340 Rant

[sevenbucks]

This past weekend, up around here in Frederick (aka Fredneck) MD, a young guy was riding a wheelie on Rte 340, hit a tow truck on the side of the road, and died. As it turns out, he was being filmed for one of those extreme riding videos that are popping up everywhere like Girls Gone Wild. Strangely enough, he was wearing a helmet, shirt, and shoes, but no pants. The tape in question has now been taken by the investigating authorities, and was discovered to have been erased - twice.

I wasn't there, didn't know this kid, or the fine details of the accident that are missed in telling the story; what I'm saying is based on the news I've read here and stuff I've heard from other riders I know who are more in touch with the accident.

What I do know is this, and for some reason I feel the need to rant about it this morning.

I've been riding since March now, and I know I've gotten better based on my own accomplishments and by what more experienced riders have told me by watching my progress. I know that I have limits and there's nothing to be embarassed about in not being as good as or appearing a lot more cautious than other riders I'm with. I also know that I've gotten past the point of being awed by cool-looking stunts my buddies pull on 270 and just find them stupid when there are other riders, cars, and high speeds involved.

I've also noticed that in the past month or so, accidents and deaths due to poor riding choices seem to be more in the public eye. Since that's happened, people I meet or people I haven't talked to in a while hear I ride now and instead of the usual wide eyed "Wow Blair, you got a motorcyle? Cool!" now it's a sarcastic "Aww man, you're not one of those ricer boyz now, are you?"

I don't care what people say about me and my love of riding, trust me. I think if those who go on about bikes being death-machines without having been on one hopped on my GS and learned to ride to the end of the street, they'd be converted like I've been. But lately my fellow riders are getting a bad rap and it's become pretty noticeable that there's a new stereotype floating around.

In my opinion, there's always been a little mystique in being a biker of any sort. This I think I can say with honesty because until recently I wouldn't ride one; now I'm part of a cool worldwide gang if you want to get down to the point and all teary-eyed about it. It's those of us who ride and those of us who don't ride.

Those of us who don't ride see a group of us who do go by. If it's the Harley/chopper type guys, people hear the bikes, see them, and go "ooooh, that's dangerous!" and admittedly there might be a little envy in there because of the Teutels or Jesse James or whatnot. Other times,  such riders are looked at like they're convicts, a stereotype perpetuated forever in the movies and stories about the Hells Angels at Altamont. I will admit that when I was younger and the advent of faired sport bikes came around, I thought that someone whipping by with a tinted full face helmet riding a Ninja was a mysterious badass and my nose would be pressed to the backseat glass of mom's station wagon, watching him go.

Now that I've got my own full face helmet and gear and am riding a bright red pseudo-sporty looking bike, I pick up the same vibes of curiousity or "why is he riding that thing?" that I used to send out before I rode. But now that there's a minority of people who ride unsafely in the public eye and pay the price for it, I'm getting a new vibe of disgust from people, like I'm going to run them off the road or something.

I know anti-rider sentiments have been around since there have been riders, but with the stupid deaths and accidents that have happened lately, I'm actually kind of pissed at some of my fellow riders for beefing up a stereotype.

It's not about what people think of me or the image. It's about the pleasure I get even riding my bike to the store. But I think it sucks when people get a bad impression of sport bikers, and I don't entirely disagree with them.

If you can get to the point of my rambling, do any of my fellow riders get what I'm feeling, or is the coffee in the office laced with crack today?

-Blair

[scratch]

I hear ya. And, I sympathize with ya. We, the responible ones, need to approach these people and let them know that we do not appreciate what they do, and urge them to safer places and practices. As a motorcycle community (also re: minority) we will have to police ourselves in order to prevent our pastime from being regulated, or eradicated, by the government.

See the second line in my sig.

[Roadstergal]

I'm with you.  A little earlier this summer, I was driving along Sand Point Way, and these kids came by, cutting in among traffic, lane splitting (illegal in WA, and unnecessary with as little traffic moving as well as it was).  We came to a light, and I stopped in my lane, and the kids just weaved into the front lane of traffic, bikes parked every which way.  When the light turned green, I tried to move off, but I had to stop when the kids pulled away from the light going every which way, weaving, popping wheelies.  I pulled over and called the cops, but man, I was so mad at the kids.  I knew that everyone watching them would have their respect for all riders taken down a few pegs.  I wanted to just grab them and shake them and explain to them that they have no right to ruin everyone's image just because they're bored...

And I agree with you, I just don't find that shaZam! on the street cool, not in the least.

[SPARKPLUG1977]

I'm also with you on this one.  I won't say I don't do wheelies and stoppies and such, but I never pull crazy crap until I'm safely tucked away on one of wisconsin's many po dunk country roads. I get idiots all the time riding wheelies down I-94 on their brand new zx10, r1, etc.  Those dummies are why I take crap from people because I'm wearing my gear. They just assume I am that a-hole due to the gear.  Ride safe on the street.  If you must ride unsafe (sometimes you need to) do it away from traffic and use enough precaution not to kill yourself.

[ConanLloyd]

When I was getting into motorcycling, my wife and I saw a squidly kid wheelieing from light to light on his ducati monster.  She turned to me and said "That's why people don't like motorcycles"  I had to promise her that I wouldn't be that stupid when I rode.

Ironic ending to that is it turned out that the monster owner lived on my court and dropped the bike doing a stoppie in our court the next day.

BTW, hey there Spark I'm in Germantown.  Good to see another local!

[kyzee]

Unfortunately....there will always be squids around!  

[scratch]

Yes, but we can do something about it. Educate them. Teach them. Let them know that what they do can potentially hurt our chosen pastime. Give us a bad image and ruin our credibility with the general population and government. That senator got off easy for killing a motorcyclist, shall our lives be cheapened anymore by somebody doing a stunt on a public street, around people who are voters, or in front of another senator who may make it a personal crusade to legislate us out of existance.

I like seeing stunt videos, I'm impressed with the stunts. I respect those who take a chance for our enjoyment. I just don't want somebody else taking away something that many people enjoy because somebody didn't do something or just takes a fatalistic attitude of 'everybody crashes'.

I'm not proud of my crash last month. I made a mistake. Could have been prevented, but it's too late for 'could have's'. Now, I know that I needed more preload in my forks, to go slower in that area, and keep both hands on the bars.

[indestructibleman]

. . euthanize them . . .

[Mk1inCali]

I've been a participant and member of quite a few different "chosen pastimes" which have been targeted as "unnecessary" or labeled as stupid.  I have an old truck with a big block.  I used to do burnouts all day in it, even just going to work or just driving around, wasting time and money.  I was a squid in a cage.  I got 3K miles out of my rear tires.  Then my dad got word of it through one of his co-workers who told him about a lowered white truck that kept trying to race him on the main drag while he and his wife went to the local movie complex.  That was me.  I was the only guy in town with a lowered truck, much less a bright white one, and definitely the only one stupid enough to do burnouts and trying to race somebody.

I didn't drive for a year and I now consider myself lucky to not have hurt anyone, including myself while driving that stupidly, that irresponsibly.

I learned my lesson, and I know that not everyone can be reached by such simple means, but I agree, we need to send the message that we don't condone stupid riding, we don't think it's OK, we don't want it to be seen.  Don't you all think those lowered Honda's with their fart can exhaust seem much more silly after the advent of movies like "Fast and Furious?"  That's the same effect the movies with bikes in them are having on the general population's attitude towards ALL of us.

[coll0412]

I just say "f*** it" and  ride the way that is safe for the enviroment that I am in, and for the idiots that want to do wheelies on the freeway...I hope it doesnt hurt to much when you hit the pavement for the first time, and it only takes one time...
I cant say that I havnt tried to do a wheelie the on the GS...
i just would never do it with cars around that potentialy I could hit, or at anything above first gear

But what I can say is to everyone who fears for the image of motorcycles
"let think we are crazy, then maybe they will see us" :nana: