Ban motorcycles!!!

[VatorMan]

And yet, almost every time I mention I ride I have to hear a story about someone they knew that was killed or hurt on a M/C.

God help if they start outlawing everything that isn't "safe".

['73 H1 Triple]

Originally Posted by VatorMan

And yet, almost every time I mention I ride I have to hear a story about someone they knew that was killed or hurt on a M/C.

God help if they start outlawing everything that isn't "safe".

We should ban farming, I'm sure that is much more dangerous than motorcycles.


Maybe we should go back a few decades , remove all the lawyer / lawsuit induced warnings and just let people be themselves. If somebody wants to put an aluminum ladder in their pool to do some electrical wiring with the circuit hot, go for it.

There are risks to everything you do. Accept those risks and enjoy life. There is no guarantee that you will be here tomorrow this time.

[Porkchop]

Originally Posted by Trip

As soon as I can make a comment that doesn't begin and end in profanities, I will be emailing this fucker.

I opened up the email and started to type "Hugh, Fuck You". Then I decided to not be a moron and feed his point. I went with...

While you put up excellent statistics showing the dangers of riding a motorcycle (like any mother would), you failed to show how many of these accidents were caused by drivers in automobiles. Sure you have your goof-balls (I am using that as a gentle term of what I really mean) that ride at excessive amounts of speed and testicular fortitude. But what about all of the injuries caused by distracted soccer moms, teenagers texting on their cell phones, seniors that can't see farther than 15 feet, or people driving large SUVs that don't take a second look at what is next to them while merging. Instead of blindly blaming the activity as the main factor on why people are dying, how about writing instead on the actions that can be taken to make the roads a safer place for EVERYONE... cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrian alike. How about writing about stepping up penalties for texting while driving. How about more stringent education of teenage drivers, as well as more stringent testing of sight and reaction for seniors. As you say in your article, driving is a privilege, not a right. Motorcycling is a dangerous activity, and that fact is fully taken on by every rider every time they get on a bike. And while many riders keep safety and responsibility in mind, just like with any activity, some individuals take their freedom too far. Please please please reconsider before posting an emotionally fueled article like this next time. I have had many friends, family members, and acquaintances die on motorcycles and in motor vehicles. That has not stopped me from doing either. Would you never drive a car again if your best friend died in an accident? Because with this mentality, how about we ban cars, planes, and trains too. Too many people are dying in those too. And while you're at it.... too many kids are getting hit in the head with baseballs, too many kids are breaking their necks playing football, and too many seniors are having heart attacks while playing golf. We should just eliminate everything hazardous in our life, and all sit at home in our little boxes and stare at the wall...

There was more, some links to studies and stuff, but that was the meat of it. Idiot.

[Avatard]

Originally Posted by goof2

This article and the attitude that motivated it is why I tend to be reluctant to tell people what they can and can't do without, in my opinion, pretty damn compelling reasons. Lots of people like to play that game and sooner or later they will come for something you like because it is a safety hazard. Its why I don't care if weed is legalized and I view the "fuck smokers, ban smoking" attitude I notice around here as pretty short sighted.

"Ban everything you don't like" is a great idea...until someone wants to ban something YOU like.

The shortsightedness of such an attitude always amazes me. Why can't people think things through to their logical conclusion?

[Particle Man]

Originally Posted by Avatard

"Ban everything you don't like" is a great idea...until someone wants to ban something YOU like.

The shortsightedness of such an attitude always amazes me. Why can't people think things through to their logical conclusion?

Because then they'd actually have to THINK... and maybe accept responsibility for their own opinion *gasp* (the R word... Ruuuuuuuuuun)

[Gas Man]

Honestly, the increase in MC deaths can be attributed to two factors, IMO.

Increased sportbike sales to young and un-trained, rookie riders.
The increase of dumb ass aging drinking idiot riders on their bar hopping cruisers.

All the rest of us fall in between and really aren't causing that many problems.

[Avatard]

In a truly free country, you should be free to do even things that are bad for you.

Seems nowadays, everything is bad for you. Trying to quantify that shit could render you fucking insane. Let's just err on the side of freedom, huh?

[Gas Man]

Originally Posted by Avatard

In a truly free country, you should be free to do even things that are bad for you.

Seems nowadays, everything is bad for you. Trying to quantify that shit could render you fucking insane. Let's just err on the side of freedom, huh?

I must agree.

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by Gas Man

Honestly, the increase in MC deaths can be attributed to two factors, IMO.

Increased sportbike sales to young and un-trained, rookie riders.
The increase of dumb ass aging drinking idiot riders on their bar hopping cruisers.

All the rest of us fall in between and really aren't causing that many problems.

Doesnt help that these newer sprtbikes are much more powerful than wha tthey were just 5 or 10 yrs ago, you can get yourself in a bad way real easy on one.

I also remember reading somewhere that a good amount of the wrecks/fatalities were the 50 somethings getting back into motorcycling or just starting it as a mid life crisis sort of thing.

[Avatard]

There's no age on stupid. Again, let's avoid trying to quantify this shit.

Suffice to say that in a free country, you should be...what's the word I'm looking for...oh yeah; free.