Interested in more than just what’s happening with the scooters at Wheels to Work? Whilst we like to keep our readers up-to-date on what we’re doing, it’s good to shed light on other happenings in the two-wheeled world. Here’s a few different stories from all over.
A new world record…
Follow up on the story in the last post of this series. On Sunday 24th July, the Triumph Factory in Hinckley witnessed the making a new world record.
Organised by Moto Advisor, a UK-based Facebook group for two-wheeled enthusiasts, approximately 1,549 female bikers from around the country met in a bid to break the previous total of 1,132. It’s fair to say, they only went and smashed it.
The aim of the event was a simple but important one. They wanted to bring female riders together and raise awareness of their growing community within the motorcycle industry. In the UK alone, there are around 300,000 female motorcycle licence holders.
As well as a record-breaking feat, the event raised a substantial amount of money for two local charities. Namely, the Leicestershire and Rutland Blood Bikers and Midlands Air Ambulance who both received £4,500.
Scooters worth their weight in gold?
Where else but Dubai would you find scooters like this?
Caviar Royal Gift, who specialize in smart phones, have unveiled the eye-catching Minimotors Thunderball.
It’s an 18-karat gold-plated scooter, based off the Dualtron X2 model, and is set for release on October 1st.
We’ve got a few details about the flashy two-wheeler – peak power is listed as 8,300 watts, top speed is about 62 mph, and it has a range of 93 miles. They even throw in a brand-new iPhone 14 as a gift if you pre-order.
Here’s the kicker: it won’t come cheap. There’s no official price, only an estimation of around $49,000. What a bargain!
Automated issues
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently investigating two fatal crashes involving Tesla cars and motorbikes.
Both crashes occurred this year at night-time, and the motorcyclists were hit from behind. The NHTSA suspects that both Tesla’s were using the partially automated Autopilot feature.
No car has the ability to drive without any human input. Autopilot’s main function is to keep the car in its lane and at a safe following distance from vehicles ahead of them.
If the system can’t see a vehicle ahead however, maybe due to limited visibility, that will obviously present an issue. The use of the word ‘Autopilot’ has already been criticised as misleading.
Since 2016, the NHTSA has investigated a total of 19 fatal crashes involving Teslas suspected of using Autopilot at the time. A worrying statistic that only emphasises the importance of being aware and staying safe whilst riding.
Smarter smart roads
In Florence, Italy, a 26-kilometer stretch will have new interactive smart roads that collect traffic information and relay them to motorists.
Thanks in part to Movyon, a smart mobility company, and Volkswagen Group Italy, the smart road will soon start operation.
These Italian smart roads are designed for simple data collection, helping traffic flow efficiently and an overall enhanced experience for motorists.
The roads connect to an operations centre, recording information and warnings, then relaying them back to motorists in real-time.
Accidents, queues, stopped vehicles, slippery or dangerous road conditions, people on the road and more are all reported.
The first vehicles that will be able to communicate with the information centre will be new Volkswagen cars, all equipped with a responding transmitter.
Movyon’s CEO has said the company will look to develop transmitters that respond with any car maker for the future. Even bikes and scooters can have this technology installed.
Without a scratch
We’ll end this segment with an amazing story from Scooter Lab coming out of Ukraine.
75-year-old Ukrainian Ilia saw a Russian missile badly damage his home and flatten the workshop where he kept his pride and joy – a Soviet Vjatka VP 150, essentially a Vespa clone.
Despite the destruction and debris, unbelievably sitting amongst the ruins totally unharmed was his 1965-era scooter.
Author of the piece, Iggy Grainger, puts its best: “Ilia has a few pieces of scooter memorabilia but his most prized possession will come to symbolise the struggle of ordinary people in a horrendous situation”.
Read more here.
Wheels to Work Scooters
Are you looking for a way to get back to work? Do you need an affordable and convenient transport solution?
Wheels to Work provide 50cc and 125cc scooters in Northants, Bucks, Beds, Berks, Warks, Leics and Oxon to support you getting to and from your place of work.
If transport is restricting you actively seeking employment, training, or an apprenticeship, or you work anti-social hours, then hiring a scooter gives you independence and opportunity.
Training and protective clothing can be provided with the scooter too.
For further details, please call 01327 857213 or email info@wheelstowork.net. If you’d like to go ahead and apply, click here.
