.... on a scooter, I imagine that it's better to remain seated on the thing. SO was over at the American Library yesterday evening, so I took the scooter over there, intending to get the bus back here to 'supervise' the charging of the BMW's battery. I got off the scooter, reversed it into one of those little '2-wheel' parking spaces provided for bikes near the kerb. At this point, the scooter was on a slight incline, backwards. I got off the thing, stand down and hauled it back onto the stand. There then happened something that has occurred three times so far, and which is going to necessitate a little trip back to the dealer's, for a chat. The engine revved like mad, and whereas normally, this has no ill effects as it's on the stand, this time, the incline of the parking space meant that the back wheel was on the ground. The scooter *shot* out of the parking space, with me standing next to it, holding on to the left-hand grip. Imagine if you will, a scooter, vertical on its back wheel, and each time that wheel touched the ground, the vehicle takes off, pulled around to the left by the fact that I'm holding on to it. It then 'lands', and promptly takes off again, all the time circling around me like some mad dancer. I knew that if I let go, it'd fall and SO (or more likely: me) would have a hefty repair bill, so I hung on for grim death, this lasted for maybe six or seven seconds, until finally, I 'wrestled' the scooter to the ground, and managed to get to the key on the rear of the 'fairing', and kill the engine. Damage: 'plate' on which top box sits slightly scraped, and underside of rear mudguard a bit torn. All in, a good result. I'll stick with motorcycles; they're safer.
