The thread about the want for gov't regulation was timely.

Yesterday, I was riding to work. Two guys came alongside me at a traffic light- actually one on each side of the car next to me. Both on HD's, not sportbikes.

Light changes, lots of noise and weaving. Long story somewhat shorter, these guys were having a good time. Slicing through traffic, sometimes on both sides of the same car, and even once one guy patting the other on the back. I was just cruising, and yet these guys didn't make much progress at getting far in front of me. I didn't want to get too close, but ended up next to them at a traffic light again. This time they just stopped at the light in place as they arrived instead of moving through cars to get to the front as before. I ended up in with them in sight for around ten miles before we went in different directions.

So I get to work, and later in the day a woman I know came up to me with a VERY angry look on her face and asked me if I was riding with these guys. She recognized me, obviously, and said that these guys scared her, pist her off, and that she was so mad she called the cops to report them. I told her I didn't know these guys.

When the government tries to pass laws regulating us, people like this angry woman are a lot more likely to vote against us than for us. I tried to explain that we aren't all alike, but it may be awhile before she's easy to reason with.

I'm not an innocent choir boy here, but it did make me think.

 

Well said. It's human nature to dwell on the bad things, and let the good slide away all to quickly. Even if she meets another 100 bikers just like you, it'll be those two azzhats that represent bikers in her mind for quite some time.

It's the same thing with people griping about cops, because they got that one pompous police officer that gave treated them like crap and gave them a BS ticket, they'll go off and complain about how *all* cops are power hungry tax collecters blah blah blah... Forgetting all about the ones that let them off with a warning when they should have gotten ticketed.

Remember the worst in people, quickly forget the good. I see it all the time in my car forums []

 

When you are out cruising around,unless your just plain an outlaw,you cannot worry aboutwhat people think of your actions.Always remember:You cannot please everybody!!!!!When the urge hits for me to get stupid,I GET STUPID!! It never lasts very long.As Burt Munroe says: You live more in 5 minutes on your ride than most people live in their lifetime!!!!

 

Wasn't there a thread about this very same behavior and the guys were idiots because they were on sportbikes? Ha!!! Stupidity has no brand loyalty.

 

This is a good post, and people should take heed. Motorcylists are disliked and/or feared by a lot of the general public, and stupid actions add fuel to the flame.

I like to ride hard and take chances from time to time, but when it is done in away or place that provokes other people, we are just asking for problems.

Loud pipes for example. I am not knocking them, and I think a lot of bikes really sould good with a lot of noise, but when a rider does not have sense enough to keep them down in certain areas and under certain circumstances they are just looking to have legislation enacted that will restrict what we can have.

If we ride in big packs and act like we own the road, we are asking for grief. If we dodge in and out of traffic, cutting people off and scaring them, we are asking for grief. etc. etc.

There is a time and place for everything, and it is the duty of responsible bikers to keep that in mind and actaccordingly. Our rights get erroded every day, let's not help it along.

Regards,

Bill

 

Bill, I think you said it well. I know I am always anti "loud" anytime there's something posted about pipes but the truth of the matter is I'm not against loud pipes. I'm against the jerks that don't have enough common sense and consideration for other people to know when to use them and when not to use them.

The angrier people get the tighter the noose is going to get around out necks.

 

Well said by all.

Unfortunately how that lady is judging bikers is exactly how I feel about people talking on cellphones when they're driving--good cellphone user or outlaw user, I see you all the same--damn near running me over cause you all ain't paying a bit of attention doing what you're supposed to be doin'--which is drive the car.

 

[quote]ORIGINAL: HogBoy

Well said by all.

Unfortunately how that lady is judging bikers is exactly how I feel about people talking on cellphones when they're driving--good cellphone user or outlaw user, I see you all the same--damn near running me over cause you all ain't paying a bit of attention doing what you're supposed to be doin'--which is drive the car.
[/quote ]

Correct and because people don't have the smarts to control themselves when it comes to using cell phones, more and more states are passing laws all the time that will put more restrictions on them and those that use them. Just like what will happen with any other group (bikes?) that upset the law makers and the people who influence the law makers.

 

Very interesting thread here, it's not always what we do but how it's perceived, and the car drivers already have a bad impression of us because of the less than intelligent acts they have witnessed.

 

Exactly my point, Whaap.