I want/need to know

[old2soon]

Why relatives and total strangers say the things they say to us about our motorcyles. After riding and racing overseas and telling my half sister i was going to buy a motorcycle her retort was-yer gonna kill yerself. That was over 40 years ago. Total strangers come up to me and say i would never ride becuz a friend relative accquaitance etc etc died on one of those things. Last summer at a handi mart in Seymour Mo. i helped a little old lady load 5 cases of beer into the trunk of her Caddy. I did not know this lady from adam. After helping her i walked over to the bike to get my wallet so i could purchase a cold drink. She walks up to me and asks-have you wrecked it yet?? I said no and she responded-you will. Told her to mind her own frikin business. I get variations on these themes from complete strangers. Thank GOD i get more positive compliments than the negative-why do i ride/risk/must have a death wish etc etc etc, I do not mind talking to strangers-as long as it is not about my self inflicted(to them anyway) death wish. RIDE SAFE.

[Momz]

Stupidity knows no bounds.

[john]

murdercycles               

[..]

Don't make eye contact with strangers and quit helping little old ladies.

Others, tell 'em to .... off.

[pBrain]

Like the song says, "if you don't ride, you don't know."

[Michvalk]

I never get comments like that. 'Course I look like an ax murderer so many people are too intimidated to even look at me . Any family that still talks to me, I don't think stuff like that would even cross their mind. I have had motorcycles as long as any of them would remember.

[BIG--T]

Yep I've run into those types most of my life and I just learned to smile. 

My dad had an old harley 45 back in the day with the suicide clutch and he tells me of the time he went around a curve and hit a puddle of oil that sent him through the front glass window of a candy store.  He said that was his last ride and calls them suicycles!! 

[musclehead]

that's the uninformed public perception of motorcycles.

if you keep your head in the game, don't drink and ride, wear the gear, and otherwise evade as much traffic as possible, then you will succeed at staying upright and injury free.

unless you get rusty and crash in the early spring ( could happen to me, my riding skills detiorate if I'm off my bike for long periods of time)

[GreenLantern57]

that's the uninformed public perception of motorcycles.

if you keep your head in the game, don't drink and ride, wear the gear, and otherwise evade as much traffic as possible, then you will succeed at staying upright and injury free.

unless you get rusty and crash in the early spring ( could happen to me, my riding skills detiorate if I'm off my bike for long periods of time)

My usual response is "Why would you say something so cruel?" Then give them fake smile and leave.

[Jess from VA]

Never happens to me.

[Moonshot_1]

Got a sister in law down in KC. Absolutely can't stand motorcycles. Rolls her eyes, shakes her head, (which about exploded when she found out my wife got her own bike)

Get the standard stuff about how dangerous motorcycles are, yet, she and my brother go to Jamaica every year.

They enter a long metal tube to which are attached appendages filled with explosive liquid and have massive engines attached to them which propel the now PRESSURIZED large metal tube to speeds in excess of 500 mph while traveling over 6 MILES HIGH IN THE AIR. Not only do they not wear a helmet, they don't even wear a parachute!!!

But somehow 2 wheels on the ground at 70 mph is more dangerous than 500 mph at 6 miles high. (Which statistically it is, but in principle, logic would dictate otherwise.)

[Hoser]

Just say you like to spit in the devil's eye.   They tend to nod their heads and slowly back away.    Hoser

[3fan4life]

It is rare that I get an extremely negative comment about riding a motorcycle.


On the rare occasion that I do, I usually smile and sarcastically say:


"You can't live forever." 

[junior]

for as much as i would love to give you a reply,the gods of the vrcc has limited my vocabulary si i can not truly exspress myself.

but as to why they "have to" ask these questions.........its like polotics and religion, its thier beleifs and they feel they need to force it upon you.

i know i tend to be just a tad bit crude, but when informed about someone being killed on a motorcycle and that they would never ride one.............i kindly remind them of john holmes and his tragect death with aids and ask then if they still have sex?

 

[solo1]

When I retired in 1991 two of my co-workers and retirees told me I'd kill myself if I continued to ride. Within two years both were gone, one of a heart attack and the other of pneumonia

Now when I tell people that I ride most say "Good for you!".

[old2soon]

When I retired in 1991 two of my co-workers and retirees told me I'd kill myself if I continued to ride. Within two years both were gone, one of a heart attack and the other of pneumonia

Now when I tell people that I ride most say "Good for you!".

   Thanks Wayne-i needed that!! RIDE SAFE.

[amazngrace]

A friend I work with got a VTX 1300 last year and was at a gas station near home filling up. A member of 'management' from work saw him, and told him
he needed to take that back because he didn't want to have to go to his
funeral. My friend, who is normally a pretty quiet guy said to him "that's OK
I wouldn't want you at my funeral".

...ED