PLEASE don't rent mopeds...

[tx.lakerats]

I think that this is good advice.... now if some would just realize that...

 

[GPdiver]

I am one who makes my living on and from Two wheels.
I work and ride with profesionals on a weekly basis and it amazes me to see tourist's who have little or more likely NO experience rent these in a foreign country.
We call these people "Squids or Spodes or Choades" mostly Squids.

I worry more about a drunk tourist in a jeep going the wrong way on one way streets.

I do accept the risk of Diving,renting scooters.riding motorcycles,driving in rush hour traffic.flying.

I now own two bicycles on Coz and leave them with a Divemaster buddy for him and his family to use until my return.

 

[ggunn]

Well I stand by what I said, it is Insanity. Partly because of all the tourists that are on the road and mostly because its just plain not safe. While in Mexico I certainly appreciated the attitude of personal responsibilty. You want to ride in the back of an uncovered pick up, go ahead, but assume the risk. Same with riding 4 on a scooter at night on a vehicle in poor repair and no lights, to me that's not desperation and it's certainly not a recipe for "survival" mode. As far of the rest of your explaination, please spare me your patronizing remarks about Hummers and having to work to feed their families, what here in the US we have free food and housing??. Cozumel, while any idiot would realize is not the US, is however a very prosperous area compared to the rest of Mexico. My point was in my view, given the circumstances, the choice to ride four on a scooter is not wise. However I would also say that anyone who rides a motorcycle anywhere on US highways is short a few flapjacks of a full stack. So please take it at face value, I'm not looking to crusade to force the poor downtrodden people out of their scooters. I was just stating my opinion.

Hmmm. Well, I personally won't go to someone else's country and label what they are doing to subsist as "crazy". I submit that when you see a family of 4 going down the road on a single scooter, you can't possibly have a clue as to the factors in their lives that put them there. It's hubris to assume the position to pass judgement on what they are doing.

Cozumel may be relatively prosperous, but that certainly does not mean that everyone there is participating in that prosperity. Have you been back in the residential areas away from the commercial zones? I have; I've even been invited into some of their houses. Seeing what I have seen, I won't criticize whatever they feel they have do to scrape by.

Peace,

 

[GPdiver]

Well I stand by what I said, it is Insanity. Partly because of all the tourists that are on the road and mostly because its just plain not safe. While in Mexico I certainly appreciated the attitude of personal responsibilty. You want to ride in the back of an uncovered pick up, go ahead, but assume the risk. Same with riding 4 on a scooter at night on a vehicle in poor repair and no lights, to me that's not desperation and it's certainly not a recipe for "survival" mode. As far of the rest of your explaination, please spare me your patronizing remarks about Hummers and having to work to feed their families, what here in the US we have free food and housing??. Cozumel, while any idiot would realize is not the US, is however a very prosperous area compared to the rest of Mexico. My point was in my view, given the circumstances, the choice to ride four on a scooter is not wise. However I would also say that anyone who rides a motorcycle anywhere on US highways is short a few flapjacks of a full stack. So please take it at face value, I'm not looking to crusade to force the poor downtrodden people out of their scooters. I was just stating my opinion.

So why am I and my entire industry working with a Short Stack?
So you have a full stack in the land of the free to accept the risk of Diving,rock climbing,flying,free falling. driving to work Skate boarding,Water Skiing,Skiing,snowboard,Football,base ball.Hockey,Basket ball.
Figures would come from the left coast

 

[Christi]

Sorry Swarth...you are WAY off base and your remarks are offensive and insensitive at best.

The DAILY wage here is $4 to $40 per DAY...with the $40 being on the very HIGH side for a very small portion of the population...with more than 1/2 the population being in the $15 or less range. Just because this is Mexico does not mean that it is cheap to live here. In fact, many things are MORE expensive because it is an island...EVERYTHING is imported.

You try raising a family on $400 or $500 a month here and then get back to us with your judgments about the local people.

 

[GPdiver]

I am working with such a short stack that I even have had four on a scooter in fact
one of Christi's on call divemasters children Dillin and Kelley Chac.

 

[Christi]

I am working with such a short stack that I even have had four on a scooter in fact
one of Christi's on call divemasters children Dillin and Kelley Chac.

:11: You DIDN'T

Seriously...I don't know those children...should I? haha

 

[Swarth]

One last time. You are all reading WAY more into my posts than I ever wrote. Still thanks for all the kind words regarding things I never said. In fact, Cristi is calling for the end to a whole industry on Cozumel, yet that is OK. In fact, Motorcycle riders in the US have 27 times more deaths per mile driven than cars. Yes that's correct, look it up 27 TIMES more deaths per mile. I recently saw a guy (who was wearing a helmet) ooze his brains and life all over the pavement while we stood and helplessly watched. Don't assume where I have been or what I've seen, talk about Hubris and insensitivity. Social status or cultural difference have no factor in any of this. Your logic for justification is way of base and another typical Liberal lie. I see it everyday, "You can't imagine what caused him to rob that liquor store and shoot dead the clerk" He was abused, is poor, had a bad hair day...what ever. You know something that's right I can't imagine it. The point is I don't have to because it's irrelevent! Robbing and Murder are wrong. Doesn't matter what country we are in it's a natural law. Therefore, common sense tells us that riding four on a scooter in a dangerous place is WRONG. It may or may not be legal in Cozumel, but my point is that eventually natural LAW will catch up to you and bad things are more likely to happen. You want to take that risk? Fine, but don't expect me to tell you what a smart choice that is. I can't believe the lack of that simple understanding. Flame away, but until you refute facts you have no case.

 

[ggunn]

Whatever. Anybody read any good books lately? ;^)

 

[Christi]

Swarth...you apparently didn't see my very first sentence in my second post on this where I said...

"Although of course it is not safe for the locals to put their entire families on one moped, it is a way of life and the only means of transportation most can afford."

I am not calling to the end of an industry at all, don't be ridiculous. What I am saying is that there is a HUGE difference in locals using the mopeds for transportation and tourists renting them because "Oh, how FUN...a moped!" IN GENERAL...the tourists that tend rent mopeds, go spend the day on the beach drinking, don't know the roads, don't pay attention, and have nore often than not never been on one in their life. Any or all of the above may apply.

Locals, KNOW the roads, local driving "rules"/habits, and they aren't typically out partying or "playing." They are rididing responsibly and this is the difference.

No, I don't think it is safe for them to pile their faamilies on them and it makes me cringe everytime I see it...but it is also not my place to judge them and call them insane or stupid for doing so.

Rant off.