Riding in the USA on a Motorcycle

Riding To Work

My Point of View

I live in Rockville, MD where I have a BMW 1200GS but I go to Rome, Italy five times a year where I keep a BMW 1150GS. In Italy, motorcycles and scooters are becoming the vehicle of choice for most people who drive to work. The main reasons are: convenience, speed and economy.

ADVANTAGES of DRIVING BY MOTORCYCLE Outside the US:

1. You can go between lanes so it cuts commuting times in less then half.



2. You find a spot and almost always you can park. (It is virtually impossible to find car parking space).



3. With gas prices at twice the cost in the United States, motorcycles and scooters provide a real saving in commuting costs.



4. Motorcycles have smaller engines so, in theory, they pollute less than cars

Without the possibility of going between lanes and getting easier parking, there is no real advantage in using a motorcycle in the US!

You only get wet when it rains and get cold in the winter, and of course, you can easily get hurt as well. So the popularity of motorcycles will not increase in the US and traffic will be worse FOR EVERYBODY unless US authorities permit motorcycles to go between lanes. A possible  alternative would be to let us use for example the emergency lane on the beltway and  add motorcycle parking areas in DC.   The use of the emergency lane on the beltway is not as bad as it might sound: motorcycle do use them in Europe and in case of an ambulance or police emergency need they do move out of the way easily.

Another suggestion for whoever lives on the East coast and like touring is to buy a touring book from Great roads great Rides in the North Eastern US. The best guides for up-close discovery of our American Back Roads!