3 ms·

>This affected scooters significantly, since compulsory helmets put off a lot of people. Maybe. But that (helmets made compulsory) happened in 1986, i.e. more

by jaclaz 5y ago

>This affected scooters significantly, since compulsory helmets put off a lot of people. Maybe. But that (helmets made compulsory) happened in 1986, i.e. more or less 36 years ago, for most people (moped drivers more than 18 years old were exempt) and in 2000, still more than 20 years ago, helmets were made compulsory for all. I would say that by now they (the Italians) have managed to deal with that.

toyg 5y ago
Eh, it depends what you mean by "managed"... It's still one of the most flaunted rules, in some areas people will even "wear" it with the lower part of a full-face helmet on their forehead, ready to "drop" the helmet (if they see police) but otherwise keeping it away from their preciously combed hair. In the "wildest" areas, the rules are still flaunted - although it's definitely less common than 20 years ago, particularly in big cities. But what I meant is that helmet rules were one of the factors that resulted in the decline of sales that eventually wiped all the local manufacturers except Piaggio (which survives on Vespa and Ape built in cheaper factories offshore). The peak years were the late '80s / early '90s.
- jaclaz 5y ago
  Sure, though I don't know how much helmets were relevant, there is also the not-so-trifling issue of the 2 stroke and many older Euro level engines having been de facto progressively forbidden, some complications for getting driving licenses, the (debatable whether justified or not) resistance/fear of parents in letting 14 years old drive into the traffic. In the '70's and '80's (AFAICR less so in the '90's), any kid was waiting to get 14 to be able to get (if the parents could afford it) a moped, even a Ciao, and then started waiting to get 16 to be able to get the "A" driving license and be able to drive a 125 cc. I think that there has been a general shift due to these and possibly other factors that made mopeds (but also motorcycles) less desirable to most young people.

by jaclaz 5y ago

toyg 5y ago

Eh, it depends what you mean by "managed"... It's still one of the most flaunted rules, in some areas people will even "wear" it with the lower part of a full-face helmet on their forehead, ready to "drop" the helmet (if they see police) but otherwise keeping it away from their preciously combed hair. In the "wildest" areas, the rules are still flaunted - although it's definitely less common than 20 years ago, particularly in big cities. But what I meant is that helmet rules were one of the factors that resulted in the decline of sales that eventually wiped all the local manufacturers except Piaggio (which survives on Vespa and Ape built in cheaper factories offshore). The peak years were the late '80s / early '90s.

jaclaz 5y ago
Sure, though I don't know how much helmets were relevant, there is also the not-so-trifling issue of the 2 stroke and many older Euro level engines having been de facto progressively forbidden, some complications for getting driving licenses, the (debatable whether justified or not) resistance/fear of parents in letting 14 years old drive into the traffic. In the '70's and '80's (AFAICR less so in the '90's), any kid was waiting to get 14 to be able to get (if the parents could afford it) a moped, even a Ciao, and then started waiting to get 16 to be able to get the "A" driving license and be able to drive a 125 cc. I think that there has been a general shift due to these and possibly other factors that made mopeds (but also motorcycles) less desirable to most young people.