Cormac Battle, 2 FM DJ
Rides: Vespa ET 4
Why this scooter? My brother, who lives in London, bought one in the mid-1990s and I thought he looked top-notch. I've also been vaguely attracted to the Mod scene because of music by The Jam and films like Quadrophenia. Even Sting looked great on a Vespa. It's a 125cc that has just enough power to leave cars standing at the traffic lights, which is a must.
What do you use your Vespa for? Pretty much everything, from the weekly shopping to going for trips up the mountains - it's also very handy if you want to go into town for a few scoops. Just park it up, come back for it the next day and hey presto no parking ticket.
Why two wheels rather than four? I was living on the southside of Dublin, and going to DCU which would have meant sitting in traffic for hours in a car, plus I certainly couldn't afford one. So a Honda 90 gave me an extra hour in bed and besides, students shouldn't be driving cars - they're lazy enough as it is.
Did you take any rider training? I'm afraid not, it didn't even occur to me, which I know is very daft.
Do you hold a full or provisional licence for your scooter? I have a full licence now, and learned the little I knew about biking before I got some lessons.
What does your insurance cost? It's about €300 for third party, fire and theft.
Do you drive a car? No I don't have a car, but I did own a cute Citroën 2CV. I delivered Chinese food around Rathmines and broke it in two on the speed ramps. I thought it was indestructible, but it wasn't.
Do your family mind you biking? My mother has a bit of a wig out every few months when she hears about a fatal crash, but to be honest I don't blame her because it takes one silly mistake by a car driver and it could be curtains.
Do you worry about your survival on a scooter around Dublin? Yes, especially when you have a close encounter with a 40ft truck.
Have you ever had any accidents? Yes, but I've only been bruised and not broken. It happened in one of the tougher areas of Dublin. I was knocked over by a doctor who had been working in A&E for about 70 hours straight. While lying there being blessed with holy water a solicitor put his card in my shirt pocket. If things weren't bad enough, two unruly gentlemen tried to prise the keys out of my hand to relieve me of my bike for good. The whole incident was Ireland in a nutshell, and it's all true.
Do you follow motor sports? No, I've no interest whatsoever. I tend to watch the first minute of Grand Prix racing, fall asleep and wake up for the chequered flag and I find even that is boring.
Have you taken any trips abroad on your scooter? No, not outside Ireland. But I would argue that travelling outside the M50 on a Vespa is definitely a trip abroad.
Have you any suggestions on how to improve conditions for bikers and scooterists in this country? I guess my main problem is the amount of loose gravel left on the surface from road works. It's an invisible danger.
What are your safety tips? Avoid going anywhere near four-litre SUVs driven by yummy Mummies arranging pedicures on their mobile phones. They might run over you and not even notice.