A Closer Look at Motor Scooters

By Mike Scott

I a tough world economy, the high price of gasoline only adds to the pain. We have seen as prices have jumped almost 100% in just two years in most major cities in the world. This is not to mention that inflation continues to eat at real wages. Against this backdrop, we cannot be surprised if people begin to seek ways and means of saving money. One of the ways of doing this is cutting down either on travel or on the means of travel. That is why many are turning to scooters, mopeds and mobility scooters.

These forms of transport modes save on gasoline and therefore many people are choosing them over fueled powered vehicles. Another reason is that they are environmental-friendly. A third reason is simply because they are fun especially when the weather permits.

Scooters afford a tremendous amount of independence as compared to regular vehicles. Imagine being able to ride even through the back woods where a car generally cannot go. The sense of adventure is exhilarating. One added boon of scooters and mopeds is that even people who have physical limitations which disqualify them from driving a regular motor vehicle can now get around. Before the advent of scooters, people with physical disabilities had to wait until someone would drive them around in a motor vehicle. This tended to be a huge inconvenience.

Motor scooters are the way to go if you want to enjoy your commute as well as save money. The cost aspect of operating a scooter cannot be overstated. They are extremely cost efficient in that one can get around the same way he or she would in a car but in a much more fuel-efficient manner. The machines are also easy to maintain and do not cost a fortune to repair unlike the motor vehicle which can remain ground for days at a garage because the owner does not have the necessary funds.

Motor scooters are also easy to store. One does not need a lot of space. If one has a garage that already has a car or two, it is no hard thing to squeeze a motor scooter or even two inside the same garage. Most people use their garages for multiple purposes. While they were primarily designed as a place for parking one's car, people also use them to store items that would otherwise clutter the house. A scooter can easily fit inside regardless of what other items are stored.

Scooters have a few disadvantages. One is the fact that they cannot be the ideal method of transportation is the weather is bad. In snowy, stormy weather, the regular car scores big against the scooter. The scooter is also much slower than a car. If you are doing a long commute, you might want to think of leaving home in good time. Scooters can also be unsafe especially in a crash. A car is much safer especially in small to moderate crashes. - 21396

About the Author:

Author is writer and regular contributor to Motor Scooters, a website with resources and information to help you find the right Lambretta Motor Scooter.

Are There any Road Tolls when Driving a Rental Car in Australia?

By Amy Nutt

If you are planning a trip to Australia, the best way to appreciate the vast and stunning scenery is with a car rental. A car is the most practical way of taking in all that the country has to offer. When renting a car in Australia, you not only have to follow all of the traffic laws, but you must be aware of the road tolls that you will most likely encounter.

There are a number of road tolls in Australia. One is required to pay any where from $1.50 to around $8.00 at a toll. When it comes to renting a car, one is responsible for road toll fees. All rental car companies provide written information to customers explaining toll road procedures and how they make payments. In most cases, car renters who fail to pay at the road tolls will have their credit card debited the amount that they owe. There may also be a fine and other fees such as administration charges.

There are a number of methods one can use to pay at road tolls. The following lists a payment options one can use at a road toll:

E-Tags: These tags are electronic 'tags' that record a car travelling through a road toll. The E-Tags are read by sensors at the toll points and the driver's toll account is debited the toll fee. This payment method permits drivers to pass through the toll without stopping. Electronic tags can be used on all road tolls. When approaching a toll, look for the lanes marked with the red and yellow 'E' symbol.

When it comes to rental cars, a company will attach E-Tags to all of their cars. When you return the rental car, you are charged for the tolls that you have used. You can also purchase pre-paid tag accounts. When the pre-paid to balance drops to a specified amount, the toll account is replenished. The tag provider will use your credit card to add funds to the account. If you drive on a road toll without a sensor, a photo is taken of your vehicle's plate number. You will normally have a day to pay before you are fined.

Cash: You can pay cash at the majority of toll roads. There are a few exceptions so make sure you know where they are before travelling. The rental car agency will give you more information. The exceptions to cash payments use electronic methods of payment. As well, some toll booths only accept the exact amount of the toll. If you have the cash, look for signs stating 'auto' or 'exact toll.' If you don't have the exact toll amount, look for the booths marked 'change.' There is now a trend of converting toll roads to a fully electronic format so the cash payment tolls will slowly be disappearing.

Pass: A 'Pass' is a contractual agreement between a driver and a toll provider to travel on specific toll roads. This method is a good option for the electronic toll roads. Cameras at toll points photograph your licence plate number and your toll account is debited.

Driving in Australia is an experience one will never forget. The vast open spaces, astounding scenery, and charming towns, can only be enjoyed in person. A car is the best way to travel from one tourist attraction to another. Being prepared for Australian road tolls will make your driving experience much more enjoyable. If you rent a car while visiting Australia, make sure that you ask the rental company about securing a payment method for all road tolls. - 21396

About the Author:

Get the most value for your money for your car rental. Car hire customers can rent with confidence.

One Way Car Rentals in Australia

By Amy Nutt

Australia is a vast and spacious country with many delightful and beautiful sights to see. Once travelers arrive in Australia, they usually have a great number of places that they want to see in a short amount of time. Therefore, a rental car becomes a great choice. Some try to travel by taxi cab, but this is not a very reliable means of getting around as the cabs are usually very busy. For instance, finding a taxi at the airport can be very frustrating and who wants to spend their first few hours of their vacation standing in the airport trying to wrangle a cab?

When it comes to car rentals, most companies will do their best to please the customer and meet their needs. One of the ways they do this is to offer one-way rental services. This is especially handy in Australia due to the long distances between coastlines and communities. By using a rental, especially one-way rental, it allows you to travel at your own pace and enjoy you vacation at a leisurely rate instead of having to stick to tight schedules.

The term, one-way rental, simply means that you can rent a vehicle at one location, and once you are finished with the car, you can drop it off at a different rental location, as long as its at a branch belonging to the same rental company. There are usually fees charged for this convenience which will depend on the rental companys policies and rental packages This fee helps to pay for the company to have the vehicle returned to its original car lot.

Many times you can arrange your car rental directly at the airport upon your arrival in Australia. Regardless of where you rent or what company you rent from. Make sure that you review the agreement fully with the staff before leaving the office. Some regulations can be different in Australia than other countries so play it safe by making sure that you understand all the terms of the contract. There can also be a variety of add-ons to the rental package, most of course involving fees, so if you are on a tight budget check the add-on and only get the ones that you really want and need.

Unfortunately, not many of the local car rental companies offer one-way rentals; especially if they are small, locally owned, and operated rental companies. It would be impractical and too expensive for them to operate in that fashion and they would soon find themselves out of business if they tried. The inconvenience of trying to find a way to get the car returned to them would simply be too time-consuming and costly, as well as a logistics nightmare.

National chains of car rental companies do offer this service throughout all of Australia. There are so many reasons to offer one way car rentals, and such a large demand for it, that the large companies would be considered foolish to refuse to offer such a service. It is important to shop around if time permits so that you can obtain the best one way car rental deal. You will not be limited to just one or two companies to choose from and each will offer a variety of package options as well as vehicle style and sizes.

Because Australia has a number one way car rental companies, you will not have a problem securing a rental. Once you find a car rental company whose policies and deals suit your needs, plot your course and drive to your first destination, and enjoy the sights and sounds of this astonishingly beautiful country. - 21396

About the Author:

Provides car rental Sydney airport services with free express pickup from our many locations including car rental in Bondi Junction, for your personal, business or holiday car hire.

Benefits of Dual Fuel Cars

By Scott Vanwinkle

A dual fuel automobile is a vehicle that will operate on two or more types of fuels. There are many alternative fuels available, not just petrol. The advantages to owning a dual fuel automobile are:

Fuel costs are reduced dramatically. For example, compressed natural gas (CNG) in Utah is .73 per gallon. The current petrol price is $4.08 per gallon. To fill a 12.8 gallon tank of CNG would cost $9.34 compared to $52.22 for petrol. If you fill your tank every week your savings would be $2229.96 per year. If you live in a 2 car home the savings would be $4459.92. That is a savings of $371.66 per month!

You may drive in the car pool lane alone by owning a dual fuel automobile. This could save you hours of commute time, thus allowing you more time to spend with your loved ones and not in bumper to bumper traffic.

Dual fuel automobiles when operated with CNG and not petrol are environmentally friendly. The use of natural gas as a fuel reduces vehicular exhaust. Carbon monoxide emissions are reduced by 70-90% and Hydrocarbon emissions by 40-60%. Carbon dioxide emissions, a cause for global warming, are also reduced significantly.

When operating a dual fuel automobile with CNG your costs to maintain the vehicle will go down and the life of your engine will go up. CNG does not contain lead which extends plug life. CNG will not contaminate or dilute crankcase oil.

Many vehicles may run on CNG, Propane, Ethanol, Hybrid Electric, Petrol and Hydrogen. Each type of vehicle will have advantages and disadvantages depending on where you live and the infrastructure of the fueling capabilities. However, most of Americas' fuel crises were produced because we allowed ourselves to have very few options. Owning a dual fuel auto you will never be left without options again. You will be left with your personal choice of what fuel you want to operate your automobile under.

Many conversion kits are available to run your vehicle on LPG, CNG or Ethonal. These kits you can install your self or with a certified mechanic. - 21396

About the Author:

Scott writes an article aboutnatural gas cars and aboutlpg

Antique Auto Insurance

By Matt Hellstrom

Antique or vintage automobiles are highly collectible items with a huge fan base. Although the antique auto insurance will only be able to cover the monetary value of a vintage or classic automobile, it is still wise to have some sort of recourse than having none in events these classic vehicles are damaged or stolen. These vehicles are a passion for many people and there are many collectors of classic and vintage automobiles.

Whereas the ordinary automobile faces depreciation in its value over the years, a vintage automobile's value appreciates with each passing year. The older it is the more value it has to the collector. Some very rare automobiles of such kind are priced so high that they are many times over their original market value. The existence of this anomaly creates a lot of problems when it comes to determining a value for such automobile before they can be insured.

In ordinary cases, an insurance company only pays for the actual cash value of the automobile. With each passing year this value depreciates. Antique auto insurance providers do not determine the value of a vintage or classic vehicle based on its utility value nor do they consider depreciation with age.

The main methods adopted by antique auto insurance companies to determine the price of a vintage or classic automobile are of three kinds. Usually the value is arrived at through mutual agreement between the owner and the insurance company. This is usually much higher than the original price and also is inclusive of the appreciation in value corresponding to the age of the car.

The price of an antique or classic automobile can be arrived at by employing the services of an independent appraiser as well. This price that is arrived at is invariably much higher than the original price of the automobile. This value can also be arrived at through comparing the automobile in question with others in its genre as listed in trade magazines that list out price indexes for vintage automobiles.

One valuation method would be to determine the stated cash value which usually is the cumulative of purchase prices and cost of periodic upgrades. Another method which is not so popular is to opt for the actual cash value of the automobile which is based on the original price sans depreciation over the years. This could also be called the actual utility value of the car.

Most antique auto insurance companies put up a few conditions, the satisfying of which the policy can then be issued. Antique auto insurance companies require most owners to have a driving experience of at least 10 years with an impeccable record. Some others require the vehicle to be kept under lock and key with adequate measures of protection in place. It has to be proved that other members of the household are using other vehicles for transport and that the antique car is not used for every trip. Another stipulation is that these automobiles should not be used for racing or transportation purposes. - 21396

About the Author:

Are you in the market for car insurance? The internet has totally altered the look of the car insurance industry. Get online quotes for car insurance and find out about affordable auto insurance at http://onlinequotesforcarinsurance.com today.