How come the rudest people so far have been other harley riders?
#121
07-25-2016, 09:48 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
#122
07-25-2016, 10:08 AM
Club Member
BigConan, I'm going to be serious for a moment and then get back to my normal self.
This is my philosophy on riding.
I started riding at the age of 11 on dirt bikes. Between the age of 11 and 18 I got very good at motocross and hill climbing. I was fearless when I was young and I should point out that during my dirt bikes days I went down a lot, quite possible every time I got on it. By the time I was 16, I weighed just 98 pounds and rode a Yamaha 250 MX like a pack of wolves were on my tail.
When I was 18 I witnessed a teenager get killed at a motorcross race and it dramatically affected me. I quit dirt riding and switched to the street. I've now been riding street for 41 years and am on my 13th street bike. In these 41 years I have lost friends who were very good riders, I have come up on accidents where the corpse was still in the road. I have seen riders go down on the highway just lying there waiting for the EMT's to show up. It happens and I'm going to tell you why.
I have never had an accident and have never gone down or dropped my bike. I would guess I have between 250,000 and 300,000 road miles and have ridden in more than half of our states. I do not plan to go down, BUT, I know that I will likely go down some day and there is a chance that I will get killed riding my bike. The reason is I can not control variables.
There are normal variables that I expect and will be prepared when I encounter them. I slow down when it rains. I expect sand or rocks on the inside curves of the roads that I ride. I expect to meet a rice rocket in a curve when he goes wide and invades my lane. I expect the texting drivers, lack of turn signals, the infamous left turn, T bone opportunities. I anticipate all of them. This alone has save me more than once.
There are non-normal variables. No one can prepare for them. Kids and pets darting out from parked cars. Coyotes and deer on the roadway. A tree branch that falls at the moment you cross its path. Another rider passing you in your lane. A driver who suddenly crosses three lanes in an attempt to make their exit. A driver slamming on their brakes because they dropped a cigarette in their crotch. A rock thrown up that hits you in the face. A bee in your helmet. The A$$hole that doesn't tie down their load in the raggedy pickup truck. The list goes on and on. All of the planning and all of the skills in the world will not save you from non-normal variables, only dumb luck will.
Take these words to heart and never take for granted your moments in the saddle. Watch and assess everything around you. Never stop doing that.
Learn and become the best rider you can and hopefully Lady Luck will keep you safe.
NOTE*** Oh yeah, the rudest people are the French. Just sayin'.
This is my philosophy on riding.
I started riding at the age of 11 on dirt bikes. Between the age of 11 and 18 I got very good at motocross and hill climbing. I was fearless when I was young and I should point out that during my dirt bikes days I went down a lot, quite possible every time I got on it. By the time I was 16, I weighed just 98 pounds and rode a Yamaha 250 MX like a pack of wolves were on my tail.
When I was 18 I witnessed a teenager get killed at a motorcross race and it dramatically affected me. I quit dirt riding and switched to the street. I've now been riding street for 41 years and am on my 13th street bike. In these 41 years I have lost friends who were very good riders, I have come up on accidents where the corpse was still in the road. I have seen riders go down on the highway just lying there waiting for the EMT's to show up. It happens and I'm going to tell you why.
I have never had an accident and have never gone down or dropped my bike. I would guess I have between 250,000 and 300,000 road miles and have ridden in more than half of our states. I do not plan to go down, BUT, I know that I will likely go down some day and there is a chance that I will get killed riding my bike. The reason is I can not control variables.
There are normal variables that I expect and will be prepared when I encounter them. I slow down when it rains. I expect sand or rocks on the inside curves of the roads that I ride. I expect to meet a rice rocket in a curve when he goes wide and invades my lane. I expect the texting drivers, lack of turn signals, the infamous left turn, T bone opportunities. I anticipate all of them. This alone has save me more than once.
There are non-normal variables. No one can prepare for them. Kids and pets darting out from parked cars. Coyotes and deer on the roadway. A tree branch that falls at the moment you cross its path. Another rider passing you in your lane. A driver who suddenly crosses three lanes in an attempt to make their exit. A driver slamming on their brakes because they dropped a cigarette in their crotch. A rock thrown up that hits you in the face. A bee in your helmet. The A$$hole that doesn't tie down their load in the raggedy pickup truck. The list goes on and on. All of the planning and all of the skills in the world will not save you from non-normal variables, only dumb luck will.
Take these words to heart and never take for granted your moments in the saddle. Watch and assess everything around you. Never stop doing that.
Learn and become the best rider you can and hopefully Lady Luck will keep you safe.
NOTE*** Oh yeah, the rudest people are the French. Just sayin'.
Last edited by Sarah93003; 07-25-2016 at 10:14 AM.
The following 6 users liked this post by Sarah93003:
Bikeagraman (07-26-2016),
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#124
07-25-2016, 11:48 AM
BigConan, I'm going to be serious for a moment and then get back to my normal self.
This is my philosophy on riding.
I started riding at the age of 11 on dirt bikes. Between the age of 11 and 18 I got very good at motocross and hill climbing. I was fearless when I was young and I should point out that during my dirt bikes days I went down a lot, quite possible every time I got on it. By the time I was 16, I weighed just 98 pounds and rode a Yamaha 250 MX like a pack of wolves were on my tail.
When I was 18 I witnessed a teenager get killed at a motorcross race and it dramatically affected me. I quit dirt riding and switched to the street. I've now been riding street for 41 years and am on my 13th street bike. In these 41 years I have lost friends who were very good riders, I have come up on accidents where the corpse was still in the road. I have seen riders go down on the highway just lying there waiting for the EMT's to show up. It happens and I'm going to tell you why.
I have never had an accident and have never gone down or dropped my bike. I would guess I have between 250,000 and 300,000 road miles and have ridden in more than half of our states. I do not plan to go down, BUT, I know that I will likely go down some day and there is a chance that I will get killed riding my bike. The reason is I can not control variables.
There are normal variables that I expect and will be prepared when I encounter them. I slow down when it rains. I expect sand or rocks on the inside curves of the roads that I ride. I expect to meet a rice rocket in a curve when he goes wide and invades my lane. I expect the texting drivers, lack of turn signals, the infamous left turn, T bone opportunities. I anticipate all of them. This alone has save me more than once.
There are non-normal variables. No one can prepare for them. Kids and pets darting out from parked cars. Coyotes and deer on the roadway. A tree branch that falls at the moment you cross its path. Another rider passing you in your lane. A driver who suddenly crosses three lanes in an attempt to make their exit. A driver slamming on their brakes because they dropped a cigarette in their crotch. A rock thrown up that hits you in the face. A bee in your helmet. The A$$hole that doesn't tie down their load in the raggedy pickup truck. The list goes on and on. All of the planning and all of the skills in the world will not save you from non-normal variables, only dumb luck will.
Take these words to heart and never take for granted your moments in the saddle. Watch and assess everything around you. Never stop doing that.
Learn and become the best rider you can and hopefully Lady Luck will keep you safe.
NOTE*** Oh yeah, the rudest people are the French. Just sayin'.
This is my philosophy on riding.
I started riding at the age of 11 on dirt bikes. Between the age of 11 and 18 I got very good at motocross and hill climbing. I was fearless when I was young and I should point out that during my dirt bikes days I went down a lot, quite possible every time I got on it. By the time I was 16, I weighed just 98 pounds and rode a Yamaha 250 MX like a pack of wolves were on my tail.
When I was 18 I witnessed a teenager get killed at a motorcross race and it dramatically affected me. I quit dirt riding and switched to the street. I've now been riding street for 41 years and am on my 13th street bike. In these 41 years I have lost friends who were very good riders, I have come up on accidents where the corpse was still in the road. I have seen riders go down on the highway just lying there waiting for the EMT's to show up. It happens and I'm going to tell you why.
I have never had an accident and have never gone down or dropped my bike. I would guess I have between 250,000 and 300,000 road miles and have ridden in more than half of our states. I do not plan to go down, BUT, I know that I will likely go down some day and there is a chance that I will get killed riding my bike. The reason is I can not control variables.
There are normal variables that I expect and will be prepared when I encounter them. I slow down when it rains. I expect sand or rocks on the inside curves of the roads that I ride. I expect to meet a rice rocket in a curve when he goes wide and invades my lane. I expect the texting drivers, lack of turn signals, the infamous left turn, T bone opportunities. I anticipate all of them. This alone has save me more than once.
There are non-normal variables. No one can prepare for them. Kids and pets darting out from parked cars. Coyotes and deer on the roadway. A tree branch that falls at the moment you cross its path. Another rider passing you in your lane. A driver who suddenly crosses three lanes in an attempt to make their exit. A driver slamming on their brakes because they dropped a cigarette in their crotch. A rock thrown up that hits you in the face. A bee in your helmet. The A$$hole that doesn't tie down their load in the raggedy pickup truck. The list goes on and on. All of the planning and all of the skills in the world will not save you from non-normal variables, only dumb luck will.
Take these words to heart and never take for granted your moments in the saddle. Watch and assess everything around you. Never stop doing that.
Learn and become the best rider you can and hopefully Lady Luck will keep you safe.
NOTE*** Oh yeah, the rudest people are the French. Just sayin'.
I agree with everything You said, But people get killed everyday just crossing the street or walking along. People get killed skiing, or driving a car. people get killed in many ways besides biking. My personal opinion, if you took away alcohol related crashes, and sports bike crashes and just counted cruisers that didn't drive like maniacs, the stats would be extremely low. Sure, I know people that have gotten killed in cars as well. We can all name people or have seen bad crashes and accidents while driving or riding.
Dears crossing the road is like getting hit by lightning. sure, it's possible, but not very likely...
#125
07-25-2016, 12:00 PM
Extreme HDF Member
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Uncle G. (07-25-2016)
#126
07-25-2016, 12:04 PM
I agree with everything You said, But people get killed everyday just crossing the street or walking along. People get killed skiing, or driving a car. people get killed in many ways besides biking. My personal opinion, if you took away alcohol related crashes, and sports bike crashes and just counted cruisers that didn't drive like maniacs, the stats would be extremely low. Sure, I know people that have gotten killed in cars as well. We can all name people or have seen bad crashes and accidents while driving or riding.
Dears crossing the road is like getting hit by lightning. sure, it's possible, but not very likely...
Dears crossing the road is like getting hit by lightning. sure, it's possible, but not very likely...
It's deer.
Regardless, if one lives in deer country like I do, this kind of thinking will get you killed.
It's usually the deer running into you not you running into the deer.
I've had a deer hit my motorcycle and I went down.
In my cages I have had three encounters with deer and only once did I hit the deer.
It's all about the timing which you can't control.
Don't know about the deer population in Massachusetts but Kentucky is way overpopulated so your deer/lightening strike analogy is a very weak one at best.
Good luck.
Have a feeling you are going to need it.
#127
07-25-2016, 12:05 PM
When I am riding, I am pretty much in tune to what I am doing - watching traffic, trying to anticipate if the idiot next to me on the cell phone is going to change lanes on top of me, etc. I also usually have my tunes going. But if someone acknowledges me, be it a wave or a nod and I notice it, I will reciprocate if it's safe to do so. I don't intend to be rude to anyone. Not everyone is going to be your friend, there are jerks that own Harleys just like there are jerks who drive Fords or Chevys. I believe that being courteous and considerate to others gets you more in life than being a dick to everyone. That's how my folks raised me.
#128
07-25-2016, 12:11 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Deer hits are what keep the auto repair shops in business around here.
I'm assuming you meant "deer". As for "dears", there WAS the time I was riding up Main Street in Bainbridge, and an attractive young lady waited while three cars ahead of me passed, then ran across the street right in front of my bike, forcing me to lock both wheels to keep from hitting her.
Last edited by Uncle G.; 07-25-2016 at 12:20 PM.
#130
07-25-2016, 12:17 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
I've hit 3 deer in cars. Correction, I've hit hit one deer and two deer hit me. Damn things ran right out of the woods and into the side of me. I pretty much don't ride at night because of this.
Oddly enough I saw this on Facebook prior to your statement on deer and thought of you. Not because I'm psychic, but because I thought it nicely illustrated that sh*t happens and if you are dressed for it, you have a chance at getting up and brushing yourself off like this rider did.
Last edited by nevada72; 07-25-2016 at 12:21 PM.