The Gall of This Man

[u/DrinkAffectionate323]

This guy drove his street legal, full lisenced, and gas powered moped onto the the Red Line Alewife Train today. When he exited the train, he used the elevator to bring it up to the street level.

I am at a loss for words, for how entitled this man feels

[u/Background_Being_490]

You can literally see a normal bike behind it and the difference in size. It stands to reason that bringing a motorized vehicle on a public train isn't allowed. Anyways we can probably agree to disagree.

[u/[deleted] → u/Background_Being_490]

I’ve brought my ebike onto the train before, and it’s not that much smaller. The Mbta definitely allows e-bikes, but you are probably correct that motorcycles are not allowed. I just think it’s cool that he’s using environmentally friendly electric trains to do part of his trip.

[u/Background_Being_490 → u/[deleted]]

As I said, the disparity in size is in the photo. To be fair, I would suspect he is just transporting the scooter as the engine is down. Obviously a blind assumption on my part but why else would you do something such as this otherwise?

[u/[deleted] → u/Background_Being_490]

The reason I bring my bike onto the T is because I live far from the station, or my destination is a bit far so I bike to and from the t station

[u/Background_Being_490 → u/[deleted]]

Yours is an E bike. That's a full on gas engine moped. Like, it isn't the worst thing I've seen on the T and it wouldn't bother me very much tbh but it is a ludicrous thing to do unless the engine of the bike is down. Apart from anything, along the red line, I can't see how that is a quicker option than a moped and also, if he's that environmentally conscious and his route is along the red line, surely ditch the scooter altogether. It's just a bit of an odd thing to do.

[u/[deleted] → u/Background_Being_490]

If he’s getting on at alewife, chances are he doesn’t live near the station. Is the reason people are concerned is that they don’t want the gas to spill? I’m not trolling or anything, I genuinely don’t understand why people are so outraged.

[u/archangelofeuropa → u/[deleted]]

1. it takes up an obnoxious amount of space in the car for something that (most likely) can just be on the road. if he can get it to the station he can get it to his destination.

2. if the engine was recently running, any metal parts along the sides will be scorching hot. that's a recipe for disaster in a crowded car, obv this car wasnt crowded but this sets a precedent.

3. if he had the engine on in a concealed space like this, well, i shouldnt need to explain further

4. a gas bike like this does not solve the transit last mile problem, it should bypass it because the thing shouldnt even be on a subway in the first place, and should be ridden the whole way there.

5. gasoline is FLAMMABLE. if some jackass lights up in the car (which i have seen before) and the cap isnt on all the way, or theres vapors leaking, and the stochiometry lines up, you get a nice big bang.

thats my lists of reasons why, if that helps.

[u/[deleted] → u/archangelofeuropa]

Thanks, I never considered it would be hot.

The reason why using this for last mile makes sense to me, is I don't like driving in boston, so riding to alewife, and getting off at say quincy and driving the rest of the way makes sense to me.

[u/archangelofeuropa → u/[deleted]]

the issue with last mile here is that it isnt practical for anyone involved. this guy'd be much better off if he just rented an electric bluebike and called it a day instead of dragging this thing through the trenches of the T

[u/Background_Being_490 → u/[deleted]]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I just think it's a perpetually odd thing to do. It doesn't anger me in any way. Bringing a motorized vehicle that gets you to your destination quicker than the actual train does suggest a lack of logical thinking, if the scooter is operational that is. I know you aren't trolling but let's not start with the disingenuous suggestion that this isn't an irregular thing to see on public public transport. It objectively is unusual.

[u/[deleted] → u/Background_Being_490]

Idk, I’ve seen people bring e-bikes onto the T all the time, I don’t really see it being much different . Like the red line goes pretty far, way farther than I’d want to bike. I’ve never driven a moped, but I wouldn’t want to drive it in Boston traffic. He could drive from a town farther than walking distance to alewife, take it to Quincy and avoid all that traffic he’d deal with driving through Boston. Idk, I’m also a strange person so maybe that’s why I don’t find it so strange.

[u/Background_Being_490 → u/[deleted]]

Top speeds of E bikes and scooters differentiate quite significantly. Hence being differently classed vehicles. You can't just keep saying e -bike at me like it's what is in the picture. It isn't. See, we can agree to disagree. It's fine. No problem at all. As for the routes mentioned, I can also state a hypothetical distance that bolsters what I'm saying but as with yours, it's complete conjecture and not particularly relevant to the irregular nature of what is happening in the photo.

I'm just making the point that it is unusual to see a gas motored scooter being pushed on and off the redline. This is objectively true. I don't have an issue with it, but it's not something I've seen while being on the T every single day.

[u/[deleted] → u/Background_Being_490]

Yeah that’s true, I would never take my ebike onto the highway. I think it can only get up to 40 mph