Motorcycles and motorcyclists

CherylNYC · 01-21-2013, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by durrrrrrrr

I have several times had to slam on my brakes...and thinking to myself..oh shit, hear i go! and I have seen so many motorcycle wrecks that I will not have a passenger on my bike. If something was to happen, and I came out of the wreck ok, but yet the passenger didnt make it. I would never be able to live with myself because of that. because of the "what if's"

I know i have had a few friends get bummed about me not taking them for a ride..but, i just cant do it. Not when i have no control of some asshat pulling out in front of me.

my bro-in-law and sister was on their bike, he was taking a curve when a car driving opposite direction crossed the yellow line and my bro-in-law went off the road ( on purpose ) to avoid a head on with the car. they came out of this ok, after several stitches, staples, broken bones.

So, your question makes me wonder as well. do y'all take ppl for a ride?

I've been hit in accidents more times than I care to admit. I've been lucky enough to walk away several times, I had a few broken bones in my second most serious accident in 2002, and I was creamed in a VERY serious accident in 2011. Ironically, I was going about 15 mph when I got hit from behind by someone who made an illegal turn right through me. The final tally of the breaks they could find was 23. If there were more I'll never know. Despite all that, I take passengers whenever it seems convenient. Yes, something terrible could happen one day, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

I do track days, I teach at the track, and I run a parking lot skills brush-up before our Sirens Opening Ride every spring. Instructing is actually very educational for me. As they say, teaching means learning twice. Even with all the track riding I do, I still take the MSF experienced rider course with the Sirens every two years because I'm serious about keeping my skills as sharp as possible. An MSF professional might find a bad habit I wouldn't be able to perceive in myself. Even with all that, I'm obviously still just as vulnerable as any other rider.

My urban passengers always get a big thrill because I'm an aggressive NYC rider, and I really know my way around my home town. My highway passengers are just as happy. I was terribly ignorant about everything when I started riding. I immediately started carrying passengers who were much larger than I was, and I did it on the hills and trolly tracks of San Francisco where I learned to ride. I just didn't know that my passengers were supposed to be smaller than me. I've never had trouble taking a passenger who is twice my weight or better, and so I do.

So, why am I not reasonably fearful that something bad could happen to my passenger one day? Especially since I would likely sign my house over and put a gun to my head if that ever did happen? I have no rational answer for that reasonable question.