LA Times Hit Piece on Loud Pipes
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 158
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From: Arizona
LA Times Hit Piece on Loud Pipes
Forget 'Born to Be Wild.' All those overaged 'Easy Rider' types need to put the mufflers back on their bikes
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/...,5423457.story
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/...,5423457.story
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
My response to him:
At first I could not help but be offended by your stereotyping of motorcyclists as "black-helmeted, big-bellied men who think "Easy Rider" was about them." I was tempted to lash back at you and already had several clever insults crafted and prepared to unleash on you. But what would that really accomplish? Instead I'm just going to try to explain my point of view and hope that you take a moment to consider its validity.
It seems to me more and more we are becoming comfortable. Perhaps so comfortable that what normally would not gain our notice has become an annoyance. In our quest to carefully craft the world around us to meet our liking we are mystified by those who will not bend to our will and then seek to take up arms (pen and ink for writers) against them to force them to fit the mold of the perfect world we envision.
I think when we become annoyed by people outside of our circle we need to take a deep breathe and try to practice a little tolerance. I'm often reminded of a quote I read one time that went like this "First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a communist; Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a socialist; Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a trade unionist; Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a Jew; Then they came for me-- and there was no one left to speak out for me." That quote is obviously about the ***** and their fanatical persecution of those different from what they felt were desirable citizens.
Is it really so much to ask of ourselves to be a little more tolerant of others who we feel inconvenience us? It may be that your neighbor one day decides the color of your house hurts his eyes, or possibly that your dog has an adverse effect on his allergies. If we keep trying to regulate everyone's behavior to point that nobody gets inconvenienced, nobody will have any freedom left.
At first I could not help but be offended by your stereotyping of motorcyclists as "black-helmeted, big-bellied men who think "Easy Rider" was about them." I was tempted to lash back at you and already had several clever insults crafted and prepared to unleash on you. But what would that really accomplish? Instead I'm just going to try to explain my point of view and hope that you take a moment to consider its validity.
It seems to me more and more we are becoming comfortable. Perhaps so comfortable that what normally would not gain our notice has become an annoyance. In our quest to carefully craft the world around us to meet our liking we are mystified by those who will not bend to our will and then seek to take up arms (pen and ink for writers) against them to force them to fit the mold of the perfect world we envision.
I think when we become annoyed by people outside of our circle we need to take a deep breathe and try to practice a little tolerance. I'm often reminded of a quote I read one time that went like this "First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a communist; Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a socialist; Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a trade unionist; Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a Jew; Then they came for me-- and there was no one left to speak out for me." That quote is obviously about the ***** and their fanatical persecution of those different from what they felt were desirable citizens.
Is it really so much to ask of ourselves to be a little more tolerant of others who we feel inconvenience us? It may be that your neighbor one day decides the color of your house hurts his eyes, or possibly that your dog has an adverse effect on his allergies. If we keep trying to regulate everyone's behavior to point that nobody gets inconvenienced, nobody will have any freedom left.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 205
Likes: 1
From: Las Vegas, NV
I can't believe I writing this, but I agree with the LATimes. Aside from the offensive stereotypes, which I unfortunately fit, and though I'm dubious on the smog point, I agree on the loud pipes issue.
We need to be responsible riders, respectful of others. We want respect, so we need to give respect.
We need to be responsible riders, respectful of others. We want respect, so we need to give respect.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,463
Likes: 12
From: San Antonio, TX
My response to him:
At first I could not help but be offended by your stereotyping of motorcyclists as "black-helmeted, big-bellied men who think "Easy Rider" was about them." I was tempted to lash back at you and already had several clever insults crafted and prepared to unleash on you. But what would that really accomplish? Instead I'm just going to try to explain my point of view and hope that you take a moment to consider its validity.
It seems to me more and more we are becoming comfortable. Perhaps so comfortable that what normally would not gain our notice has become an annoyance. In our quest to carefully craft the world around us to meet our liking we are mystified by those who will not bend to our will and then seek to take up arms (pen and ink for writers) against them to force them to fit the mold of the perfect world we envision.
I think when we become annoyed by people outside of our circle we need to take a deep breathe and try to practice a little tolerance. I'm often reminded of a quote I read one time that went like this "First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a communist; Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a socialist; Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a trade unionist; Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a Jew; Then they came for me-- and there was no one left to speak out for me." That quote is obviously about the ***** and their fanatical persecution of those different from what they felt were desirable citizens.
Is it really so much to ask of ourselves to be a little more tolerant of others who we feel inconvenience us? It may be that your neighbor one day decides the color of your house hurts his eyes, or possibly that your dog has an adverse effect on his allergies. If we keep trying to regulate everyone's behavior to point that nobody gets inconvenienced, nobody will have any freedom left.
At first I could not help but be offended by your stereotyping of motorcyclists as "black-helmeted, big-bellied men who think "Easy Rider" was about them." I was tempted to lash back at you and already had several clever insults crafted and prepared to unleash on you. But what would that really accomplish? Instead I'm just going to try to explain my point of view and hope that you take a moment to consider its validity.
It seems to me more and more we are becoming comfortable. Perhaps so comfortable that what normally would not gain our notice has become an annoyance. In our quest to carefully craft the world around us to meet our liking we are mystified by those who will not bend to our will and then seek to take up arms (pen and ink for writers) against them to force them to fit the mold of the perfect world we envision.
I think when we become annoyed by people outside of our circle we need to take a deep breathe and try to practice a little tolerance. I'm often reminded of a quote I read one time that went like this "First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a communist; Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a socialist; Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a trade unionist; Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a Jew; Then they came for me-- and there was no one left to speak out for me." That quote is obviously about the ***** and their fanatical persecution of those different from what they felt were desirable citizens.
Is it really so much to ask of ourselves to be a little more tolerant of others who we feel inconvenience us? It may be that your neighbor one day decides the color of your house hurts his eyes, or possibly that your dog has an adverse effect on his allergies. If we keep trying to regulate everyone's behavior to point that nobody gets inconvenienced, nobody will have any freedom left.
Well said.
Cheers,
Tom
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,476
Likes: 5
From: Republic of Texas
I think the guy who wrote the article doesn't like motorcycles. He mentioned not just the noise but the air pollution as well. Wonder what his problem is? Is the author a friend of yours? Seems that there is always someone that worries about others personal choices be it transportation,color, clothes, etc,etc,etc. Just another chickensh__ in a world full of chickensh__.
Last edited by oldairboater; Sep 17, 2009 at 09:06 PM.
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
From: Kansas
My 2007 FXDB has it's stock exhaust, and I love it. I never wear ear plugs anymore, I can hear all kinds of things that used to be drowned out by the exhaust, and it has made motorcycling a much more pleasant experience. I really don't give a rat what my neighbors think one way or the other, but I've spent my last dime on aftermarket mufflers and exhaust systems.
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Banned
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 17,265
Likes: 21
From: Los Angeles, CA
The thing that gets me about this is the 3.8% of all vehicles in the state are motorcycles and they are trying to say it is a health issue? C'mon. What about all the people who modify their cars fast and furious style? Surely there are more of those than all the motorcycles in teh entire state. What a load of crap. I live on an extremely busy street in Los Angeles and would consider the dust kicked up by the constant traffic all day more of a health risk than anything having to do with any vehicles emissions.
I have to raise my voice to talk to people on my patio due to the traffic noise on my patio but it does not bother me as I CHOSE to live where I do. This is such BS. Maybe we should try to get a bill passed so that people who have babies must dispose of their diapers in some sort of secure trash bin so we do not ahve to breathe it should we walk down the street on trash day.
Seriously. I cannot even start to name the number of things that annoy about the world on a daily basis yet I prefer to live in acceptance than fight something that is considered and accepted as a normal part of society. I smoke so this is not an issue for me, but what about others with neighbors who smoke. Will the smokers soon be taken to jail for exercising free will?
And...if they are pushing so hard on motorcycles we must start a boom boom car and noise bill as I hear far more cars with boom boom music and loud exhaust on a daily basis than motorcycles.
Rant over. Just total bs any way you toss it.
I have to raise my voice to talk to people on my patio due to the traffic noise on my patio but it does not bother me as I CHOSE to live where I do. This is such BS. Maybe we should try to get a bill passed so that people who have babies must dispose of their diapers in some sort of secure trash bin so we do not ahve to breathe it should we walk down the street on trash day.
Seriously. I cannot even start to name the number of things that annoy about the world on a daily basis yet I prefer to live in acceptance than fight something that is considered and accepted as a normal part of society. I smoke so this is not an issue for me, but what about others with neighbors who smoke. Will the smokers soon be taken to jail for exercising free will?
And...if they are pushing so hard on motorcycles we must start a boom boom car and noise bill as I hear far more cars with boom boom music and loud exhaust on a daily basis than motorcycles.
Rant over. Just total bs any way you toss it.