LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

[August 23rd, 2006] SINS OF EMISSION AND OMISSION

Regarding your article on "Polluter Scooters" [Aug. 9, 2006]: As a scooterist for many years and a big fan of WW, I was shocked with the finger-pointing and lacking research on this article.

I am a big supporter on weening all Americans off of oil dependency, but at the same time, I think it was inappropriate to point out only two scooter makes to prove your point. Don't get me wrong, I think that this may be a wake-up call to some scooterists who think better gas mileage equals less pollution. I just wanted to point out a few facts that may have been overlooked when the author was doing research on the article.

First and foremost, the author made a great choice by choosing Patrick Fitzgibbons' scooter for an example. Not to bash P-Town Scooters, which is the best shop in Portland, but a lot of its affiliates have what is called a "Rat Scooter." These are scooters that are built, not for cosmetics, but for an "oh my god that actually runs" look (as well as looking like it's been on the road for 50 years). Basically, a Rat Scooter may or may not have a muffler that has holes in it to make it run faster, and definitely does not have any form of catalytic converter. P-Town Scooters not only has vintage scooters, it also is a supporter of newer lower-emissions scooters, and has some in stock.

To make a long story short, it was like the author tried to find the worst-polluting scooter in town. To be honest I'm not sure that the 1968 GT was a rat bike, but I've seen plenty outside their shop. I just don't agree that pointing out a great person in the Portland scooter scene, and his shop, to prove a point about pollution will do anything positive.

Second, why are you comparing a vehicle that was built in 1968 in Italy with a vehicle that was built in 2006 in Germany, or the U.S.? They did not even have SUVs back then. Why not compare it to a truck built in 1968? This is why I'm sure you choose to bash the Stella.

Third, and most disturbing, the Stella is distributed and owned by a company based out of Chicago, called Genuine Scooter Company. Why did the author say that Piaggio made the scooter? Genuine has hired a company out of India called LML to build their Stella scooters. Piaggio has had some licensing deals with LML in the past. I know with the advancements in the European Union with emissions, Piaggio has gone to great limits in the past few years to eliminate two-strokes from their lineup, as well as making low emission scooters. So not only is Genuine Scooters probably thrilled that you have advertised that their competitor makes their product, but Piaggio is, I'm sure, thrilled to know that you are advertising that they make a inferior product. Also, LML is on strike, and in the near future, is not producing any more Stellas. Piaggio will no longer make two-strokes for the European and American markets after 2006. Did the author care to look this up? [Ed. Note: Guilty as charged about misidentifying the maker of the Stella. See last week's corrections.]

Fourth note: If you are going to pick on scooters, why not pick on lawnmowers, vintage motorcycles and outboard motors ? They pollute just the same, if not worse, and are 10 times more abundant in Portland than scooters. A vintage scooter, is like a vintage car—it cannot be compared with a newer vehicle when it comes to pollution. As more and more of us start riding bikes and buying electric cars, pollution should be a big deal. Regardless of this, Americans will always love vintage cars and scooters. So how hip is your article now?

Brad Parker
Northwest Everett Street

WHO YOU CALLING SLACKER?

As a former Coffee People employee, I was offended by Karla Starr's mockery of someone who quit Coffee People due to "corporate bullshit" (although I enjoyed her article ["City of Slackers," WW, Aug. 2, 2006] otherwise).

Coffee People distinguishes itself from Starbucks by pretending to be local, even though the founders of Coffee People have long ago sold the company to Diedrich Coffee, a corporation headquartered in Irvine, Calif. During the two years I worked for Coffee People, I observed ample evidence of "corporate bullshit," such as: Empty promises of promotions/raises, paychecks that omitted entire days of work, schedule tampering by management as punishment (i.e: scheduling an employee to work 13 days straight), denying employees access to health care. When we requested health-insurance applications from our boss, he delayed giving them to us for weeks. When he finally produced our applications, we discovered the submission deadline expired the next day. The next submission window was six months away. One of my fellow employees, who was experiencing health problems, quit.

After Coffee People sold the store where I worked to a large franchise without informing its employees until three days before the turnover, although the change would affect our working lives greatly (altering wages, dress code, hours and required tasks), I began work at a local mom/pop business and never looked back.

I work 50 hours a week at my job. I opened Coffee People at 3:30 am—hardly a lazy hour. Please think twice before discarding a complaint of bad corporate tactics as a slacker's excuse for not working.

Julia Leander
Southwest Clay Street