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The other day while I was having my bike serviced, I was talking with a real old timer (72 years old). I was complaining about all the idiots in cages and how they do stupid things that put us in danger. The "old timer" grabbed me with both hands by my collar and said, "We're the idiots, not them, and don't you forget it!!!"

I never thought of it that way. What do you think??

RZ

Judging by the M/C video clips I've been looking at lately, I'd say he's at least half right!

lets take a look at this for a minute.

cager - riding in a very large very heavy vehicle with safety belts airbags many crush zones all built for safety around them. no skill required to make the beast move other than turn key/step on pedal.

biker - out in the open on a light fast machine with no protection from the world around them save for a piece of plastic and foam in it along with some cow hides here and there at the best. very sensitive machines that require constant attention to maintane a level of controll.

then take a look at the enviorment which these two compete in which is: full of dangerous drivers in very big heavy vehicles often involving cell phones, alchoal, kids in the back screaming, looking at the map, trying to be funny and share a lane of a biker, just plain not seeing anything around them. then theres semi trucks, hazardous road condions, animals running across the roads etc. all upping the level of danager for everyone around.

compared situations can include - blown tire on the freeway in a car means you have to slow down to a stop and change it, blown tire on the bike means you likely eat the road at high speed.

-in a car being re ended at a stop light means insurance company gets involved to pay for the work, and maybe a few bruises and bumps. same situation on a bike means totalled bike, potential for serious injury to yourself. not to mention most cars dont see a bike at a stop light as opposed to an SUV.

-say your having a bad day in the car you make a rather poor judgement on a turn and hit a curb going 35mph your tire maybe be damaged and your ego as well. on the bike hitting a curb at 35mph you go over the bars fly a decent distance managing all sorts of nice injuries along the way before finding your bike most likely totaled.

we are the idiots no question and no rational way of thinking could prove other wise. its a seriously dangerous world out there. to strap your body to a machine with no thing else around for protection only to compete for road space against an SUV with an unskilled unaware all around bad driver that can take your life with the easiest of unaware lane changes that would leave them unharmed in the process.

yes we are the idiots for putting ourselfs out there amogst all the hazards on the most vullnerable vehicle rather than driving fords latest SUTank.

darwin at work? compare it to dinosaurs, they evolved to have armor to protect them against the other meat eaters. we are left behind with no protection, using only are reflexs and wits to save us amongst the other beasts.

but hey its fun to ride.

1524montana wrote:The other day while I was having my bike serviced, I was talking with a real old timer (72 years old). I was complaining about all the idiots in cages and how they do stupid things that put us in danger. The "old timer" grabbed me with both hands by my collar and said, "We're the idiots, not them, and don't you forget it!!!"

I never thought of it that way. What do you think??

RZ

Man you laid it on thick. I better go for a ride and think about what you've said...

iwannadie wrote:lets take a look at this for a minute.

cager - riding in a very large very heavy vehicle with safety belts airbags many crush zones all built for safety around them. no skill required to make the beast move other than turn key/step on pedal.

biker - out in the open on a light fast machine with no protection from the world around them save for a piece of plastic and foam in it along with some cow hides here and there at the best. very sensitive machines that require constant attention to maintane a level of controll.

then take a look at the enviorment which these two compete in which is: full of dangerous drivers in very big heavy vehicles often involving cell phones, alchoal, kids in the back screaming, looking at the map, trying to be funny and share a lane of a biker, just plain not seeing anything around them. then theres semi trucks, hazardous road condions, animals running across the roads etc. all upping the level of danager for everyone around.

compared situations can include - blown tire on the freeway in a car means you have to slow down to a stop and change it, blown tire on the bike means you likely eat the road at high speed.

-in a car being re ended at a stop light means insurance company gets involved to pay for the work, and maybe a few bruises and bumps. same situation on a bike means totalled bike, potential for serious injury to yourself. not to mention most cars dont see a bike at a stop light as opposed to an SUV.

-say your having a bad day in the car you make a rather poor judgement on a turn and hit a curb going 35mph your tire maybe be damaged and your ego as well. on the bike hitting a curb at 35mph you go over the bars fly a decent distance managing all sorts of nice injuries along the way before finding your bike most likely totaled.

we are the idiots no question and no rational way of thinking could prove other wise. its a seriously dangerous world out there. to strap your body to a machine with no thing else around for protection only to compete for road space against an SUV with an unskilled unaware all around bad driver that can take your life with the easiest of unaware lane changes that would leave them unharmed in the process.

yes we are the idiots for putting ourselfs out there amogst all the hazards on the most vullnerable vehicle rather than driving fords latest SUTank.

darwin at work? compare it to dinosaurs, they evolved to have armor to protect them against the other meat eaters. we are left behind with no protection, using only are reflexs and wits to save us amongst the other beasts.

but hey its fun to ride.

1524montana wrote:The other day while I was having my bike serviced, I was talking with a real old timer (72 years old). I was complaining about all the idiots in cages and how they do stupid things that put us in danger. The "old timer" grabbed me with both hands by my collar and said, "We're the idiots, not them, and don't you forget it!!!"

I never thought of it that way. What do you think??

RZ

Oh, I don't think it's a matter of whether you're on a bike or in a cage, really... basically, the answer to 'who is the biggest idiot' is 'who makes the mistake', regardless of what you're piloting. The bikers just tend to suffer more for any mistake made, theirs or someone elses.

Multivalency and all that, you know.

iwannadie wrote:lets take a look at this for a minute.

cager - riding in a very large very heavy vehicle with safety belts airbags many crush zones all built for safety around them. no skill required to make the beast move other than turn key/step on pedal.

biker - out in the open on a light fast machine with no protection from the world around them save for a piece of plastic and foam in it along with some cow hides here and there at the best. very sensitive machines that require constant attention to maintane a level of controll.

I think it's clear who's smarter here.

I hate hearing people crap all over people in cars and trucks.

Don't we all drive cars too? I cetainley do and I love my car (Saab 900 turbo) as much as my bike.

There are dummies out there in cars, but there are alot of dummies on bikes too!

"So who's the biggest idiot?" Should have been a poll....

Joe Mc wrote:I think it's clear who's smarter here.

Don't we all drive cars too? I cetainley do and I love my car (Saab 900 turbo) as much as my bike.

Nope, don't even own one.

There will always be idiots on both sides. To us on bikes though it seems worse, because we all know that their mistake could easily cost us our life more than ours to them. Just like someone said in another post, you wreck on a motorcycle, you never win.

Who was in the right and who was in the wrong means nothing, except to the lawyers after your road-pizza. Your accountable for your your own saftey in the end, so do all you can to ensure it. Even if it means cages get away with whatever they want. The smallest car out there will wipe you out in a blink if your in the wrong place. Gotta look out for yourself first....

Itzamna wrote: Nope, don't even own one.

Me neither!


I think it's just that the idiots on bikes don't last very long, whether it's because they die or get scared out of riding.

BuzZz's post makes sense.