Saturday, March 29, 2008

Continental scooterists, part 1

I snapped this guy in the newer part of Granada. He's on a very nice, well looked-after mid 80s P-range Vespa. I suspect he was just on his way back to work after almuerzo. No jacket, no gloves, no jeans. No boots - in fact, not even any socks. Not sure about the helmet, but he really looks the part. The cities of Europe are full of scooterists dressed like this, especially in Italy and Spain - even on the motorway. In Paris, it's fairly common to see scooterists in London-style hi-viz jackets but I can't imagine that in Rome. In the back of every London Vespa rider's mind is an image of them riding in shirt sleeves down the Viale Di Trastevere, helmetless. I feel naked if I nip to the shops wearing my denim jacket instead of my armour and cordura.

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