One of the questions when going to university is whether you should take a car with you or not. For one thing, student accommodation is pretty notorious when it comes to parking and, let’s be honest, you won’t be travelling very far anyway. The whole point of going to Uni is to enjoy living in a new city and experiencing life away from home. And going to the pub!
But could a scooter be a viable alternative? Here are a few things to consider.
The commute – If you live just far enough outside of your Uni to make waking practical then a scooter is a much faster alternative to public transport or a car, given the congestion that often happens in most cities.
Cost – A good scooter can set you back as little as £1,000. If you spent that little on a car you’d probably be lucky to get something that even starts! Running a scooter is really cheap too, as the engines are quite small. You’ll probably pay less than £20 per year in tax and your MOT will only set you back around £30. The cost of scooter insurance will also be significantly lower.
Environmentally friendly – The efficiency of their engines and their size mean that scooters are much more eco-friendly than cars and motorbikes. You can even opt for an electric scooter, though this is likely to set you back a little more. With conventional scooters, it’s the fuel efficiency that keeps the costs down, with the average scooter getting many more miles to the gallon than the average car or motorbike.
No licence – Whereas driving a car requires you to have passed your written and practical driving test, to legally drive a scooter you only need to have passed a compulsory basic training (CBS) test. This is much more straightforward and less demanding than a practical test, though it’s still something you should probably do your research on before proceeding. Note that you can also legally ride a 125cc scooter on a provisional licence as long as you’re over 17.
Same result – You’ll get the same benefits you’d get from a car (the ability to get to lectures, nip to the shops and more) without the major overhead costs.
Easy to handle – It’s stressful being a student, now perhaps more than ever before. A scooter, however, is incredibly easy to get to grips with, more so than even a motorbike. It’s also a smooth and easy ride thanks to the owner power engines and you are also allowed in motorcycle lanes and certain bus lanes, meaning your journey will always be faster.
Space – We’ve saved the most obvious for last. Not only are scooters smaller when it comes to storage but their size also means they are easy to park. Indeed, many car parks don’t even charge for two-wheeled parking! So, what are you waiting for?
