Gasoline prices feed resurgent scooter fad

WASHINGTON, April 25 (UPI) -- Soaring gasoline prices are spiking U.S. interest in scooters and mopeds, including Italy's iconic Vespa.

Available new for as little about $1,000, scooters get as much as 75 miles per gallon and enjoy a sort of retro, Euro chic appeal among young folk, the Christian Science Monitor reported Tuesday.

Those young folk are said to embody a sense of social purpose, adopt a "team" approach to life, and rebel from their elders by hewing to the small-scale.

"This (moped resurgence) is a reflection of a deeper generational shift going on," says Neil Howe, a cultural historian and coauthor of "Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation."

"They prefer something that is not only socially responsible in a big sense, but also in a little sense: It makes less noise, and it's less likely to get them into an accident."

There are even scooter clubs with minimalist monikers, like "Heck's Angels."

But scooters are not without dangers. Fatalities of moped riders have doubled since 1999, to 100 in 2005. However, non-fatal accidents dropped over the same period, from 6,000 to 5,000, says the National Safety Council in Itasca, Ill.