article from the local news paper...say what yah think about it

[marinj]

So i got an e-mail back from the editor/author of the article today, and he's decided to write an additional article. This one will be pro-motorcycle, and outline why motorcyclist's are just as afraid of some of the cagers out there.

I had to say I was surprised though, I really didn't think my e-mail would recieve a response from the editor.

[Wrecent_Wryder]

[34

[scratch]

So i got an e-mail back from the editor/author of the article today, and he's decided to write an additional article. This one will be pro-motorcycle, and outline why motorcyclist's are just as afraid of some of the cagers out there.

I had to say I was surprised though, I really didn't think my e-mail would recieve a response from the editor.

Kudos for him!  For recognizing the view from the other side.

And, kudos to you!  For informing him of such!

Also, regarding the way people drive, here's a little something I tell myself on the way home: Everybody has to get home sometime.  Meaning, no matter how fast you go, or how slow others are, you're still going to get home.  Better, to do it safely, without pissing others off, or getting upset yourself.  I wish others would understand this.

[domahmegok]

One thing to note maybe the reason for more accidents is fuel prices, and more newbies getting motorcycles.  More new motocyclists = more accidents per capita.

the opposit is true too, there are a lot more older and younger drivers nowadays than before. inexperience and old age drivers affect this too .

[Squirrel]

Quote: After reading your article, I find your story to be one of the more biased articles I have ever read. You completely negleted to mention that a vast number of motorcycle accidents are a result of driver neglegence. NOT the motorcyclist's, but rather the neglectful person behind the wheel of the car, suv, etc.
How many times have you seen someone driving while talking on a cell phone? In fact, I'm sure you've even done it a couple of times yourself (for the record, you mention doing just that in your article) , yet I do not see you writing an article on avoiding distractions while driving. The problem is that people climb inside their car and become impervious to the world around them. These are the people who turn left without looking, switch lanes without checking the blindspot etc. and in many cases, that neglect has unfortunately left many motorcyclists dead or severly injured.
If you are an educated, open minded person (which I'm assuming you are) then I emplore you to publish an article about the risks of driving while utilizing a cell phone, or even the effect of gas-guzzling SUV's on our environment. (A little food for thought, motorcycles are more fuel efficient than cars, and don't provide the same strain on roadways, allowing highways to last longer, thus reducing public expenditures every year on highway/road maintenance.)
The same type of backward thinking that spawned this article is the same type of thought that is the cause of so many problems domsetically and internationally.

Cheers.

I read the article, was offended, and decided to write the author. Above is my e-mail.

Yea!!  Good on you!!  I was offended as well.  What a biased ignorant cager.

Laura

[joedude]

Here's an interesting post I found in the paper's forum... turns out this Bob guy (the author) has his own section of the forum, and the only post in there is in reply to his motorcycle article. and here it is:

Hi Bob, I am very surprised about your "rant" over motorcycles -
I'm guessing here but maybe one of your kids wants to get one? 

Sure, there are a few bad motorcyclists who engage in extremely dangerous and illegal stunts such as what you have described but that does not increase the risk factor for safe riders. After all, every day bad car drivers commit DUI or gab on cell phones (recent studies indicate that cell phone usage can be as dangerous as DUI), and since there are many more car drivers than motorcyclists this is a much more serious problem to society. No exaggeration, every day I see car drivers engaged in distracting and illegal cell phone usage. Unfortunately, unlike a motorcycle, when a car or truck gets into an accident with another vehicle there is a far greater likelihood that others will be hurt or killed too, such as what happened in the recent cluster of horrific accidents on the thruway between Suffern and Harriman. Do you take a dim view of cars or do you try to encourage safer driving? I'm guessing probably the later? Why? Because you drive a car and would feel infringed upon if you had to give it up.

You are close to correct when you say that there is no protection on a motorcycle (when compared to a car occupant). There is no doubt that one is safer protected by steel and airbags but, just like motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians lack the benefit of this protection too. You might scoff at the comparison but there is hardly a week that goes by this paper is not telling a tragic story about someone being struck by a car or truck in Rockland. As a motorcyclist and a 50+ mile/week bicyclist, from my experience, bicycling is far more dangerous than motorcycling. Only about 25% of car drivers are courteous to bicyclists, the rest behave as if bicylists are deliberate inconveniences to them and will cut you off or pass so closely that you think you are about to be hit or grazed (I've been grazed once). Furthermore, many roads have defects that would cause no issue with a car or motorcycle but could cause a bicylist to loose control (I broke my collar in part thanks to one of these). You might say that unlike a bicycle or pedestrain that a motorcycle is capable of far greater speed. This is true, however, according to the "Hurt Report" the average speed in motorcycle accidents is around 25 mph and accidents involving other vehicles most typically occur at an intersection (the same place where pedestrians flock), not on fast highways.

The point I am trying to make is that while being on a motorcycle makes one more vulnerable than being in a car it is not out of line with the risk that many other common activities that we partake in can pose. Take that group of irresponsible motorcyclists you described and put them in automobiles and I can guarantee you that that the stakes go up for everyone else on the road too. But this is a moot dare because the fact that DUI is such a big issue proves that we already have a group of irresponsible people driving cars.

You could argue that riding a motorcyle is an optional activity but so is almost everthing else we do in life for fun. Instead of riding my bicycle outdoors I could use a stationary one in my basement, and instead of windsurfing on the Hudson River I could wad in a chlorinated pool watched over by a lifeguard.

[pantablo]

wow, great that he's going to publicly respond. and the message in his forum is quite interesting and well written too. excellent.

[jackiei26]

Make sure you post his reply.  I'm curious as to what he writes.

[Blueknyt]

While i do dislike squids and Idiots all the same, Cagers and bikers alike share the same genes when it comes to "Mencia Moments"  (DEE DEE Dee)  but this sounded abit too whiney, even for a complaint.   I do tend to watch the "squids" abit closer then the riders. this would include the "Tuner twisters" and the ever so loveable "4wheeling wankers" and lets not forget the "Telecomunicapperotti's"   hell, these days im finding RoadRage to be a constant companion trying to egg me on in helping these folks understand the fundamentals of Darwinism.  Thankfuly Ive been able to keep it in check. 

i cant and wont say im a model driver, but i will also say i refuse to get stupid when im feeling crazy.    as to this writer, he is entitled to his feelings and expressions.  i do have the urge to send him some "Puff's with lotion"

[Egaeus]

I have to agree with the forum author.  Squids are squids, whether in their car or on a bike.  This guy was my neighbor, and I taught him in high school during my 9-week stint as a high school math teacher in Cord, AR.  He wasn't a bad guy, but he was a stereotypical squid.  He'd had two serious (one near-fatal) motorcycle accidents that I know of.  About a minute before the accident, he nearly ran my aunt off the road.  She says that he was probably going over 100 mph at the time.  The road he wrecked on isn't exactly deals gap, but there are very few sections where speeds in excess of 70 are reasonable (55 speed limit).  It was the first semi-twisty road that I got to ride on. 

[Libido]

The AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) promotes legislation regarding riders' rights, and lots more good things I don't have time or grey matter sufficient to go into now.  Join us.

[CirclesCenter]

You give people horsepower and some of them will abuse it.

That's just the way it is.

I can ride around all day doing a reasonable sembelance of the speed limit (5 over or so, and even then I'm getting run down) on the GS, which especially on surface streets, is capable of some pretty intense manuvers. (Clutch it and ride on one wheel between two 25mph cagers at 45 doesn't really require 140+hp)

(BTW I know my speedo error exactly)

On most roads I just go with the traffic, on the twisty back bits I wait till there's no one around to witness/partake in my stupidity before I play at all.

Honestly the best way to do it is to provide more tracks and figure out ways to make it cheaper/easier to get out there. Waivers work wonders.

[porsche4786]

Personally, I'd rather be on the road with someone who's going to give motorcycles wide berth to either do their thing or kill themselves than be on the road with someone who is so enraged that s/he bumps us/tries to kill us.

For every cage on the road who's driving well, I see a huge cluster who don't belong on the road. We all have our prejudices, and his happens to be motorcyclists. One can easily replace "motorcyclist" in his article with anything else.... women, asians, Oregonians, men, teens, older folks, etc.

SPDG (Same prejudice, different group).

What do you have against oregonians?

[pandy]

I love Oregonians...<---see, it was the only one that i capitalized!  

[My Name Is Dave]

I love Oregonians...<---see, it was the only one that i capitalized!  

You'd better say that. 

[pandy]