An Open Letter To Every Person I Meet Who Finds Out I Ride A Motorcycle

Mitchell,

I ride bicycle rarely, but when I do it's nearly always on a rail-trail. Not much to hit or be hit by on it. On the road, or bombing down a woods trail...totally different and I'd certainly consider it. Biking is about the last helmet-less thing I can do in life, so I'll pick a venue that's as safe as it can be for me.

On a motorcycle I'm pretty much ATGATT except for pants in warmer weather. I simply haven't found a pair of mesh pants yet, so I assume the risk of wearing jeans. Still better than when I was a young teen riding illegally on the road with a open face helmet, t shirt and shorts.

I still ride my bike wth jeans, an open face helmet and either a denim or old leather jacket, but I never moutain bike without my helmet. I have a much better chance of taling a header on my Trek. I have seen bicyclist with nasty head injuries.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: "... We’ve become so pathologically risk-averse that for most people it is inconceivable to assume any additional risk no matter how much joy you might get back in return. You want to know what’s truly dangerous? Not taking any risks. Hanging out with like-minded middle-of-the-roaders. Absorbing the same brain-ossifying E36 M3 from media factories every day. Jogging. Putting helmets, flotation devices, and auto-deploy epi-pens on your kids every time they leave the house. Passivity. Not paying attention to where your car, or your life, or you country is going." berkeleying perfect.

Hallalujah! Can I get a WITNESS!!!

mguar wrote: In reply to alex: I used to ride but don't anymore.. No real reason, I just prefer my sports cars over motorcycles.. You do as you Like but make sure your choice doesn't infringe on me.. Have enough insurance so that if something turns you into a vegetable you aren't living the next 30-40 years on the tax payer.. Yes I have enough for the risks I take. (And I do take plenty) By the way I'm not adverse to Motorcycles.. I try to watch for them and make sure I don't steal their right of way etc.. Heck, If I could find a nice 750 Royal Enfield Intercepter I'd be tempted to go back to riding some..even at 64 I still think I'm semi- immortal.

mguar, we are in agreement except for the italicized part. I know plenty of people who have ridden bikes for years and are not spending the last 30-40 on the taxpayers, and I know people who are sucking at the public teat because they just kept cramming their faces with sugary crap and fast food till they developed diabetes. I keep pointing out that we need to be careful who we ostracize that way, because guess what? it very well could be that at some point the Nanny State will give us guidelines which, if not followed, mean we are screwed, so to speak. That will be a gray and colorless world.

When that happens:

In reply to Curmudgeon:

I totally agree with you, except for the border line flounder.

In reply to mguar:

If you have to "try to watch for them", you're DOING IT WRONG.

And once the insurance company hits their max (yes there is a max, look carefully at your policy) they bail. Leaving the taxpayer to suck it up, no matter the original cause of the trauma.

That's why I say be careful whose ox you gore in this situation because it could blow back on YOUR favorite activity.

I once read an editorial letter from some woman who was an EMT; she advocated leaving someone injured in a backcountry 'extreme sport' activity of any kind as last in line to be EMT'd. Her reasoning: they put themselves in this position, thus the EMT's should concentrate their efforts on what she called the 'real victims' first. I suppose that means she'd also put a drunk driver at the back of the line too, since they put themselves in that position. Or if someone had a heart attack from eating too much rich food; they did that to themselves. Maybe if I manage to ball up my hillclimb car I gotta wait till they decide it's time to come cut me out; after all I put myself in that position.

Right?

Call it a flounder if you wish, but there it is.

according to NHSTA in 2009 24,474 people died in car crashes, but only 4,462 died in bike crashes...therefore its safer to be on a bike

In reply to mguar:

Good point. In fact, there was one of those accident claim rings that got busted up in SC a while back; IIRC there were about 20 people directly involved, then 2 crooked docs and 3 crooked lawyers. IIRC the total of all the bogus claims was somewhere around $2.5 million. The 'people on the street' would cut in front of someone then slam on the brakes like they were turning into a parking lot or etc, then sue the driver who hit them from behind.

It's certainly possible to add a higher limit rider on pretty much any policy. Some policies already have higher than $1 million coverage; for instance my stepbrother's bills from his wreck on Feb 14 this year are $1.2 million and counting. I believe his policy's lifetime payout is $2 million. But as always I could be wrong.

But it doesn't alter the point I'm trying to make, which is that once you have activity A restricted or etc due to perceived safety issues then that's a precedent to restrict activity B. That's why, even though I am fully aware of the health risks, I do not support things like NYC's ban on trans fats or their limits on the size of soft drink cups. Once the Nanny State puts the squeeze on those, it's not a huge leap for them to ban or restrict other activities etc in the name of safety. And that makes all of us brothers under the skin in something like this.

alex wrote: Let me stop you right there, mmmm-kay? I can tell by that little intake of breath what’s coming next.

Nuff said.

I coulda really done w/o that kinda rant. The situation is true no doubt but nothing new I ain't read in the last 30-some years of MC, hot rod or sports car mags.

Too much drama there

It has been said before, no question. But it was said in a new way here that I thought was worth sharing.

Err... umm... whatever...

However, I did almost take out a rider who decided he didn't have to wait at a red light with the rest of us and blasted past on the shoulder...

alex wrote: You want to know what’s truly dangerous? Not taking any risks. Hanging out with like-minded middle-of-the-roaders.

Have to agree with that. Riding your motorcycle down the middle of the road does sound dangerous.

Love the post. Very cool. And I don't ride a bike.

alex wrote: Yes, I know, some bikes have very loud exhaust. Maybe it’s obnoxious, but at least you knew they were there, didn’t you?

'Cept for this part. Hard to rant about how you're happy to take the risk becaue of the reward, then tell me that you're infringing on my right to a reasonably peaceful world 'cause it's safer. Take your risk. Have your fun. And STFU.

Carter Edman : Yes, I know, some bikes have very loud exhaust. Maybe it’s obnoxious, but at least you knew they were there, didn’t you?

Nope. Because those loud pipes point behind you. Not towards that person about to pull out in front of you.

Hey! I got it! Point the pipes toward the front of the bike! Who cares how stupid it looks. It's saving lives!

Ian F wrote:

Carter Edman : Yes, I know, some bikes have very loud exhaust. Maybe it’s obnoxious, but at least you knew they were there, didn’t you?

Nope. Because those loud pipes point behind you. Not towards that person about to pull out in front of you. Hey! I got it! Point the pipes toward the front of the bike! Who cares how stupid it looks. It's saving lives!

This pipe keeps everyone annoyed. It may result in bodily harm if you go home late at night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJYWA7CxwQc

PHeller wrote: When I coming roaring down the street on my motorcycle they say "you didn't seem like a motorcycle rider". Well guess what folks, I am and I'll kick your ass. I'm a bad ass.

JG, somebody, anybody. put this in the next mag.
There seems to be a dearth of sprocket content in the magazine. lol

pilotbraden wrote:

Ian F wrote:

Carter Edman : Yes, I know, some bikes have very loud exhaust. Maybe it’s obnoxious, but at least you knew they were there, didn’t you?

Nope. Because those loud pipes point behind you. Not towards that person about to pull out in front of you. Hey! I got it! Point the pipes toward the front of the bike! Who cares how stupid it looks. It's saving lives!

This pipe keeps everyone annoyed. It may result in bodily harm if you go home late at night. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJYWA7CxwQc

I have just chambered a round in the Mauser.