Scooters getting popular among women

Rising trend of two-wheelers allows mobility to women ending dependence on vans and buses

ISLAMABAD: Women of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad were turning towards scooters as a mode of transport.

Scooty, the name given to the smaller versions of scooters mostly painted in light colours to give feminine touch, are becoming popular in women for being affordable and offering speedy mobility for routine works.

Working women and students can be seen going about their work on the two-wheelers. Though unheard of a decade ago, women on bikes was fast becoming a norm.

“It has nothing to do with feminism or liberalism or women empowerment, we are simple working women who leave their homes to earn and come back on this two-wheeler ride that has rid us of waiting on bus stops in rain and sweltering heat,” said a woman who rides her 70cc scooter to work at the branch of a bank.

The scooter trend among women was gaining momentum as it is most convenient and cheaper mean of transport, said a motorbikes dealer.

Owing to rise in the cost of living and the runaway inflation, more and more women are entering the workforce, for which they needed cheaper and easier way of transportation. Mobility is a major issue for women who step out of the homes and scooty is easy and need of the hour.

Scooters are lighter than the regular 70cc motorbikes swarming the streets of Pakistan and present a more feminine look, said the bike dealer.

“Although the past Punjab government had introduced Women on Wheels initiative, teaching women to ride motorbikes, the trend has yet to gain mass popularity as in Indonesia and Malaysia,” he said pointing towards South East Asian Muslim population where it was common to see women going to college or university on scooties and bikes wearing their hijabs.

However, the scooters are here to stay in Pakistan. A student Saira Anwar said that when she bought the two-wheeler she was hesitant to ride it, “but now I am enjoying due to its ease and affordability.”

She said: "Whenever my mother has to go to bank or shopping us just hop on and scoot away without any annoyance.”

During rush hours, instead of moaning and groaning in a packed van, my scooty glides through the logjam and saves time, she said.

Another office worker Saba Ahmed said that it was really hard for her to reach office in time due to lack of adequate transportation facility in the area where she lives.

“Ever since I learned how to ride a motorbike and bought one, punctuality was no more an issue,” she said.

She said: “for me the scooty is all about convenience. It is light weight with hassle free gears allowing easy handling helping me run my daily routine efficiently.”  

Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2018.