Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Simple:

It's sensationalism.

Sex, tragedy and crime sell.

Truth.. is subjective, so is objectivity.

Lane splitting is illegal here.

blues2cruise wrote:Lane splitting is illegal here.

Same thing in NY but the stupid politicians should either legalize it or make drivers more aware so that they don't come to a rolling stop until they hit your rear (my experience anyway).

I wish it was legal as well. I also would like it to be legal for motorcycles to ride on the paved shoulder in times of huge traffic tie ups. On a hot day, when you have to spend 30 minutes in zero mile an hour traffic, not only is the engine working hard with the heat, but the clutch hand works over time and the rider gets overheated.

JCViper528 wrote:

blues2cruise wrote:Lane splitting is illegal here.

Same thing in NY but the stupid politicians should either legalize it or make drivers more aware so that they don't come to a rolling stop until they hit your rear (my experience anyway).

I don't think anyone in NYC follows traffic laws anyways. Last time I was there I was stuck on the FDR and bikes were splitting lanes. No one seemed to care.

The Media will change over time however they are still on that the bad boy biker image to sells stories.And thats what it is all about.
What would improve the motorcycle Image is if more goverments/States/Provinces/City Halls would promote Biking as a green way to travel as they do such good gas mileages and dont create congestion or parking issues.
Just my $0.2

This is an easy one. Motorcyclists get a bad name because of themselves. Every day I see motorcyclists riding like complete idiots.

When motorcyclists ride aggresively, rev their engine at stop lights, have an obnoxiously loud exhaust, do burnouts, wheelies... how can we blame the media for hating us?

It's time people realize that their actions while on the road reflect on ALL of us.

People get irritated when they see a bike take up a whole lane though. And from more experience they get irritated when 3 bikes take up a spot that could've been used for their SUV or van.

Our local news will certainly cover a motorcycle crash story, but I don't notice any sort of opinions being displayed. They might mention if the rider was wearing a helmet or not, and they often times will even interview an on-scene police officer who will more times than not say, it's important that motorists be extra cautious in looking for motorcycles on the road.

Most of the crashes around our area happen in our country intersections. The vehicles needing to stop either blow the stop because they are unfamiliar with the roads, or they pull out too early in the path of cross-traffic vehicles - unfortunately this will include bikers. The next most common type of crash around here are single-vehicle crashes. (A Columbus firefighter just died last week riding home from work. He was a seasoned rider, he was in his own subdivision, just blocks from home, and for some unknown reason he crashed over the small curb median and died an our later at the hospital). Even in that story the press didn't say anything negative about the guy. They mentioned that he died of a closed-head trauma, and that he was not wearing a helmet. But that's not a judgment - that's just the facts.

Car crashes are a dime a dozen... But when a plane or train or motorcycle crash - or when a boat capsizes... the press will give these stories attention because they're less common. If they are indeed passing judgment, you should send their editor an email and complain. Lots of news agencies have lowered their standards of reporting "facts" - I don't pay attention to much in the news because of those lowered standards.

Cheers,
Loonette

I agree with Loonette on this one. I think the other reason more motorcycle accidents get press is because anything where someone gets hurt is a top story and most bike accidents end in pain or death. No on wants to hear about the guy in the car who will have a bit of pain in his neck for a week.. they want to hear about the guy on the bike that lost an arm or head.