Would I be crazy to get a moped?

[WhatsOnTv]

I haven't done much driving in my life, haven't needed to as I've lived in London. Passed my driving test years ago but never got round to buying a car.
I've moved to a smaller town and still don't drive but I'm applying for a new job where I will need to. It will be mostly short journeys 2-3 times a day.
I don't have lots of spare cash ATM and I'm wondering if I could get away with getting a moped instead of a car. I was thinking this because I've cycled a lot and am more comfortable on a bike than in a car.

Is this a stupid idea?

Yabu - bad idea
Yanbu - not a bad idea

Not a bad idea idea. Mopeds are cheap to run. You would need to buy some appropriate clothing though, especially for wet/cold weather. I would suggest at least doing CBT first too. Is a one day course.

Do a CBT and see how comfortable you are on a bike, then decide. My advice is get protective clothing, good helmet, boots, don't think a scooter requires less protection than a bigger motorcycle, the damage will be the same if you come off!

Snap! We cross posted.

I would get a cheap secondhand car. Mopeds are slow, can't carry much shopping, shit for long distances at the weekend, and miserable in the winter.

Ebike?

@XenoBitch and @YYURYYUCICYYUR4ME Doing a CBT course is a good idea, I just googled, apparently you can used their bikes. That would be a great way for me to have a go without making a commitment

I wouldn't use it for long distances. I wouldn't drive long distances either though. I do online shops so that's not a problem either.
But yes in winter I imagine you need some very warm clothes

I knew someone who wanted to get a bike... bought one in a shop and all the gear. Did CBT and hated it. Sent everything back!

It is always worth a go, and it will help you decide. I started out on a moped back in the day. The eeeeEEEEEeeee of the them was the most annoying thing 😂

Hmm that's an idea
Cheaper than a moped too. I think I need to find out exactly how much travelling is involved and how long it would take on an ebike.

Oh yeah, they do make an annoying noise.
I wonder if you stop noticing after a while 😏

Whats wrong with a bicycle, keep u fit

Yes that's a possibility, depends on how far I need to travel, how quick I have to get there and how much I need to carry

A bicycle is also dependent on how fit you are etc. If you are feeling ill/fucking exhausted, you might struggle on a bicycle.

I wonder if I can store all that gear in the moped or if I'd need to carry it with me

You can get a box that will happily accommodate a helmet and gloves. Everything else you would be wearing anyway, unless you fancy getting changed out in the road 😂

Good point, I'd need to do some training as I'm super unfit at the moment. And yes I'd need an alternative if I wasn't feeling up to it

I was actually imagining that I'd whip off my protective jacket and trousers by the side of the road and stuff them in the box. I'm not very ladylike 😂

I had a long coveted Vespa for commuting several
miles for a few years. I did the CBT which was fine. I absolutely adored it, especially in the summer, and it was amazing how much you could get in it especially with a back box. Unfortunately I had two nasty accidents. Both involved emergency braking because of cars pulling out of junctions directly in front of me (much like cyclists, moped riders are second class road users in the eyes of many drivers).First accident I ended up skidding in wet weather and second was on ice. 20 years ago now and I still have numbness in my right knee. Would have been much worse if I wasn’t in full protective gear but it was a wake up call so I reluctantly sold it. I’d never let my children have one now.

Whatever you get - make sure you wear the protective gear .
I ride a motorbike and the amount of car drivers who ‘don’t see you ‘ can be quite scary

Yep, I was a biker for many years. Always assume car drivers are asleep.

That's scary, sorry that happened to you..
The safety aspect is something else to consider. I'll look into that

For your CBT you usually have to wear your own protective gear and helmet - so see if you can borrow some (ask on FB locally, ask anyone you know with a bike).

If you do get a bike do not under-estimate the value of a £4 day-glo orange hi viz vest. Be seen.
And get the brightest waterproofs you can find, avoid black

Likewise get a new, properly fitted helmet, and spend as much as you can on AAA or AA rated safety clothing and proper boots, even if only on a step-through scooter, it HURTS when your skin meets the tarmac, your aim is to avoid that happening. Vinted and FB Marketplace are your friend, quite a bit floating about hardly worn.

Thank you, good advice!

But wouldn't it be better to buy transport that could do all that stuff if the need arose? I don't see that a moped + lessons + all the gear will be that much cheaper than a car and is so much less future proof.

I actually really like walking everywhere and it keeps me fit. So even if I did get a car I wouldn't use it all the time, definitely not for long distances.
I've managed without a car up until now, that's not going to change.
From the little bit of research I've done, it looks like a moped would be much cheaper than a car, less than half the price, that includes, initial cost, maintenance, insurance, tax and petrol.
To summarise....
A car would be more expensive but have more space and be more comfortable; warmer and drier.