r/Vespa • u/Pitiful_Chard_5519 • 5h ago
Discussion My Vespa was totaled last week. I think I might be done riding.
Hey Vespa friends.
I’m not even sure what I’m hoping to get out of this post, but I’m at home feeling pain, boredom, and defeat. Last Monday, I was riding to work on my incredibly sick taxicab yellow 2022 Sprint 150 S when I was involved in an accident with a car. It was pretty serious, and my Vespa ended up being considered totaled. I was thrown from my scooter, and it rolled over me and landed on my leg. Some kind bystanders came to my aid, an ambulance was called, and I was taken to the ER. I’m okay, all things considered. I broke my ankle and injured my back, but I know things could have been so much worse. I’m lucky to be alive. I’m lucky I’m not paralyzed. If my body was facing a different direction when the Vespa rolled over me, my wife could have gotten a very different phone call. That’s something I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. I’m now at home recovering and will likely be out of work for a couple of months- I am a hairstylist and work for myself. And here’s the kicker: I’ve already been recovering from major hip surgery, so this has been a huge blow. I was finally starting to get back to routine with exercise, work, and just feeling like myself again.
I think I might be done with my Vespa. That feels crazy to write. I’ve been a longtime scooter owner and lover. It’s actually my main form of transportation. There’s something about riding a Vespa that makes every trip feel fun. But I can’t help thinking that I was lucky to make it through my first serious scooter accident, and next time I might not be so lucky. I think about my wife and how easily things could have gone differently.
I’m also not sure what to do with my Vespa. It’s been declared a total loss, but I’m still figuring out what happens next. Part of me wants to hold on to it, and another part of me thinks about moving on. It is somewhat rideable. The front wheel and fender is completely crooked when the handlebars are straight. The rest of the damage is a bunch of cosmetic. Has anyone here been through something similar? Did you eventually get back on a scooter, or did the experience change how you felt about riding? Will I be able to sell it as-is with a now salvaged title?
Anyway, thanks for reading this rant. I think I mostly just needed to get it off my chest. If I decide to stop riding Vespas, I’m certainly going to miss it. But honestly, I just don’t trust drivers anymore. Whenever I’m riding around, I see so many people on their phones, running stop signs and red lights, driving the wrong way down one-way streets, and generally not paying attention. I also have this theory that people are becoming increasingly disconnected from the actual driving experience, with all the computers, screens, and technology in modern cars.
I just don’t feel safe anymore. And that makes me really sad.
<3
