Listen, guys: I'm tired of people conflating a car tab with a Vehicle License Fee. A car tab is for cars. A VLF is for "vehicles," including two-wheeled vehicles like scooters. The distinction is not arbitrary, as new county and local fees adding up to $80 annually will apply equally to Goldy's 2001 Nissan Altima and to my 2009 Buddy 125, a scooter which averages about 95 MPG.

Scooters consume far fewer resources than cars, in terms of fuel, carbon dioxide emissions, and required parking space. Yet motorcycle and scooter riders are paying the same amount to use less road—including parking space. Obviously, bicycles and foot traffic are more sustainable ways to get around, but scooters are superior in just about every way to cars for the city (unless you care about dying.pdf or have small children). If scooter riders are asked to contribute the same amount to city transit and roads, I think some other compensation must be offered by the city.

Personally, I'd like free street parking for my scooter, something that Seattle City Council Member Tim Burgess has suggested*. It's ridiculous to pay the same amount to park my scooter between two Seattle drivers who can't parallel park as a Hummer pays to take up two spots on the street.

To wit: I want free parking for my goddamn scooter. Thanks!

*Burgess totes owns a scooter. VROOOM!