SCOOTER SCHOOL

[Music] You're looking at an experienced driver. This young lad, only 14 years of age, has just completed a rigid and thoroughgoing course of instruction on the care, maintenance, and operation of one of America's most popular vehicles, the motor scooter. He is now ready to take his place as a skillful, responsible member of the driving community. He has graduated from scooter school. Hello. I'm Cedric Hardwick. You are about to see a film about a most important subject, safe driving. I'm sure there is no need for me to dwell very long on the monumental significance of this matter. We are all very close to it each time we drive, each time we cross the street, each time we glance at the daily newspaper. It's difficult to translate facts and figures into personal experience, but the facts are there. They are compelling and they are facts that unfortunately can become all too personal, which is the reason for this film. Each year in this country, thousands of youngsters come to the age where the thing they want most in life is to get behind the wheel of an automobile. I know this from personal experience of my own 10year-old son. Even though he has a few years yet to wait, he has already suggested a time or two that he might change places with me in the front seat of the car and show me a trick or two. As time goes on, of course, my 10-year-old's desire to drive is going to increase by leaps and bounds. Now, this will pose a problem. A problem many boys and girls of 13 and 14 years of age face right now. That is how to satisfy the desire to own and drive an automobile before they are of legal age. Is there an answer? Yes. You are about to see a very good one in the film about safety and scooters. Motor scooters. Those wonderfully clever vehicles of five horsepower or less that whisk movie stars around motion picture lots. Help the merchant make his deliveries. and most important carry youngsters to school or almost anywhere they want to go. The film is called Scooter School and it deals with something fairly new in driving safety. The development of driver education courses set up in states and cities across the country by safety experts who believe that youngsters can best learn to drive properly by starting with scooters of limited horsepower before stepping into a high horsepower automobile. Scooter School, a unique development in teenage driving safety. Created and sponsored by the leading citizens, the traffic safety authorities, and the motor scooter dealer of the community. It could be your community or any town or city that decides teenagers can better learn adult driving habits by the book rather than by halfhazard experience. Here, under the guidance of skilled instructors, youngsters 14 years of age and up complete a program that will place them safely on the road to driving maturity. [Music] The program starts in the classroom. Here, students learn the basic rules of safe driving, the traffic laws of their state as applied to all vehicles, the attitudes required for skillful driving of all kinds. It is here in short they get started on the right foot to a safe driving future. They get acquainted with their scooter. They are taught the state laws concerning accessories, horns, lights, and number of passengers permitted. And they learn what makes a scooter tick. The principle of the four cycle single cylinder engine. How the clutch and brake operate. They are introduced terms like friction, centrifugal force, kinetic energy, gravity, the laws of nature that affect driving and the behavior of their motor scooter. And they are tested on the 10 basic rules of scooter safety. After the preparatory classroom training, school moves outdoors to the driving range. Here, police officers and safety officials acting as instructors brief each student individually on the techniques of riding a motor scooter. [Music] The boys and girls discover that there's nothing at all difficult about riding a scooter, and they soon become accustomed to operating their new vehicles. However, the students soon learn that there's a lot more to riding a scooter than simply keeping your balance. This group is taking its first step toward operating their machines safely in traffic as their instructor briefs them on the proper hand signals to be used for right turns, left turns, and stops. Now they are brought face to face with actual everyday driving situations and the rules of the road that govern them. On a word from the instructor, these students signal for a complete stop. [Music] Just twist the hand grip, young lady. That's a girl. This young man is approaching a pedestrian crosswalk. He signals and stops, giving his classmates on foot the right of way. Now he demonstrates the proper way to pass another vehicle. Look behind, signal, pass quickly, and never pass on a curve or hill. Some parents help the instructors to teach another important rule for safe scooter operation. They've lined their cars up on the training course and on a signal from the instructor, open the doors. This student is likely to allow plenty of room between his scooter and parked cars when he's on his own in traffic. [Music] To graduate from scooter school, each student must not only be familiar with traffic laws and basic driving situations. He must also be capable of handling his scooter expertly in precision driving exercises. The instructors are on hand as always to offer advice, criticism, and encouragement to the students as they learn to execute these difficult driving skill exercises that develop their coordination and timing to a high degree of proficiency. This is the slalom course, an exercise borrowed from the sport of skiing, and it takes plenty of coordination between the eye, the throttle, and the brake pedal to negotiate the course without bumping the flags. Nice going, young lady. This couldn't be too tough if a girl can do it. Easy. You're a little wobbly there, boy. Whoops. One down. Okay, mister. Don't be mad. Just go back and try it again. A good scooterist not only knows how to handle his scooter skillfully and expertly, he learns also to be on his toes constantly for emergency situations which call for sudden stops. One of this fella's classmates is going to toss a gunny sack in front of him. He doesn't know which one, but he's got to stop before he hits it. [Music] Good boy. It is hoped that this kind of training will develop sound, alert driving habits in these children that will carry them through a lifetime of safety behind the wheel of an automobile. Now, the last of four rugged 2-hour training sessions is almost over. This coordination exercise requires the students to maintain a steady course on a painted line. This test would have proved difficult, if not impossible, a short time ago, but the kids, now with several hours of intensified riding instruction behind them, look quite professional as they negotiate the line with ease and assurance. Even the slalom course poses no problem as the class puts on a demonstration of the skill they've achieved during their days of scooter school training. Finally, the tests are over. The long hard hours of classwork are a thing of the past. And graduation day has arrived. For instructors, parents, and students alike, it's a big day. A day marking a real milestone of achievement. Of course, there is an occasional student who is disappointed. Someone who has not learned that driver education is a serious business involving above all the safety of others. For him, another chance, another time. for the students who passed the coveted Scooter School safe driving certificate, plus the knowledge that they have been judged safe, skillful drivers, by the people who really know and care, their instructors. And there's this, too. Each Scooter School graduate knows that his training will pay off and skillful, mature driving habits behind the wheel of the automobile he'll one day own. Scooter School is behind him. Safe driving is ahead of him and he will live the ten commandments of safe motor scooter operation as he learned them. One, obey all traffic regulations which apply to the motorist in his automobile. Respect one-way street signs. Come to a complete stop at all stop signs. [Music] A red light means stop. When the light turns green, proceed cautiously only after the intersection is cleared. Two, keep to the right, but not too close to parked cars. Ride in a straight line. Stay in single file always and never pass on a curve or hill. Three, pedestrians have the right of way. Scooterists never ride on sidewalks. Four, always be on the lookout for cars pulling out into traffic. Also, keep alert for the sudden opening of car doors. [Music] Five, never carry passengers and bulky packages that will hamper control of the scooter or obstruct vision. Six, slow down at all street intersections. Look both ways before crossing. And because a scooter is smaller than most vehicles and harder to see, be even more alert than the other motorists. Seven, always use proper hand signals for turning and stopping. Eight, never weave in and out of traffic, but keep in the proper lane at all times. Nine, keep scooter in top mechanical condition. Inspect brakes, lights, horn, tires, and chain regularly. 10. Always have the proper lights displayed on the scooter for night riding, headlight and tail light. [Music] The knowledge of these rules learned, practiced, and experienced at scooter school has made this young driver alert, courteous, safe, responsible. A credit to himself and the community where he lives and drives. Well, there you have it. Rather a wonderful way to a safe driving future, don't you think? And fun into the bargain. It just makes good sense that if you implant safe, courteous driving habits in the minds of youngsters by teaching them how to skillfully and lawfully operate a motor scooter. They will practice these same mature driving habits behind the wheel of the automobile that they'll someday own. Frankly, I look forward to the day when the everinccreasing number of cars rolling over our great highways are manned by an everinccreasing number of scooter school graduates. Goodbye and drive safely. [Music] For information about establishing a scooter school in your community, write to Kushman Motorworks Incorporated, Lincoln, Nebraska, or visit your local Kushman Motor Scooter dealer. [Music]