An open letter to motorcycle riders.

Posted bycasey coombsPosted inToo lazy to label.

Dear man on the motorcycle next to me,

I get it, you like to ride your motorcycle. It’s fast, it’s good on gas and it makes you feel manly to have a loud engine between your legs. It lets you cheat in traffic jams, gets you into the HOV lane and gets you all best parking spots. I also understand the “Motorcycles are Everywhere” campaign. You’re small and quick, you must be watched out for by distracted drivers.

Much like people must watch out for little kids, especially when they are holding a magic marker or safety scissors.

But here’s the thing. If you want me to watch out for you, quit being a risk taking derfwad assuming that I’ll accommodate your lane changes without a blinker, your passing on the right, your crossing over the double lines and weaving between cars simply because a billboard and a few bumper stickers tell me to.

If you want my respect on the road you’re going to have to give the rest of us some too.

xo,

Casey

35 thoughts on “An open letter to motorcycle riders.”

  5. well said. i’ve almost killed many a motorcycle driver, but i maintain that their sneaky shenanigans are to blame!

    🙂

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  6. My dad taught me to ride a motorcycle when I was about 18 or so. His advice: act as though car drivers are trying to kill you. (extremely defensive riding) He stressed that drivers don’t treat motorcycles like other cars, so motorcyclists have to be sure they are seen. He stressed safe riding and I always tried to remember his rules when I rode. (and try to look out for motorcycles when I drive)

    But then, I’m a girl, and I don’t have to show off my manly risk-taking skills. 😉

    CaySedais last blog post..Fire

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  14. Right on – I get so sick of seeing motorcycle riders going between two cars who are side by side in two lanes, just because they can, or weaving in and out of traffic just because it’s easier to do because they are skinny and small. Motorcycles should be ridden the way a car would be driven; taking advantage of its small size to do unsafe things really irks me.

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  21. AMEN. To restate what others have said – it’s not the Harley drivers, it’s the idiots on the brightly colored thingummajigs that I’m not even sure if they are proper motorcycles. (I know I’m hopelessly uncool but I swear, those things look more like scooters to me anyway. So how does that make you cool, unless you’re 15 and not allowed in a real car?)

    And AMEN that if they’re allowed to drive on the real road (esp. the highway) and they want my respect, they need to act like they’re driving a car.

    Dellas last blog post..A Whole New Use for Pancakes

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  26. Strangely enough, I don’t mind them when they share the road with me – perhaps because I haven’t encountered many jerkish ones lately – but I HATE the insanely loud noise they make riding down my street at dinnertime.

    Ugh!

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  27. My husband takes motorcycle safety seriously. He took the course before he even licensed his first one. We both get annoyed when we see Derfwad on the road, too! (And it’s amazing how he’s in IN and IL at the same time!) My dear heart bought another motorcycle when I was pregnant the first time. Because of the timing, I have yet to take a ride on it with him (the joys of having two lil ones). I named it Roxanne (and sing “Turn on the RED BIKE” like Sting would…totally annoyingly), and that just did not thrill him! (I suppose it’s a bit emasculating?! LOL)

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  28. I think crotch rocket IS the proper term, much like chopper for the Harley-types.

    We get a lot of cyclists (it’s Lance Armstrong’s hometown, too) that piss me off. If you’re on the road, you need to obey traffic laws. ESPECIALLY traffic lights. Just because you don’t have a motor doesn’t mean you have leave to run red lights. Seriously, peoples.

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  30. I have similar issues with bikers. Like, people on bikes. Maybe “Cyclist” is the proper term. They take advantage of the car rules when it’s convinient, and then the pedestrian rules when that works better for them. urgggh. makes me so mad. Pick one! Damn you!

    Kriss last blog post..The run that was never meant to be

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  34. My husband has a saying…Loud Pipes Save Lives. That is why when I get my license and my motorcycle it will have loud pipes.

    There are bad motorcyclist just like there are bad car drivers. Because motorcyclist are a lot more vulnerable than car drivers it is up to the drivers to be a lot more cautious.

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