Good rant shamelessly stolen from another site

[Bignate603]

You can't relate at all to the problem so you bash the writer because of your own ignorance?

I CAN relate to the writer because I encounter that sort of behavior ALL THE TIME from co-workers who don't ride, friends who don't ride, perfect strangers who don't ride, etc. Do you see the pattern here? :whiste:

And non-motorcyclists encounter obnoxious motorcyclists all the time. Like I said before, it seems like 99% of motorcyclists are perfectly fine. However, that last 1% causes almost all the things that people complain about. Motorcycles are a cheap way to go fast so there will always be some people that abuse that when others are around. It's not a problem with the motorcycles themselves and it's not like they should be banned. That being said, it's ignorant to say that a minority of riders aren't causing some very serious problems. At best they're annoying, at worst they're dangerous.

 

[JulesMaximus]

The fact is, there are always going to be stupid drivers whether they are on bikes or in cars, trucks, or big rigs. The fact is, if you are in a bike and getting hit by a car at a sufficient speed, you will likely receive more injuries than the person in the car. If you are a car getting hit by a big rig, you will likely receive more injuries than the guy in the big rig. Does that mean everyone should drive big rigs for safety reasons? Absolutely not.

Point is, every cyclist seems to think they are such a good driver that they will never get into an accident. There are car drivers who do this as well. I happen to be one. The one time I didn't double check the cross road as a light turned green, I was the third member of a tboning from a Jeep Patriot that blew through the intersection at 40+mph. I shudder to think of how bad of shape I'd be in were I on a motorcycle.

All it amounts to is other drivers suck. If you're on a bike, your risk is greater than the person in a car. Cars are built to be safe and withstand a certain level of impact from all sides. A bike has nothing to insulate you from the accident. For that reason, I don't care to ride a bike. Does that mean I never leave my house, use hand sanitizer after touching a door handle, carry an epipen, or any of the other bullshit that ranter mentioned? Nope. I just don't ride motorcycles because the extra risk isn't worth the marginal enjoyment or gas savings. Give me a sports car with 300hp and that'll be good enough for the enjoyment factor.

That's not even close to the point. 🙄 The point is, we know the risks, so please don't remind us of the risks everytime you see us or it comes up in conversation. It's just annoying.

 

[JulesMaximus]

And non-motorcyclists encounter obnoxious motorcyclists all the time. Like I said before, it seems like 99% of motorcyclists are perfectly fine. However, that last 1% causes almost all the things that people complain about. Motorcycles are a cheap way to go fast so there will always be some people that abuse that when others are around. It's not a problem with the motorcycles themselves and it's not like they should be banned. That being said, it's ignorant to say that a minority of riders aren't causing some very serious problems. At best they're annoying, at worst they're dangerous.

So, what do you want from me? An apology? I can't do anything about obnoxious people so give me a break m-kay?

I see obnoxious behavior from people driving cars all the time. Do you see me preaching to you about that because you also drive a car?

 

[nismotigerwvu]

You mean like everyone responding with their anecdotal evidence in this thread?

Dude, what part of "never works" are you getting tripped up on? Plaything the "but everyone else is doing it" defense only works on the playground. Also, why get so caught up in other people's opinions? Riding isn't for them, big whoop, shouldn't make you enjoy it any more or less.

 

[Ferzerp]

That's not even close to the point. 🙄 The point is, we know the risks, so please don't remind us of the risks everytime you see us or it comes up in conversation. It's just annoying.

You foist your risk upon us all from a liability standpoint by driving on the same roads with all of the car riders.

You're like a guy who decides to run out of the field in the middle of an NFL play with no protection. If you splatter yourself on, get splattered by, one of us, it's not just you that has to deal with the ramifications.

I don't tell you not to do it, but when people get all militant and whiny about it, sure, I'm going to point it out. I should not have to accomodate your risk behavior, so if you don't like the way car drivers drive, drive on different roads. Stop asking everyone to treat you with kid gloves because you chose to play without the proper safety equipment and chose to accept a greater risk than we did. It's on you to deal with that risk, not everyone else.

 

[marvdmartian]

Actually, the only time I came close to pancaking a motorcycle rider, it was 100% his fault. I was on a 2-lane undivided highway, doing the speed limit (55mph), when he pulled out from a parking lot on the left side of the road, turning left (so had to cross one lane completely, to get to my lane), and didn't bother gunning it. Pretty sure he was completely oblivious to the fact that my 3500 pound car was bearing down on him, as he putt-putted his way slowly up to speed......

Until, that was, he finally noticed me, as I was (literally) standing on my brake pedal (old car, no power brakes) with both feet, honking my horn, and flashing my headlights at him. I saw his head jerk to the side, to see me bearing down on him in his mirror, and it was only then that he "punched it" (so to speak), and went full throttle.

It was a race of physics, and he escaped becoming my hood ornament by less than 3 feet, before his bike finally started pulling away from the front end of my car, and I was able to let off the brakes.

I'm pretty sure he had to change his underwear, once he got home. 😱

 

[JulesMaximus]

You foist your risk upon us all from a liability standpoint by driving on the same roads with all of the car riders.

You're like a guy who decides to run out of the field in the middle of an NFL play with no protection. If you splatter yourself on, get splattered by, one of us, it's not just you that has to deal with the ramifications.

I don't tell you not to do it, but when people get all militant and whiny about it, sure, I'm going to point it out. I should not have to accomodate your risk behavior, so if you don't like the way car drivers drive, drive on different roads. Stop asking everyone to treat you with kid gloves because you chose to play without the proper safety equipment and chose to accept a greater risk than we did. It's on you to deal with that risk, not everyone else.

Christ, listening to you people you'd think that riding a motorcycle is a certain death sentence. 🙄

And your analogy is ludicrous.

Nobody is asking to be treated with kid gloves. I think you're reading way too much into this.

 

[Ferzerp]

Christ, listening to you people you'd think that riding a motorcycle is a certain death sentence. 🙄

Nobody is asking to be treated with kid gloves. I think you're reading way too much into this.

It sure reads like that to me. It's the same argument that the bicyclists make when they complain about the car drivers.

The righteous indignation along with it has a different slant, but it's the same argument.

You picked to do it, increasing the personal liability of each and every car driver on the road. The least you can do is keep your mouth shut about it. That's my view.

 

[JulesMaximus]

If you splatter yourself on, get splattered by, one of us, it's not just you that has to deal with the ramifications.

So, I shouldn't ride because your feelings might get hurt if you kill me?

Fuck... this thread is full of stupid.

 

[nismotigerwvu]

So, I shouldn't ride because your feelings might get hurt if you kill me?

*Expletive deleted* ... this thread is full of stupid.

It isn't just feelings, fatal accidents tend to have quite a bit of legal ramifications. That said, being involved with the death of a fellow human being, regardless of who's fault it may be, has effects you can't simply hand wave away as "feelings". This isn't someone's pet gerbil we're talking about and no matter how much you wish it wasn't so, there are irresponsible riders out there. To be honest, THOSE are the people you should be upset with for making life difficult for the reasonable ones.

 

[JulesMaximus]

People who write things like this never really consider the potential effects their action have on others.

Stupid car driver causes an accident with me: We both walk away, insurance takes care of the damage, and life goes on.

Stupid bike (motorized or not) rider causes an accident with me: I walk away, rider is much more likely to be severely maimed or dead, and I get to deal with the psychological effects that being involved in that accident will leave me with.

Tell me again why I should be totally cool with people who forgo the protection of the big metal shell on the roadway for people with big metal shells (engineered to protect them if their shell hits another shell)? And if you argue that the road is for everyone, I'll point out that the big metal shell drivers are funding it much, much more, especially compared to the non-motorized bikers.

Or let's even flip it around. Let's assume I am at fault. The disparity becomes even more.

Have you killed or maimed anyone on a motorcycle? I've been driving cars for decades (many hundreds of thousands of miles) and I've never hit a motorcyclist. I don't know anyone who has ever hit a motorcyclist or had to deal with these issues you seem to think are so likely. Personally, I don't give it a second thought when I strap on my cage and go for a drive.

ZOMG!!1!!ONE There's a motorcycle! The horror! I'm going to cry! 😛

 

[JulesMaximus]

It isn't just feelings, fatal accidents tend to have quite a bit of legal ramifications. That said, being involved with the death of a fellow human being, regardless of who's fault it may be, has effects you can't simply hand wave away as "feelings". This isn't someone's pet gerbil we're talking about and no matter how much you wish it wasn't so, there are irresponsible riders out there. To be honest, THOSE are the people you should be upset with for making life difficult for the reasonable ones.

Well, if they're dead there isn't a whole hell of a lot being upset with them is going to do now is there? 😀

 

[JulesMaximus]

Now, if you'll all excuse me, I'm going to go ride my motorcycle. 😀

 

[nismotigerwvu]

Now, if you'll all excuse me, I'm going to go ride my motorcycle. 😀

Well maybe now the "amount of stupid" in this thread will die down.

 

[Pulsar]

>>I have never known a bike to come out of nowhere, but I have seen plenty of cars pull a Crazy Ivan and turn into a lane occupied by a biker or make an impromptu unsignalled left turn in front of an oncoming me.<<

Really? You've never seen bikers going 100+ and weaving between cars on the freeway? Or darting in between cars in lanes and cutting them off? Or slamming on the brakes to do a 'stoppie' in front of cars? Never seen any of that huh?

Then you haven't ridden a bike long enough, and your opinion is completely invalidated.

This article is only one step above Jules 'it's ok to run into car's mirrors while riding between lanes' article.

The best article in the world can be destroyed when the writer decides to write it completely one-sidedly and ignore what every single person in the universe knows. Bikers are assholes on a daily basis. Not all. Not most. A very small, very select percentage. Probably about the same percentage as car drivers. But closing your eyes, sticking your fingers in your ears, and saying 'nanananannanaannanan I can't hear you' just makes you look like a fool.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Like I said before, it seems like 99% of motorcyclists are perfectly fine. However, that last 1% causes almost all the things that people complain about.

If those were really the percentages, I think most car drivers would feel very differently about motorcycles than they do.

 

[Greenman]

You foist your risk upon us all from a liability standpoint by driving on the same roads with all of the car riders.

You're like a guy who decides to run out of the field in the middle of an NFL play with no protection. If you splatter yourself on, get splattered by, one of us, it's not just you that has to deal with the ramifications.

I don't tell you not to do it, but when people get all militant and whiny about it, sure, I'm going to point it out. I should not have to accomodate your risk behavior, so if you don't like the way car drivers drive, drive on different roads. Stop asking everyone to treat you with kid gloves because you chose to play without the proper safety equipment and chose to accept a greater risk than we did. It's on you to deal with that risk, not everyone else.

Lets look at the other side of that. Where do you get off wasting thousands of gallons of fuel every year by dragging four thousand pounds of steel everywhere you go? How about all the space you take up on the street? Don't blame me for using a small, efficient method of transport, blame yourself for being a spoiled waster.
You're the reason it takes me an hour to get to work every morning, you're the reason gas is $4, it's because of you that highways have to be a hundred feet wide. Don't even get me started on the parking problems you cause.
Don't hand me crap about having to pay for my risky behavior, your huge hulking fuel drinking mountain of steel is costing me a fortune.

 

[Doppel]

Obviously a lot of motorcyclists don't know the statistics or they "know them", but don't care. They, for obvious reasons, don't want to spend much time pondering how their beloved pastime truly brings a very real and substantial chance of their wife explaining to their kids why daddy is in the hospital or perhaps won't be coming home again at all.

For some it's cognitive dissonance, for others they just don't care and their hobby is too important to them to quit.

I imagine there are additional categories of motorcyclists I didn't define above, but to those of us who don't do it it's always going to be difficult understanding how an activity with demonstrably high odds of injury or death is still one that should be engaged in. This is why I personally have a very hard time sympathizing with, for example, family men who ride bikes with any kind of frequency, especially fast ones.

And some of us are quite risk averse. I am, but I cannot afford a life of regret over why I am now in a wheel chair and there are a million ways to enjoy life fully without risking life or limb.

I do know one fellow who rode a sport bike when younger and finally quit because he felt he was going to kill himself, and another who quit riding shortly after getting his license when he found himself flying over the hood of a car. Both of these people enjoyed it for some period of time and got out of it without injury.

 

[Ferzerp]

Lets look at the other side of that. Where do you get off wasting thousands of gallons of fuel every year by dragging four thousand pounds of steel everywhere you go? How about all the space you take up on the street? Don't blame me for using a small, efficient method of transport, blame yourself for being a spoiled waster.
You're the reason it takes me an hour to get to work every morning, you're the reason gas is $4, it's because of you that highways have to be a hundred feet wide. Don't even get me started on the parking problems you cause.
Don't hand me crap about having to pay for my risky behavior, your huge hulking fuel drinking mountain of steel is costing me a fortune.

Space on the street? The space that car driver gas tax is providing for far more than you are? That space you get to mooch off of? You're reaping the benefit, of the gas guzzlers. I'm sorry that you can't afford to drive if fuel is $4/gallon, we're way better off in that regard than most other countries. Perhaps if the fuel is too expensive, you should ride a bike? You could keep your self-righteous attitude about car drivers that way.

I'm also sorry that you can't plan your life in such a way that you don't have to waste 2 hours a day driving back and forth to work. Since we're awake something like 16 hours a day, are at work typically 9 or so hours (assuming you work 8 hour days with a lunch), that means you get 7 hours a day of non work time. 2 of those are commuting for you. You get to spend around 28% of your weekday free time commuting. Of course, since you love your bike so much, that should be a bonus yes?

Me, personally, I have the forsight to plan my life in such a way that I spend around 20 minutes a day (total, not both directions) commuting back and forth with my big gas guzzling 4200 lbs (thank you, you forgot 200 lbs) car and actually end up using less fuel (3.5miles each direction) than you would commuting 2 hours a day on your bike, so cheers for that. Stop raising my gas prices by using so much of it.

I like how you equate gas prices to the liability all the car riders around you must assume though. I guess that sort of value on human life is what makes a motorcycle rider? Is that the impression you are trying to give? If so, it has worked wonderfully.


In summation: the reason your commute is so long is your lack of life planning, and you're using far more fuel than I do with commuting. Trying to blame that on me though, just as trying to place the blame for any consequences of your risky behavior on the car drivers does seem to fit the theme you have going here. You can't have the personal freedom without the personal responsibility. Man up and accept the whole package.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Before this thread gets even more out of hand, how about if we motorcyclists agree not to do stoppies, wheelies, lane splitting at 100mph, and "come out of nowhere" if you guys in your cars agree not to apply your makeup, text your boyfriends, eat lunch, talk on the phone, read a book, and agree to use your mirrors properly while driving your cars?

Sound like a plan?

Peace.

 

[Doppel]

Before this thread gets even more out of hand, how about if we motorcyclists agree not to do stoppies, wheelies, lane splitting at 100mph, and "come out of nowhere" if you guys in your cars agree not to apply your makeup, text your boyfriends, eat lunch, talk on the phone, read a book, and agree to use your mirrors properly while driving your cars?

Sound like a plan?

Peace.

Nope. Car drivers will do that anyway and it's one of the reasons why motorcycling will continue to be an activity prone far more to injury and death than driving cars.

 

[HarryLui]

I have no problem with people riding/driving motorcycle, bicycle, car, truck, pickup, any other motorized vehicle.

I have problems with people doing irresponsible things while on a motorized vehicle that can cause harm or property damage to themselves or others.

For example, if you're on an autocross skip pad, do whatever you please with your car, I can care less.

If you're on a public street, don't cut in and out of traffic so you can be a full 2 second ahead.

 

[Greenman]

Before this thread gets even more out of hand, how about if we motorcyclists agree not to do stoppies, wheelies, lane splitting at 100mph, and "come out of nowhere" if you guys in your cars agree not to apply your makeup, text your boyfriends, eat lunch, talk on the phone, read a book, and agree to use your mirrors properly while driving your cars?

Sound like a plan?

Peace.

It's no use Jules, you're an outlaw biker. A menace to law abiding citizens, a scourge on the roads, a daredevil putting everyone on the streets at risk, and worse yet, possibly costing them a couple dollars.
You're already as good as dead, put your kids up for adoption, tell the widow Maximus goodbye, jump on that two wheeled death trap and ride over to the ER so they can harvest your organs.

Edit: I guess we should close up this thread and go post in the My Little Pony thread, it's safer.

 

[HeXen]

i don't ride cycles. and after reading OP's first sentence, i immediately didn't care just like i don't when i talk to anyone who rides one. what i find odd is that apparently there are many non riders who care when they encounter a rider enough to discuss to them about safety and annoyances??
lol. do they complain to handicapp people too?

 

[Ferzerp]

I'll never understand the motivation behind threads meant to stir up a bees nest here. They all follow one of two paths.

1) The collective group ignores the attempt at provocation and makes the thread talking about the topic in a positive sense as if the negative first post didn't exist.

or you have the way this one went.

2) Person rants. Person finds will reasoned reactions pointing out the silliness of the rant. Person gets upset and tries to make fun of the other posters. Person gets more reasoned reactions pointing out the problem with that view. Person ends up giving up and saying they are leaving, with a final futile attempt to get a rise with a pretty pathetic insult.

All in all, pretty resilient and level headed forum we have here.