Coming soon to the obits
I am STUNNED at what I just witnessed. Actually, I’m more stunned at the attitude I witnessed afterward. This is a tragedy in the making. No doubt in my mind. Headed home on 390, I was passed by a dozen crotch rocket motorcycles. Some on one wheel. All traveling WAY over the speed limit. One of them got caught up in traffic and was behind me. I am very cognicent of people on bikes. I give them a wide berth. I always do, even if they’re driving like lunatics. After witnessing a motorcycle accident and being the first on the scene a few years ago, it’s an experience I never want to see again. Anyway, I’m in the right lane. The guy behind me disappeared into my passenger side blind spot. I assumed he got off at Vintage. Before I knew it, he’s already passed me. On the right side. You know, the shoulder with all the gravel on it. I’m sure they teach that move in the book you read before taking the motorcycle road test. I think it’s right after the section on how to pop a wheelie doing 80. As a pack, they were traveling so fast, they disappeard from my line of sight, around the big curve.
Fast forward about 2 minutes. I hop off the expressway to get some gas and I come upon this scene….a really peeved 4 wheel driver, lecturing a bike driver on how unsafe his driving was, how dumb he was to be driving without leathers, and how silly it is to risk your life (and others) for such a fleeting thrill. This was by no means a road rage incident. Everyone was pretty calm. Nobody came close to blows. But I was just astonished at the lack of value these guys put on their life, and apparently the lack of value for the lives of people driving around them. I have the entire thing on video. I’d love to post it, but a few of the bikers apparently can’t put a sentance together without the f word, so I’d have to edit out most of the audio. I just bought this cool little video camera, and it happened to be on the seat next to me. Since I don’t feel comfortable posting all the profanity, how about a transcript then?
Rider 1
“He ain’t no f*%#n cop yo, f*%# him”“Who gives a f%#k. We ride to ride. If we die we die. We live to ride.”
Seek your thrills my friend. I have no problem with that at all. But please, do that someplace where I WON’T BE INVOLVED WITH KILLING YOU WHEN I RUN YOU OVER AFTER YOU DUMP YOU BIKE ON 390.
Rider 2
“I’m a paramedic. Listen, if they want to risk their own lives and do that, let ‘em.”
When I asked rider two if this conversation has any chance of influencing the way they ride, he said: “No, it’s really not. I’m going to be completely honest with you. You pay $10,000 for a motorcycle, and this is what we do.”
Yeah, well I paid alot for an SUV, but I don’t drive it across the medians on 390 just because I can.
Rider 3
When I asked him why he passed me on the right doing easily 80 mph, rider 3 said: “He (the guy in the pickup) was in the left lane and he would have run me over.”
No, he wouldn’t have run you over. You were behind me for quite some time at that point. The only reason you passed me on the shoulder is because there were too many cars already in the passing lane and you didn’t want to wait. Responsibility. Look it up, it’s a great word.
I sincerly doubt that any of this will change the way those dudes ride. Frankly, I hope it was just bravado and embarrassment that produced your statements and not the fact you really believe that “if we die, we die.” I’m sure if you talk to your buddy Mike who wrecked a few years ago and is still suffereing from his injuries that his physical pain was probably accompanied by a lot of heartache from his family. My hope is that maybe the thought of your mother crying over your casket might cause you to not drive so wrecklessly. My hope is that the potential heartache for those left behind might cause you to slow down. My hope is that the thought of being in a wheelchair might cause you to take pause before you pop that next wheelie.
Guys, lastly, my hope is that this picture of my 4 year old son, who’s life is really in YOUR hands when you drive wrecklessly, will plant a seed of doubt regarding your abilities to control those bikes, and your need for speed. I know I sound like your daddy, but you are not invincible. I hope you survive when that inevitable wreck occures. Keep the stunts on a track and away from me and my kid. By the way, I’m doing you a favor by NOT posting the video. I think in retrospect, you wouldn’t believe how silly you all sounded trying to defend your actions to that guy. You were in the wrong. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say anyone that experienced your little show on 390 would disagree with me.
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:30 pm
i totaly agree and i am just a teen and to say that i hae seen so many accidents with motercyles and “bikes” that i dont need to make up a lie when some one asks me have u ever seen some one die? but my point is… there are to many wrekless drivers and they just dont give a care!! so agan plaese think befor u are asking to get killed infront of so many eyes!! thank you.
( sorry about the spell not very good)