Thinking of using a moped to get around?

I saw that on Consortium this morning and thought "how absolutely tragic and unnecessary that these 2 young people have lost their lives."
It may be a cheap mode of transportation but is it worth your life or that of your loved one?
Buy a darned car.

Alana33 - "It may be a cheap mode of transportation but is it worth your life or that of your loved one?
Buy a darned car."

I couldn't agree more.

This advice is especially true for newcomers or those contemplating relocation to any island in the Caribbean, a lot of whom are coming with limited financial means. They recognize the need for transportation so in their excitement of finding a new life in paradise they try to convince themselves they can get by using scooter even though they may have limited or no experience driving/riding on a scooter. Unfortunately the condition, design and type of roads, the disregard of speed limits, the less than courteous drivers, etc. all make this a risky option. The same can also be extended toward those who think using a bicycle as their primary means of transportation might be a good idea.

Time and time again, many of the regular contributors here, caution against scooters but that advice is either ignored or we are looked upon as "naysayers" who like to dash someone's hopes and dreams of living an idyllic life on a tropical island. Instead all we are doing is giving the reader a look at reality.

Sorry for the preaching but it is just tragic to see anyone lose their life in a traffic accident that might have resulted in little or no injury if they were driving a car instead of a scooter.

If you depend on a scooter here, stay off the "go fast" highway!!!

....and in a recent thread when I made negative comments about motorcycles and mopeds as a mode of transportation I was highly criticized by.........who was that?

Let's stay focused.
People that have no experience with motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, etc., should not attempt it on these islands. Even those experienced find it challenging.

....and in a recent thread when I made negative comments about motorcycles and mopeds as a mode of transportation I was highly criticized by.........who was that?

This thread?
https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,260987,261074#msg-261074

Nobody who's contributed to this thread criticized you either highly or lowly on that thread, so your comment is very confusing. One poster irritatedly wanted to know what my personal experience was on the subject - obviously assuming I had none, even though I've been strongly against mopeds and scooters as a form of transportation here for donkey's years - and I declined to answer as the subject had been well covered in previous threads. But I see no critical comments of anything you added to the thread.

A man lost his life a few months ago riding a moped on the turns between Chenay Bay and Miss Bea Road on St. Croix. I agree that mopeds / scooters are a really bad idea in the VI.

Not just mopeds. A couple days ago I saw four VERY obviously drunk tourists in a rental car running all the red lights - going nearly 90 hanging their heads out of the windows screaming and laughing. They blew through the two lights including the one that goes to the airport.

I was furious. I caught up with them, although it was terrifying to go that speed after living here for three years. I was screaming at them and taking photos of them and their license plate. I realized how dangerous it was for me, so I slowed down and called the police. Followed them towards Sandy point with 911 on the phone. Of course no one came and they lost me after they realized I was on the phone and I refused to go 60 around turns.

I consider myself a pretty avid travler, but why people come here and thing they can go apeS is beyond me.

Right before I moved to STX I saw two tourists in Hawaiian shirts on a scooter drinking rum straight out of the bottle on the ferry home. So drunk they couldn't stand. Seriously. Just don't drive a scooter here.

this year there have been 3 serious moped/scooter/motorcycle accidents. 3 deaths and 1 lost leg. this is on stx, not sure about stt but out of a population of about 125,000? are the odds really that bad.

am curious to know about serious car accidents on the islands.

our neighbor uses one to get around exclusively.

You can find statistics through 2013 here:
United States Virgin Islands Highway Safety Plan Fiscal ... - NHTSA

You'll have to copy and paste it into your search engine as it's a PDF file which doesn't want to be pasted onto this forum for some reason - but the figures are all there.

That is why in US two wheels are called "donor cycle"
Here in VI it should be called "graveyard cycle" as organs are not considered acceptable for transplant.

That brings back really sour memories. When Mapp's mentor, Roy Schneider, was campaigning for Governor, one of his widely touted attributes was successfully setting up and operating the first kidney transplant unit at the St Thomas Hospital. No mention was ever made of the fact that not one of the patients survived.

I used to be in favor of mopeds and said so here on the forum many times. But, I've changed my position over the past few years after hearing about the aforementioned horrific accidents. Mopeds might be okay in a place where the roads are maintained, but definitely not here.

According to the news report the couple was hit from behind by a truck. Simply put they died because they were run over.

Sure, they could have been smarter and chosen a different route, or possible mode of conveyance, however what they were doing was not illegal nor specifically intended to put themselves at risk. We all have the right to expect all users of the road to travel safely.

Your arguments that their choice of conveyance is at fault disregard the fact that it was likely the actions of the driver of the truck that led to their demise. Your argument could be applied to discourage people from walking across the road, because as we all know from time to time here in the islands, inattentive drivers in vehicles hit and kill/injure pedestrians.

Most accidents here on St. Croix involving bikes are usually the fault of the driver of a cage. Yes there is the occasional yahoo involving excessive speed or lack of experience that results in a wreck, but most of the time a bike is hit by a cage, or run off the road by one.

In this instance two young people lost their lives because they were hit from behind by a truck. We will never know exactly what occurred or what, if any, part they might have had in their own demise. To imply it was their own fault for choosing to ride a bike is disrespectful and a just plain saddening.

The risks are known, so respect the decision of others to use the legal method of transportation of their choosing.

(now flame away - but don't expect a response)

Well written. Thank you.

IslandHops, you have made an excellent point.
However, the other side of the coin is that the injuries of the deceased would not have been as bad if they had been in a vehicle. A friend of mine appeared on the scene minutes after the accident, and he actually assisted EMT with the gurney and some equipment. He described truly horrific injuries and the images of what he saw are still in his mind, haunting him days later.

I don't believe that anyone was blaming the driver and passenger of the moped for this horrific accident. It obviously was the fault of the driver that hit them. However, their choice of transportation ultimately led to their tragic deaths.
Had they been in a car, their chances of survival would have been greatly improved.

....and in a recent thread when I made negative comments about motorcycles and mopeds as a mode of transportation I was highly criticized by.........who was that?

This thread?
https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,260987,261074#msg-261074

Nobody who's contributed to this thread criticized you either highly or lowly on that thread, so your comment is very confusing. One poster irritatedly wanted to know what my personal experience was on the subject - obviously assuming I had none, even though I've been strongly against mopeds and scooters as a form of transportation here for donkey's years - and I declined to answer as the subject had been well covered in previous threads. But I see no critical comments of anything you added to the thread.

Thanks OT for clearing that up. It was after all a month ago and I could not locate that thread. I do however remember that this subject comes up quite frequently and my opinion not being welcomed. I have ridden in several states where drivers are more aware of cyclists and you still have to ramp up your defensive rider skills. Here in the VI cars don't respect each other never mind bikes.

But being in the right does not make them any less hurt or dead.

I hear eating processed red meat might be linked to cancer. So anyone who eats a cheeseburger and dies of cancer probably "contributed to their own demise" . Obviously it had noting to do with the possibility of cells mutating from other factors (being hit).

After all, it's the fault of the cancer victims (bike riders) choice of consumption (transportation) that ultimately led to their own death - (Yea right).

So lets grab the flaming torches and warn everyone coming to the islands of the risk of eating cheeseburgers. We can just start "anti-cheeseburger" threads every time we hear of someone dying of cancer.

Alternatively, how about we let people take personal responsibility for themselves, and make their own decisions based on their knowledge, experience and the information available. There is plenty enough anti-bike info in the archives of this forum, and if in doubt newbies can always ask.

Personally, and I'm going to rant a bit here, I think those of you saying this couple contributed to their own demise and shouldn't have been riding, or should have been in a car or bla, bla, bla, just makes me disgusted. Who are you to judge the choices they made in life. They were HIT for god's sake.

Maybe their personal circumstances meant they couldn't afford a car, so does that mean they shouldn't be allowed to be on a bike (an activity that is still perfectly legal), or maybe you want to stop anyone from moving here who intends traveling from a-to-b but can't afford a car. Yep let's check for valid drivers licenses and suitable funds upon arrival and send everyone else packing. What bollocks.

What's next? How about boats. People accidentally drown you know. Let's start discouraging anyone from going out on a boat. Especially those that might consider sailing solo - Oh wait, you've already done that topic to death too. Hooray!

I'm pretty sure the constitution still states something about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I'd like to believe that the couple who were killed enjoyed life together, including times buzzing along on their scooter, enjoying being engaged with life on our islands. I wish their souls peace, and their families timely release from grief.

These two people died a horrible death and people are bickering on this board.
smh

These two people died a horrible death and people are bickering on this board.
smh

Bickering?

Personally, and I'm going to rant a bit here, I think those of you saying this couple contributed to their own demise and shouldn't have been riding, or should have been in a car or bla, bla, bla, just makes me disgusted.

What bollocks.

Bollocks indeed to your whole rant of disgust. I'm totally flummoxed at what you're reading into posts.

There seems no update as yet of the couples' names, how long they'd been on island, where they worked, etc. I very much hope that if their families come across this thread they don't make the same assumptions as IslandHops.

I hear eating processed red meat might be linked to cancer. So anyone who eats a cheeseburger and dies of cancer probably "contributed to their own demise" . Obviously it had noting to do with the possibility of cells mutating from other factors (being hit).

A hamburger or steak never hit someone from behind at 50 mph unless it was in an eighteen wheeler at the time. DUH!