Teens and mopeds/scooters

[Erinoo]

I’m almost certain I’m not unreasonable but none the less I’ll get opinions.
We live in a smallish town, rural all around but the roads in the town are narrow too. Our neighbours daughter has a Vespa, she’s in DDs year at school (Y12) so she’s maybe 16/17. She wears a helmet and gloves but literally no other protection and uses it to get to tennis (a little outside of town) and sometimes school.
Now I will say her aesthetic is very cool and of course my teens want to be her!

My DD is 17 so learning to drive now anyways but DS is 16 in August and desperately wants a moped. Now I know he technically can but the thought terrifies me! I also know he only wants it as the pretty blonde girl next door looks effortlessly cool on hers!!
DH is fine with it and his reason is “the neighbours dad is a doctor if he’s ok with it we should be too”. I’m in camp “not over my dead body there is no world in which that can be safe”. It absolutely terrifies me seeing this young girl on her moped in nothing more than her school uniform (yes skirt and typical girly school shoes) and a helmet riding this thing.
So AIBU to say not over my dead body will DS be getting a moped?

Even if your DS is very sensible you can’t account for other road users, a moped rider is extremely vulnerable. We all do an in head risk assessment for anything we do, I agree with you that it’s a bad idea.

A Vespa is a scooter not a moped
He'd be fine he'd do the CBT .
And he'd be restricted to 50 cc.
My first vespa a 50 special had a top speed of 35mph.and a bit less with the lights and mirrors.😁

Unless you'd stop your ds riding a push bike you're being U, 50cc bikes hardly reach speeds higher than a regular pedal bike going downhill! You could always insist on sturdier shoes/gloves and put restrictions on bad weather/nighttime usage if you want to minimise risk? Id also insist mine took the motorbike theory as it's imperative for road sense IMO.

What would you thoughts be if she was cycling to school in her school uniform?

Speed could be similar.
Same vulnerability.

My initial reaction was she should be wearing more protective clothing though. DHs only biking accident was when his bike hit wet leaves. My brother was similarly hurt when his bicycle hit actram track wrong. Either way... the fact they had long sleeves and trousers on protected them from the skin injuries.

My carbon road bike goes way faster than a restricted moped

there as much at risk falling off a pushbike as they are a moped
plus on a moped they have more of a road presence ,lights that are permanently on,better brakes and acceleration so they can control a situation better

I had a little 50cc scooter when I was 18, I couldn't afford to tax/insure/petrol for a car and the scooter was much cheaper.
I went on busy dual carriageways, through town centres, on massive roundabouts, I can't believe how brave I was when I look back.
An old man drove out a side street, said he didn't see me and hit me.
Thankfully neither of us were going very fast. I was wearing all appropriate protective clothing, I was bruised and in pain, fractured my arm, but I was okay.

DH has been hit on his motorbike, someone again tried to pull out from a side street and apparently just didn't see him.

I've been driving a car for 11 years now, I am a very cautious driver and have never been in an accident.

The problem I found is there isn't really an emergency stop on a moped, you pull the brakes too hard and the wheels essentially just slip from under you. A car (usually) just stops.

I'm glad I had the experience and I really needed transport at the time as I worked midnight finishes and couldn't afford a taxi and was too scared of people on the buses (if I could find one that was still running) but other people's driving and lack of awareness about bikes and scooters are scary.

No it’s where I’ll have my battle, now when living in my home

Drum brakes on scooters 40 odd years ago were ropey,disc brakes and the knowledge how to apply is a different thing altogether.