Photo by PoPville flickr user brunofish
“Dear PoPville,
Over the last month or so, I’ve noticed Vespas and other similar makes all over DC, especially near my DuPont/Farragut office. My work commute is a bit long and while I don’t mind taking the bus or ubering (or walking, which is what I tend to do), I wouldn’t mind having my own transportation. However, I don’t need a car, at least not at the moment. I’ve looked into the different models and really like the GTS Super 300 because it goes a little faster than some of the other models and I could potentially use it to visit my family in the VA suburbs. I know I need a special license for it and looked into insurance too but I have questions about people’s experience with them but don’t know anyone who has one and the articles/threads I’ve found aren’t recent.
Some questions I have are:
What’s the parking situation like?
Are car/bus drivers inconsiderate or aware/cautious around them?
Are theft or vandalism big problems?
Is it better to buy a new or used Vespa?
Although, I’m partial to Vespas, are other makers more practical?
Are they easy/affordable to fix if there’s an issue?
When I look around, most cars just have drivers, no passengers (except for Ubers and the like), so why don’t more people have mopeds or motorcycles in DC? What am I missing?!
Any answers/advice you and/or your readers could provide would be highly appreciated!”