By David Johnson
As summer approaches, more students are going out for a breath of fresh air and filling the streets with summertime transportation.
'Whenever it''s not raining and the sun is out, I''m on my scooter,' said Scott McShane, a BYU senior.
Students are finding that with front row parking on campus and an average of 60 to 100 miles per gallon, scooters are a fun and economical choice for the summer.
'The parking on campus is 10 times better with a scooter,' McShane said.
Now that Y parking is free on campus, McShane said he is able to park his scooter close to his classes.
In addition to the close parking, McShane and other students save money overall by using a scooter.
'What I pay as a payment on my scooter every month, is money I save on gas,' said Kirsten Jolley, a freshman at BYU, starting fall of 2006.
According to the assistant manager of The Scooter Lounge, Kent Pyne, scooters sales are up 20 percent from last year.
'People are noticing scooters more and they realize how fun they are,' he said. 'Half of our referrals are from other customers.'
McShane, who is studying physiology and developmental biology at BYU, said he was skeptical about riding a scooter at first because of safety issues. But, after riding a scooter, he realized that they were easy to handle.
He said while riding his scooter is thrilling he never rides during wet weather or on the freeway.
Michael Harroun, captain for BYU''s University Police, said the type of precautions that McShane takes while riding are what all students should follow.
He said students who want to ride scooters for fun should ride on streets that have less traffic. Wearing proper clothing and protection is also important.
Riding with pants, shoes and a helmet can reduce the amount of injury even in a small accident, Harroun said. It is also important to be licensed, registered and have insurance on a scooter.
Pyne, who organizes local rides for a scooter club at The Scooter Lounge, said insurance for scooters range from $50 to $200 a year. Like Harroun, he said insurance is an important safety factor and the cost is a bargain.