You heard it here first.  If you’re a man about town Vespa is the new cool. Right now you’re sitting there smiling knowingly about how wrong I am. And you’re entitled to your opinion. But you’re wrong.

Words by: DUNCAN QUINN

Photos by: NICOLAS RAMIREZ

In a city of gridlock it transcends the daily grind to get you from breakfast coffee to Bandol for lunch and dinner across Town as if the streets were devoid of traffic.

You see, by the time you get to the bar I’ve already arrived and picked up the cutest chick and left.

I only spent $7 on filling up the tank which lasted through two weeks of shenanigans.  So we’re going to Daniel on what you spent on taxis and gas.

Oh, and while you’re working up a road rage as your belle-du-jour smoulders disapprovingly at your lack of cool mine is squeeling with delight and giving me a gentle playful squeeze as we zip along.

Its a Pint Sized package of freedom in a world shackled by constraints.

I’m not saying you should weave through the traffic with a devil may care grin on your face in total disregard for the law.  But if you don’t I shall assume you don’t get the point.

After all, when all’s said and done there’s a reason every civilized constitution in the world focuses on personal freedom.

And so should you.

Of course, I had the top of the line 300GTS to play with which has a little more oomph to get you out of (and into) trouble.  But having spent my life tooling around on these types of things I can attest that pretty much anything from the 50cc version up will provide you with a new perspective on life.  Its a huge dose of freedom in a pint sized package.

And although it may not impress your pals in their fancy supercars and on their crotch rocket bikes the last laugh will be yours as you sit sipping your expresso as they finally arrive tetchy, stressed and aggravated from having to navigate the traffic with an imperfect tool.

It just goes to show, that very occasionally less is more…