A Biker's Plea

[neebelung]

Received this in an email this evening (thanks Misty!) and felt it was definitely worth sharing:

A BIKERS PLEA...

1. I'm just like you. I have friends, family,loved ones and a responsible job. If I'm not on my bike and not in my gear, you could not pick me out from anybody else. I am well read and have interesting hobbies, and .... sometimes I ride my motorcycle. When I ride my motorcycle, I am not running meth for some outlaw motorcycle gang and I am not going to/coming from a drinking establishment. Nor am I part of a stunt group.

2. Bikers ride the way they do for a reason. I'm not talking about mile long wheelies... but when I whizz by you fast, it is because I do not ride in anybody's blind spot. The more time I spend in close proximity to another vehicle, the higher the probability that something bad will happen to me. Don't take it personally that I go by you with a 20mph differential and then slow down. You drive your pace... I'll drive mine and let the tickets fall where they may. And I'm not passing that 18 wheeler until I can get all the way by him in one blast... His tires exploding could kill me as opposed to scratching the paint on my car.

3. Please understand that I do not want to pop a wheelie for your kid and I don't want to race you; and please stay the hell off my rear. I bought this bike because the performance of all production cars were becoming a little underwhelming. Just because you put a farting exhaust on your Civic does not mean that I will covet your car, or want to race.
( well, maybe sometimes, if your GF is along, just to embarass you)

4. I'm looking at obstacles through a soda straw called a helmet and relying on mirrors that are vibrating pretty good. I'm looking at the big picture... don't expect me to interpret hand signals to the rear. Please give me a little room... please. Oh... and about that helmet... I'm not hearing anything you want to say to me. Nothing personal.

5. I am simply a guy or gal trying to master a very simple machine with very complex dynamics. Please don't assume that the guy or girl on a sportbike is actually flattered by the extra attention you try and throw at us while we're just trying to get to where we're going. Trust me... you people have embarrassed yourselves more than once in this regard, oh and male drivers, stop the hate....seriously.

6. I am more scared of you. Statistics show that if I die on a motorcycle, more than likely it will be from a driver that did not see me until it was too late. Why in the hell are you scared of me? Just leave me alone... and give me some room.

7. Oh, and another thing. There is a lever on the left side of YOUR steering wheel. You can use it to signal your intention to go left or go right.
USE THE DAMN THING!!

8. Riding a motorcycle is so different from driving a car that it can not be explained. Accept that. Give me some points for riding a vehicle to work that is three times more efficient than my car and eases the congestion on the road. Most of all, just give me some space.