Queuing for buses, filing down packed escalators, standing nose-to-nose (or worse, nose-to-armpit) with complete strangers… these are the things we accept as part and parcel of the daily commute if we live in a city. A necessary evil. But it’s not actually ‘necessary’ at all and we do have a choice. A scooter represents liberation to thousands every day: freedom from crowds, unreliable transport services or from endless traffic jams if you’re driving.
The scooter is light, nimble, efficient and fun – but is it faster than public transport in a crowded city? We decided to put it to the test. With a predetermined route from Spitalfields market, near Liverpool Street in east London to South Kensington in the west, we pitted scooter versus commuter. Who will win? Place your bets…
The verdict
Commuter (journey time 44 mins) : I’ve been commuting for 8 years and I do find it quite stressful. It’s so crowded that you find yourself getting very irritated when people are in your way. The only way to get through it is to zone out by reading a book or magazine. It’s slow too – even though my Tube journey only takes 24 minutes, I have a 10 minute walk to and from the stations. I am seriously thinking of getting a scooter, I love the idea of being in the fresh air rather than a hot, sweaty Tube train.
Scooter (journey time 24 mins) : I hate using public transport now! On my scooter I have control of my own time, I don’t get held up by train delays or traffic jams so I know exactly how long my journey will take. It’s really cheap and you don’t have to pay to park. I’m outside in the fresh air and I have a great route through London past all the famous sights.
