Return of the " Moped ".

After the end of the second world war - when the automobile was still an expensive item - a new form of transport exploded onto the American market.
This was the " Moped " - basically an ordinary bicycle with a very small petrol motor. It still needed pedal power to get up a steep hill, but basically it was a means of transport to get Mum to the shops - or for the kids to go to and from school.
Unfortunately Australian state governments viewed it with a jaundiced eye. Whereas it was a free to use item in the USA, here the authorities decided it would require a license to be legally ridden - and the Moped would be classed as a motorcycle - and would require full registration and insurance - and the display of a number plate. The cost was excessive - and this new form of transport was strangled at birth !
How times change. With overcrowded roads and petrol prices going through the roof the state governments have had a rethink. Now bicycles with small petrol motors are no longer items that need a license - and nor does their rider. Their numbers are expanding rapidly. They are cheap to buy - and cheap to run - and for many they are the obvious mobility answer when money is short.
It didn't take industry long to see an opportunity. We are now seeing commercial models that improve on the deficiencies of the average bicycle. New models have more robust tyres and the bike frame has been enhanced - and that motor has increased in power to just under the legal capacity before it is termed a motorcycle.
In some cities commonsense is coming to the fore and parking bays are being designated for motorcycles - and for Mopeds. We can expect a sharp increase in two wheeled motoring in the years ahead - solving both a space problem - and the relentless demand for more fuel !