How much are scooters to rent in Coz?

Whats it cost to rent a scooter for the day in Cozumel? thanks

Whats it cost to rent a scooter for the day in Cozumel? thanks

Based on reports from others and our observation of scooter drivers in Coz, the cost may be unimaginable. Very dangerous, many bad (as in fatal) accidents.

My wife and I were just there last year and rented scooters. Its just like riding at any other place you would go. Actually safer because there are less cars. I just cant remember what we paid for the rental.

Rental cost is cheap, maybe about $25 dollars. It is suggested that you should rent only if you have purchased quality trip health coverage which includes emergency medical air evacuation and some level of life insurance. The Cruz Roja (Red Cross) appreciates that you carry a paper on your person with contact information for next of kin and persons responsible for medical expenses.

Renting scooters (even if you are an experienced rider) is a great high risk experience for thrill seekers and those with a death wish. Some times an entire week will pass without an accident with serious injuries and we have had months that no deaths occurred. I wouldn't be overly concerned about accidents as the vast majority result in only severe road rash and a few broken bones. Medical expenses are often under $1000, but that does not include transportation if you should miss the boat. And don't forget to purchase rental insurance to cover damages to the moto.

Get my drift? It is not a recommended means of transportation and is by far the biggest cause of ruined vacations.

My wife and I were just there last year and rented scooters. Its just like riding at any other place you would go. Actually safer because there are less cars. I just cant remember what we paid for the rental.

Wow! What a great post, I sort of agree with you completely.

It is just like riding any any other place...any other place that:

1. You are completely unfamiliar with....

2. Some streets are in poor condition and may have unexpected potholes

3. Informational street signs that may be missing, but most not in English

4. Often confusing configuration of one way streets

5. Beside official traffic laws, common local rules of the road

6. Tourists driving cars equally confused and distracted by scenery

7. Mucho taxis speeding to maximize the number of fares

8. Poorly maintained equipment and faulty brakes

9.-37....you get my idea

And renting two scooters cost only a little more than a car that is safer!

My only question is your comment...Actually safer because there are less cars... as compared to where, like a freeway in L.A. during rush hour?

We rent a scooter just about every time we are in Cozumel (and any other port that has them at a reasonable cost). Our next trip I will not as we will have 2 inexperienced riders with us.

If you are an experienced URBAN scooter / motorcycle rider, you should have no problem. Riding in Cozumel is actually easier than in New York City.

There is lots of "doom and gloom" on this board on the subject of renting a scooter, and recently on renting a car. Yes, if you are not a safe and aware rider you can get hurt or killed. I've also seen people in Cozumel get hit by cars, tumble down stairs, or just fall down often with bloody results.

The scooter should cost between $25 and $35 depending on how many ships are in port, and the age of the scooter.

Just some things to remember if you choose to rent one:

Take a test drive around the block, without a passenger first, check the brake performance. Check for play in the front column. Check the tire tred.

Do not be afraid to reject a scooter, and don't allow the vendor to "persuade" you into taking it anyway. I have rejected many scooters, they always try to lower the price.

Do not drink before or during your ride rental!!!!!

Do not ride hung over.

Wear Jeans, not shorts.

Do not wear "flip-flops" or sandals, use sturdy footwear.

Cozumel is very easy to navigate. Pull over a safe distance before admiring the sights.

Nothing worth doing is without risks.

Wow! What a great post, I sort of agree with you completely.

 

It is just like riding any any other place...any other place that:

 

1. You are completely unfamiliar with....

2. Some streets are in poor condition and may have unexpected potholes

3. Informational street signs that may be missing, but most not in English

4. Often confusing configuration of one way streets

5. Beside official traffic laws, common local rules of the road

6. Tourists driving cars equally confused and distracted by scenery

7. Mucho taxis speeding to maximize the number of fares

8. Poorly maintained equipment and faulty brakes

9.-37....you get my idea

And renting two scooters cost only a little more than a car that is safer!

 

My only question is your comment...Actually safer because there are less cars... as compared to where, like a freeway in L.A. during rush hour?

Wow talk about Debbie the Downer. Are you like 60 years old...if so I totally understand. I only asked what the rental cost was, not a lecture on safety. Riding a motorcycle, scooter or even a car is dangerous but by your post you make it seem like suicide. From MY experience riding there it is not any more dangerous driving then any other place in the US. As long as the scooter you are on is in proper working condition and you are experienced you should have no problem.

Sorry to have such a downer opinion, but it is shared by most locals. After you have seen a half dozen bodies in the street, had to assist a couple dozen families make medical arrangements of those seriously injured and have seen hundreds and hundreds (well over a 1000) on crutches and wheel chairs that could make it back to the ship, it is enough to develop strong opinions.

About 95% of the people renting scooters are unqualified to drive them. About 60% of the scooters are not in top condition. (my opinion)

The vast majority of scooters for rental are underpowered and totally unsuited for two passengers to ride which is quite common. There are only a handful of motorcycles for rent that do require a cyclist license that in the hands of an experienced rider are far safer. They have sufficient power to get you out of certain situations that an over loaded and small engine scooter can't. Experienced rider or scooter owner is one thing, but the average renter looks at them as a toy, easy to learn to operate.

You put a person on the road that lacks experience on a crowded highway with taxis passing on the right and a tour bus roaring past on the left, toss in a good gust on wind, wet slick pavement and then when they hit the unexpected speed bump, vacation ruined.

To the credit of the previous city administration, helmets are now required. The officials also installed many new topes, especially in the zones that many drivers were reckless and prone to speeding. Tope=speed bump which means to slow down to a crawl before crossing.

Personally I believe in personal liberty and the freedom to do as one chooses provided it hurts no one else. It is very rare that someone is injured in a car by an accident with a scooter. I can consider it cleaning up the gene pool of those foolish or making an unwise decision. I do consider it a moral obligation that no one goes uninformed.

The majority of people that rent do so without incident or injury, but the annual figures of those killed and injured would be shocking. That applies to locals as well, but they know the streets and that is their only economical transportation option. Just my opinions, but I hope no one has to witness some of the scenes I have seen.

My wife and I were just there last year and rented scooters. Its just like riding at any other place you would go. Actually safer because there are less cars. I just cant remember what we paid for the rental.

You were just incredibly lucky.

Most

Often

People

End up

Damaged (or dead).

Wow talk about Debbie the Downer. Are you like 60 years old...if so I totally understand. I only asked what the rental cost was, not a lecture on safety. Riding a motorcycle, scooter or even a car is dangerous but by your post you make it seem like suicide. From MY experience riding there it is not any more dangerous driving then any other place in the US. As long as the scooter you are on is in proper working condition and you are experienced you should have no problem.

cmar143, you are riot. my girlfriend and I were crying we were laughing so hard at this thread. If you are cruisin the 21st (western caribean NCL), we have to get a drink. We love you cmar!

It's better and (no much more expensive) rent a little car, it costs like $ 50 USD and if you go with a partner is almost the same price than if each one rent a scooter

When we cruised 2 years ago, the ship's shopper, who was doing the port oritentation, cautioned everyone STRONGLY against renting scooters (not to be confused with my name here).

Evidently, many are very very poorly maintained and contribute to some of the problems outlined above.

This isn't a commentary on scooters or motorcycles in general. It was a caution on problems in this port.

$25-$35 is about right. Not sure what the Ship's doctor's charge or how much it cost's to fly a body back to the Sate's though. That could really add to the daily rental price.

Lost a lady while we were there a couple of years who swerved a little on to the road on the South (non congested) end of the island right in front of a tour bus. This happened right in front of her husband. Didn't get the chance to ask her how experinced she was or if her scooter was in good working order.

The comments posted by Theicom1 are very valid, but unfortunately only a tiny minority have that experience, much less follow the good sense advice given.

Scooters are again a hot topic for local discussion as there were three publicized serious injury accidents last week at least one involved a tourist in the central downtown area. I don't know the outcome, it was caused by running a stop sign. I don't know which side was at fault. A few days later, only a few blocks away, two local cars collided after a missed stop sign resulting in one of the cars winding up inside the lobby of a hotel. Accidents are only reported locally when they are particularly newsworthy. Like the SUV somewhere that went flying and was stuck in the air lodged into a wall I saw on CNN this morning.

Cozumel was the first Mexican city to have STOP signs in English. One of the first was more than double the standard size and was placed at an intersection which had been the scene of numerous accidents. The intersection wasn't problematic, it was just close to the area that the majority of rental departed from at that time.

If you follow 3/4s of the advice of Theicom1, you'll have normal odds, knowing that many scooter accidents are not the fault of the rider. Cozumel remains a bad location to learn to ride and first timers should be required to provide next of kin information.

 

Cozumel remains a bad location to learn to ride and first timers should be required to provide next of kin information.

Good points, and I'll take it a step further. It remains a bad location for experienced riders as well. I don't care if you are Mr Harley or Mr Davidson himself Cozumel just isn't a safe place to ride, period. Centro is nuts and the driving habits aren't what most people are used to. Even the road that takes you around most of the island, while not as congested is a 2 1/2 lane road with passing going on on both the right and left. Huge tour busses blowing by you who are always in a hurry and most of it gives you little to zero shoulder to work with.

Blows me away that when you can get a VW convertible fully insured for $35/day that people would even take the risk here with scooters. Leave the name of your next of kin behind and try not to slow me down while they are scraping you up off of the road.

where can you rent a vw for that cheap? Im very interested... im wondering about the insurance though?? what do they require and how much deposit do you put down??/

also since im not from cozumel.. how much more would i have to pay if i dont have car insurance there?

where can you rent a vw for that cheap? Im very interested... im wondering about the insurance though?? what do they require and how much deposit do you put down??/

 

also since im not from cozumel.. how much more would i have to pay if i dont have car insurance there?

www.islacozumel.net/services/isis

They come completely insured. Loved by all that have used her. We've used her twice ourselves. Highly recommended on every Cozumel Travel Forum I have been on.

It kills me that people love to argue this issue. I've been going to Coz since 94 once on a cruise ship many times on land based trips. Every single time I've flown out of or got on ship leaving the island there has been someone in a wheel chair covered in bandages all drugged up. What a way to travel. Every time I've rented a jeep and done the loop around the island I've had to assist some poor soul who has crashed on a moto. Usually just a bad case of road rash. But not always. During Christmas week 2006, I came upon an accident near Palancar Beach. The victum a women from Wisconsin tried to pass a truck on the left, but lost control and fell, the truck ran her over. I wish I could have taken a picture of her friends sobbing hysterically on the side of the road with thier friend under a bloody sheet. Is that the image you want your friends / loved ones to have of your last moments on earth.

I don't care if you are the Tony Hawk of mopeds/moto's, they are not safe to rent on Cozumel. You've been warned.

But what do I know, I am a Debbie the Downer. I had my closest call ever last night one block from my place. Walking, I had just crossed the street before an intersection. Seconds later a car pulled out in front of a Pizza Hut delivery driver. I'll bet the kid was speeding to hurry his delivery as I didn't see him moments earlier when I looked three times before crossing.

Had I not been on my side of the street, most of the scooter slammed against a house opposite me and the guy landed in the middle of the road less than 15 feet away. He appeared to be not life threatening injured, but was very lucky as his helmet went flying. I have been a close witness to many accidents, but never before have I come so close to flying debris and risked serious injury as a pedestrian.

Scooter rentals have been a good boost to the economy of hospital services here, which BTW are excellent. Sometimes a scar or a cast can be a lasting vacation memory.

Wow talk about Debbie the Downer. Are you like 60 years old...if so I totally understand.

Hey! Watch talkin' 'bout the old folks! My dad is 61 & rides one of his bikes every day. Sometimes it's the same one he started me out riding when I was 3!

But honestly, anyone who thinks they can get on any type of vehicle without any experience in a locale they are completely unfamiliar with... deserves what they get.