Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Transportation Alternatives, On Two Wheels, USA
Marauding electric scooter gang goes on college campus rampage
If you happen to be in the vicinity of Troy University, in Troy, Alabama, be on the lookout for a marauding gang of large guys rampaging about the campus on small electric scooters. Ok, maybe that could be construed as being somewhat overstated. But, if you replace "marauding gang" with "members of the football team" and "rampaging" with "ecologically transporting themselves" then the report is completely accurate. The scooter riding began at the end of last semester when football player Nathan Nolin decided to invest in the green transportation device instead of driving his truck (which was costing him $85 a fill-up). It's worked out so well, he hasn't bought gas since. His football compatriots realized a good thing when they saw one and got their own scooters as well swelling the number of this "biker" gang to about 20. Not only have they all enjoyed a summer wizzing around having fun and saving gas, they've also cut down on all the hassles that go along with trying to find parking on campus. With school getting back underway the players have been busy fielding all kinds of questions from "regular" students as to where they got their two-wheelers and so expect their little fad to begin extending among the rest of the student population. Way to go, Trojans!
[Source: Montgomery Advertiser]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
John Rowell 4:03PM (8/27/2008)
Yeah, way to go!! I think they'll start a trend on campus. I like hearing stories like this. Lol @ the title :)
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catherine 1:41AM (8/28/2008)
cool! This is what has to happen....with electrics,alternative fuels,convincing people who don't really need a car to not get one etc etc ..it has to become COOL. People always want to emulate the successful,lets face it that's how big SUV's and trucks got so popular because famous people ,rappers etc started driving them,not because people sudddenly realized they "needed" one. In the 80's everyone had to have a beemer,then later a mercedes,etc etc
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Nikolaj 4:54AM (8/28/2008)
Great story, but would have liked to know what brand and model scooter it was, cause how much electric scooter can you really get for 300 dollars which was the price for them, i myself have a goped 750 esr ex and i paid 1000 euro for that, and i still only get 5 km from the 4 lead-acid 12 volt batteries, but maybe i need new batteries, anyhow a nice story.
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Janus 7:09AM (8/28/2008)
ok its great to hear ev are becoming "cool" now but i have to make a quick joke..ok so these are football players who play a game where they tackel each other to the ground and eventually will do this for money if not already and now they are driving electric scooters not motorcycles but scooters, sounds to me they need to pull a lance bass, than again those people like lance gave the world interior decor that doesnt suck. srry i had to say it but i'm all for ev and most alternative transport.
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kizane 2:29PM (8/28/2008)
Smart guy... tap into the [more than likey] free-to-them electric on the campus to move around.
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jason 9:06PM (8/28/2008)
the only scooters i could find for $300 seemed to be like a razor with an electric motor, some with seats on posts. they only got around 15 miles per charge. at the amount they're going, it would seem that they could just use a bicycle around campus. they are, after all, supposedly athletes.
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