The high school freshman's guide to adult travel options

Back in June, my wife Liz got a Vespa for her birthday. She has been riding it to work at the library of our middle school/high school ever since the school year began a few days ago. It's a fun way to commute while the weather holds out, she says, and at 89 to 90 miles per gallon, it's cheaper than using either of our cars.

On one such trip to work, Liz found herself tooling along behind a school bus. That's when she spotted a high-school freshman whom she knows staring at her in obvious disbelief through the back window of the bus. Later that day, the same student popped into the school library. "Dude," she said to Liz with a note of pity in her voice, "you have to get a car."