I'm known as the "pink lady" in my neighborhood. I cruise around town in my Barbie-inspired bubblegum pink motor scooter, complete with pink helmet. Big, tough Harley guys often wink and woo me, little girls smile and wave, people take pictures and I always elicit smiles. I'm a novelty in San Diego, making an environmental statement on my little pink ride.

I love my motor scooter! In the U.S. scooters are a rare novelty. In a land of monster trucks and SUVs a scooter can get swallowed up on the road. But after learning about the effects of global warming, I realized it was time for me to lose the car and reduce my ecological footprint.

At first I considered buying a hybrid, but after reconsidering my location a scooter seemed the better choice. I live where it hardly ever rains and the temperature varies between hot and moderate year round. With average gas consumption of 90 miles per gallon - a motor scooter is the perfect vehicle.

At first I feared people may not see me on the road - boy was I wrong! Nobody misses me in my hot little pink ride! Every day too and from work drivers watch me and smile. I feel good about myself, but even better about the statement I am making: Motor scooters are cool! And they help cool the planet!

My husband was so envious of my scooter, he bought himself one too although pink isn't his color, he opted for silver. Lately I'm noticing more and more scooters on the road. We nod and wave it's like we have a secret community on a common mission and I'm convinced those lonely commuters isolated in their cars want to be a part of the gang.

But it is at the gas station where I really seal the deal for the scooter-envious. When I fill up my tank on $3 once a week, mouths drop and I get the expected plethora of questions: where did you buy it, how much did it cost, how fast does it go? You get HOW many miles per gallon?! No Way!

I'm proud to be the pink lady, but I do wish I wasn't such a novelty. Oh what a better world it would be if everyone drove a scooter instead of an SUV!

Learn more about this author, Sharon Dewar.
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