Before I moved to Guam, Peter told me he drove a scooter and a motorcycle and that I’d have to get a helmet. I thought, “No way am I going to be able to do this.” Before we left Portland we went helmet shopping. Of course I had a panic attack, feeling like I couldn’t breathe in that thing! Here I am a year later and I LOVE riding around on them.
Surprisingly, not too many people drive scooters or motorcycles on Guam. Being an incredibly small island, there are a lot of vehicles on the road; thus, causing a lot of traffic. In addition to the traffic, the coral based roads are full of potholes. There isn’t really a dependable public transit system in place. Using the scooter has been nice to get around quickly and spend less on gas. A few things have happened while scooting, beetles and other bugs ALWAYS fly into us and they usually hit us right in the middle of the face, sometimes geckos that are sleeping on the scooter fly off and onto our legs or arms, and sometimes we hit one of those potholes that shakes us up a bit!
Many people here don’t understand how we can get by without a car. When we had a car, it was the worst driving experience of my life! The roads on Guam are not built for all the traffic and the drivers don’t always follow the law (often running red lights and speeding). It took me nearly an hour to get home after work, when it should have taken me 15 minutes. I’m not sure where people are going at all hours of the day/night and why families need one car per person. A car does make life easier during the rainy season, but we got by without one before and we can do it again! The view is so much better when you’re not boxed in and the wind feels so good on a hot day! Just remember, if you see a motorcycle or scooter on the road, be a kind and respectful driver. It’s only unsafe for us out there when other cars drive recklessly!
