Registrations of new hybrid vehicles increased by 38 percent in last year to a little over 350,000 nationally, according to records.

The Associated Press reported this data recently after it was released by Southfield, Mich. automotive marketing and research company R. L. Polk and Co. The sale of hybrid vehicles accounted for only 2.2 percent of the U.S. market share last year. Purchases grew steadily however, even as overall automotive sales slipped by three percent.

Rising gasoline prices accounted for only a portion of last year’s increase. But locally, it seems the current spike in gas prices is having a direct effect on other alternative means of transportation — specifically scooters.

Keith Pitts, general manager of Laurel Yamaha, can attest to that. “We’re finally hearing the words ‘gas prices are too high; I need a cheaper ride.’ Apparently, the gas price increase we’re going through has hit a nerve with folks,” Pitts said. “We’ve wondered at what price it would take before people started looking at us for alternative transportation.”

Laurel Yamaha sells a range of scooters from 50cc to 400cc, with a miles-per-gallon spectrum from 51 mpg to 120 mpg. “We have sold more scooters in the past month than we sold all last year,” Pitts said. “We’ve sold eight to 10 scooters in the past six weeks, compared to maybe five all last year.”

Motorcycle sales are also up over the same period. “We as consumers would rather not sell scooters and see gas at $1.50.”

Also with the surge in scooter sales is a surge of buyers 60 years old and over. “We are seeing older adults not in the motorcycle market buying scooters and smaller cc motorcycles,” Pitts said. “It’s something that has definitely caught our eye.”

The surge really started in late March or early April. Pitts said 25 percent of those buying scooters say they have never ridden a scooter or motorcycle before.

Pitts said the consumers are trying to justify in their minds that they can save enough money to pay the note. He said scooters — with their open architecture — are easy for older buyers because they don’t have to swing a leg over to get on them to ride.

Pitts said Laurel Yamaha’s owner recently went to a special auction in order to buy additional models to give the public more choices. On Thursday, the store had about seven models in stock, with current deals on two units. “They will be gone soon,” he said.

Walter Bartran, owner of Pro Flow Kawasaki, said the company only has one scooter model — a Ninja 250 — and doesn’t really focus on scooter sales.

“We are selling smaller bore motorcycles to people who haven’t ridden in 20 years,” he said. “Also, women who wouldn’t normally ride, have turned to motorcycles. Several people have specified rising gas prices as the reason they’re buying motorcycles. Buyers have primarily been people over 30 years of age.”