This thread bring back memories of Daytona Bike Week 2002. My wife and I are staying in St. Augustine and riding my T150V Trident down to Daytona every morning. Of course I'm in full Rocker kit, studded leather, boots, Davida helmet and goggles, rolled up jeans, the works. Pulling out of town on US 1 we stop at the final light before hitting the open road and what should pull up next to us?
One beautifully restored Lambretta with at least eight mirrors on it. The rider is in a target t-shirt, anorak, desert boots, perfectly coiffed mod hairstyle (flaunting the helmet law). I look over, he looks at me, and what's the first thing that comes out of my mouth? "Shouldn't I be beating the shit out of you right now?"
We both started laughing so hard was missed the light (fortunately no traffic) and almost dropped our bikes.
Addendum to the Mod history: The term "Mod" actually goes back about 7-8 years earlier to the period that we normally think of. British Jazz in the 50's was split between the Traditional and Modern (think Dave Brubek, etc.) Jazz, which invariably had the camps entitled "Trads" and "Mods". The Mod style of the '60's had it's start here, although the Mods of the '50's had probably married and started famlies, so they weren't around for the '60's incarnation. The line between the two is direct, however, with more than a few individuals hanging around.
If you want a decent look at this period of the Mod life, rent the movie "Absolute Beginners". It's as good a treatment of the '50's Mod as "Quadrophrenia" is of the '60's.