A Vespa seems practical for the reasons you mentioned, but I think you're forgetting about the possibility of rain! image
I can use family as back up in those cases, but I get what you mean. I'd like something reliable, but I also feel that a used car isn't reliable in another sense. Imagine buying a used car for $3000 and having to put a couple hundred/thousand dollars in repairs into it if I end up with a lemon?