Night riders

Mike Sciacca

It was Super Bowl Sunday, and Anthony Panzica and Chris Gasslerhad

their game plan ready.

While revelers partied at private homes and bars throughout the

area in celebration of the Super Bowl, the country’s most-watched

sporting event, Panzica and Gassler were busy going over last-minute

details.

“It was an incredibly busy day,” said Panzica, founder and

managing director of ScooterPatrol Inc., a local, community- based

service that transports “impaired motorists” home in their own

vehicles free of charge, following a night of partying.

“We worked from morning to late at night. We had our game faces

on, that’s for sure,” he said.

The grass-roots, nonprofit organization is in full swing seven

days a week, 365 days a year, Panzica said.

It is funded by a variety of sponsors, including Kanvas by Katin,

Roman Cucina restaurant in Sunset Beach and many local companies that

sell scooter apparel.

ScooterPatrol attended to eight local private house parties, as

well as local bars and restaurants on Sunday.

Panzica and Gassler were the only two ScooterPatrol employees on

duty Sunday and the duo worked from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

That 11-hour shift was topped only by a 3 p.m. to 4 a.m. shift on

New Year’s Eve, as the busiest shift the service has undertaken.

“We had 15 appointments that were prearranged pick ups for those

attending Super Bowl parties on Sunday,” Panzica said. “These people

were responsible in knowing that they would be out drinking and would

need assistance home, following the game.”

“Our service began last May and we are proud to report that since

we began, we have transported more than 600 folks safely home,” the

37-year-old said. ScooterPatrol serves Huntington Beach, Huntington

Harbour, Sunset Beach, Surfside Colony, Seal Beach, Fountain Valley

and Long Beach.

“I thought Anthony came up with a great idea and I’m glad to be

part of the team,” said Gassler, 22, an original volunteer driver for

ScooterPatrol. “We maintain a professional appearance in helping the

community. This is getting a heck of a response and it’s definitely

rewarding.”

The company’s five volunteer drivers -- who get around on red

Gopeds, work within a 20-mile radius of Sunset Beach and travel

throughout Huntington Beach, including up and down Main Street.

The service will be offered in Newport Beach beginning next

summer, Panzica said.

ScooterPatrol volunteers are put through a driver training program

called, “Scooter Tech,” an extensive training program designed to

teach all aspects of transporting people safely while brushing up on

community and public relations skills.

Volunteers communicate through walkie-talkie cell phones, Panzica

said.

When ScooterPatrol receives a call seeking service, a driver is

dispatched by Goped to the location and arrives “within 20 minutes,”

Panzica said.

ScooterPatrol picks up the impaired driver, stows the scooter in

the trunk of the car and drives that person home safely in their own

car.

Appointments are encouraged to be made in advance, Panzica said.

“I once met up with Anthony and he told me about the service, and

it just made such good sense,” said Bill Sebring of Sunset Beach, who

has used ScooterPatrol. “I think it’s better suited for a ride home

than a taxi or designated driver, because the services delivers both

you and your car to the same place, safely.

“I think they offer a great service, which is free. Anthony has

been very magnanimous with it.”

ScooterPatrol gave its first “lift home” to a patron leaving King

Neptune’s in Sunset Beach last May, Panzica said.

Panzica first came up with the idea of establishing ScooterPatrol

during a conversation with a friend and storeowner in Sunset Beach.

“People can get to a drinking establishment just fine but it’s

after they have a few drinks, or a pitcher, they still need to get

home,” Panzica said. “We tossed around the idea of how to pick up

people in such situations. We thought about using a bike, even a tow

truck. Neither seemed practical, really. A friend of mine owns a

scooter shop in the area and I thought a scooter would be the perfect

vehicle for this service.”

Panzica said he feels there’s still a significant problem in

society with drinking and driving.

“We do not encourage anyone to use our service in order to

facilitate a night of drinking,” Panzica said. “Actually, we

encourage the opposite. We founded ScooterPatrol because a

significant problem already existed. It is not our goal to make this

problem worse by promoting the abuse of alcohol. We care a lot about

people, and that’s why we offer this service.”

* MIKE SCIACCA covers sports and features. He can be reached at

(714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at [email protected].