Those Crazy Californians and Their Scooters

Forget Segways, convertibles, and Escalades. Scooters are the new hot ride in town. Gwyneth Paltrow and husband Chris Martin have a matching pair of Vespas (how adorable!). Even Robert De Niro rides one, giving the scooter's image a much-needed masculinity boost.

Meanwhile at UCLA, the fuel-efficient and easy-to-park minimotorcycles are ideal for Los Angeles's congested roads, and local scooter vendors have seen interest spike among new students, the Daily Bruin reports. But with zippy convenience also comes malicious shenanigans. Without any cows to tip, pranksters find joy in pushing over scooters, while others prefer moving the sprightly vehicles into no-park zones. Sounds like jealousy to me.--A.G.