A scooter, on the other hand, asks for far less effort. With only the hands involved and no need to manage a clutch and gear, the ride becomes lighter. I see little sense in exerting so much physical effort and coordination in riding a motorcycle, simply to transport one or two people. He seemed to have found my answer interesting.

Unlike motorcycles, scooters tend to invite less aggressive riding which makes them inherently safer on busy roads. For daily commuting in the city, scooters stand out as one of the most practical and convenient modes of transport. The reason is simple; it is gearless hence no need to shift gears manually or hold on the clutch lever in traffic. Throttle and brakes are controlled by hand and there is no involvement of the feet.

Scooter is often perceived as less powerful and suitable only for short city commutes. It is in fact a misconception shaped more by habit than experience. I have travelled with a pillion rider across diverse and demanding terrains in Bandarban, Lama, and Alikadam. The journey was consistently smooth, and I was really surprised by the scooter’s steady power and stability as I also thought a little bit otherwise.

In today’s rapidly evolving world, mobility has become a defining element of modern life. In our major cities, scooters are seen to be increasing in number nowadays. We need to shift our mindset: bikes and scooters are not luxuries and symbol of status; they are practical necessities.

Unfortunately, a stereotype still persists in our society that scooters are ‘women’s vehicles’. Yet in many of our neighboring and regional countries—such as India, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Indonesia—scooters dominate their city streets and are used by people of all genders. Perhaps it’s time for us to rethink our assumptions.

* Parvez Uddin Chowdhury is a development worker

* The views expressed here are the author's own.