising the streets of Rome in Roman Holiday.
When Pell arrives at the PCC campus, finding a parking space is a cinch. It is just one the many perks of being part of the motorcycle and scooter set who always have reserved front row parking. Scooters, Harley-Davidsons, and sport bikes (also known as “crotch rockets”) are rapidly becoming more popular with PCC commuters. Their rides and reasons may vary slightly, but they are all reaping the rewards of commuting on two wheels and leading the way to the future of transportation in Los Angeles.
Dental hygiene student Donald Defoaguero
on his Harley-Davidson.
Pell, an environmental design major, says that easy parking is one of the top reasons she sticks to her scooter as her primary mode of transportation, but concern for the environment also plays a role. Pell zips around the busy streets of Los Angeles and its suburbs, avoiding traffic-clogged freeways and instead taking the scenic surface streets frequently missed by car (a.k.a. “cage”) commuters. Although she also uses Metro trains and buses, she says that commuting on her Vespa makes getting from point A to point B a lot more fun.
“I can be in a bad mood, but once I get on my Vespa and start to ride, it just makes me happy,” says Pell.
Donald Defoaguero, a dental hygiene student, has commuted on a Harley-Davidson for the past 17 years.
“It’s the ease of going through traffic when it’s bumper-to-bumper on the freeway,” he says. “It’s a feeling of freedom. With a Harley, it’s a feeling of power, but mostly it’s just being able to get through traffic a lot easier, and parking is much easier too.”
Another benefit is the gas mileage. Pell gets 60 miles per gallon on her Vespa, and Defoaguero gets 40 miles per gallon on his Harley. Both agree that the increase in gas prices anticipated in the near future is a big incentive to continue commuting on two wheels.
Derek Wong has been riding his sport bike for nearly a year. These are undoubtedly the fastest motorcycles on the road.
“Some days I have to be at three different destinations around LA, and with my motorcycle, I can move through traffic much faster than a car,” Wong says.
Sport motorcycles are often seen moving through the middle of traffic lanes (known as “lane splitting”) on busy LA freeways. Riding a motorcycle at high speeds certainly has its risks. It was 1 a.m. on a Sunday morning when Wong opened up the throttle on his Honda CBR to 125 mph. He soon found himself being tailgated by a car, so he pushed it to a daredevil speed of 145 mph.
“I started to experience what is called “speed wobble” or “tank slapper,” which means that the handle bars start to vibrate violently from side to side so that it is nearly impossible to hold on to them anymore,” says Wong.
This usually happens at very high speeds because there is less weight on the front wheel. Luckily he has a “stabilizer” feature on his bike that automatically remedies the problem. “Otherwise, I might not be here!” Wong seems fearless despite having at least four dangerous encounters on the road in less than a year.
On the other hand, Defoaguero has experienced only one minor accident in his 17 years of riding. He was sitting at a stop light when he was rear ended by a truck. Fortunately, the impact was not hard enough to knock down his bike.
He advocates safe riding that includes being fully present and aware of his immediate surroundings and other cars, as well as being courteous on the road, which is sometimes known as “motorcycle Zen.”
“I don’t take chances. If a sport bike comes up behind me really fast, I just let them pass. Or if a car needs to get in, I let them in. You have to ride with caution, not fear,” he says.
“When I’m on the road I’m constantly looking in my mirrors, looking ahead and to both sides. I’m always aware of what’s going on in all directions,” says Pell.
Pell, Defoaguero, and Wong are also a part of an unspoken secret society of sorts that surrounds motorcycle community. Riders often give each other a nod or a discreet wave of acknowledgment when passing on the road, as if to say “Nice to see you on two wheels too!” There is also what is known as the “dis,” which is when a rider puts his or her hand on their left thigh to express disapproval to an oncoming motorcycle. This sometimes happens between sport bikes and scooters. This sort of rivalry is reminiscent of Britain in the 1960’s when there were two classes of riders: Mods on scooters, and Rockers on motorcycles, as depicted in The Who’s Quadrophenia. Generally, however, motorcycle riders look out for each other on the road.
The benefits of riding far outweigh the risks for these two wheeled commuters. It might be possible that Angelinos of the future will live in a city that resembles Rome, minus the ancient architecture. Imagine a city where the streets are filled with scooters and motorcycles instead of gas guzzling SUVs. With traffic congestion, gas prices and ecological concerns driving the increase in two wheeled vehicles on the road, perhaps traffic jams in Los Angeles will soon be a thing of the past.