[Wandering Man]

When I tell folks that I've ordered a GW to commute to work on, they say things like

"you're going to drive that on the highway?!"

"your going to get killed."

"Motorcycles are too dangerous to drive on the road."

And this is usually followed by morbid stories of lost or mutilated friends and relatives.

So, what do you guys say when this conversation starts?

-WM

 

[L2R]

I really don't talk about it to neighbors, family and non bikers for this reason. If they don't do it, they don't get it. This is why we are here to cheer each other an 'cause we get it'

If a stranger comes up to enlighten me, I politely interupt them to say, "thanks but I have heard stories like that and I am not interested." (I am too old to be told what to do and they aren't trying to help, they are trying to take your joy away to bring you down to their level. And I am not worried if they're offended.)


Happy trails

 

[drmcmtru]

Don't think any of us could say it much better than that!!

 

[crownfire]

I(I am too old to be told what to do and they aren't trying to help, they are trying to take your joy away to bring you down to their level. And I am not worried if they're offended.)

That about sums it up. Although if they are really interested I do engage them about how good it feels to get yourself into the wind. About really experiencing the trip, not just viewing it through the windshield.

 

[remphoto]

A guy I know walked over to me while I was refueling the Wing and started spouting off about how dangerous motorcycles are, etc., etc. He then started to walk from the gas pumps to the the convenience store and stepped in front of a car, nearly getting hit. I had to chuckle.

 

[lonewolftx]

My Dad has ridden 80 of his 93 years. If he died on one he would say it's the only way to go.

 

[joe in calif]

I tell them you can be in bed and a plane falls out of the sky and kills you, you can be walking down the street and get hit by a truck, when God says it's my time is up it's up. Might as well enjoy life when you can.

 

[bumlbe]

I would tell them that if I was that paranoid, I would buy a Hummer, put a roll cage in it and wear a helmet.

 

[LarryinSeattle]

I hold up both hands directly at them and say one word, "Please" in an elevated tone and take a deep breath with a pregnant pause and then I take command and change the subject matter completely. Usually by asking a question to someone else standing there. I have had plenty of practice with this. It never fails to happen.

People who know........will say something.... like "nice looking bike." as a means to move the conversation away from death and other ugly things.

 

[fossil92]

I'm confused again....

Do you guys mean some people don't like Motorcycles? Hmmm.... never knew that.

 

[manxmann]

Dangreous m/c's

Any further comment would be futile ..

 

[LarryinSeattle]

They really flip out when I start to tell them that it is actually safer to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. AND IT IS. The helmet is good when you crash, but it contributes to rider fatigue and impairs vision / hearing.

HELMETS CAUSE ACCIDENTS!! Prevent injury, yes, but at times do cause accidents.

That being said, I do enjoy my wired helmet.

 

[Chopin]

It seems like everybody knows someone or has heard of someone who had a motorcycle accident and they all want to share that with you. Why do they do that ? I have responded with this, " When the thought of the possible turns into fear of the probable, you stop riding ".

 

[LarryinSeattle]

The fear of a nasty accident has been the only reason for me to stop riding on and off my entire life.

It is the freedom of the wind that gets me back on a bike.

I don't need any help from anyone on this subject matter.

 

[crownfire]

I'm confused again....

Do you guys mean some people don't like Motorcycles? Hmmm.... never knew that.

Ha! Not the confused part, we all expect that, but the rest....

 

[2003 GL1800 POLICE]

If she leans left, turn left, If she leans right, turn right. If she don't lean, STAND ON IT! All other commets they can keep to themselves. Non-riders just do not get it!

 

[budoka]

I usually counter with "you can break your neck in a bath tub, so do you stop showering?" If they are intelligent enough to grasp both the sarcasm and the truth in that I will enlighten them as to the superior handling, performance advantages in accelration and braking, combined with the increased awareness of the riding environment and its inherant hazards that makes motorcycles less dangerous than other modes of transportation. If they don't have that level of cognitive reasoning, I just clam up and smile at them. Of course there have been the isolated few beligerent A-holes that outright berate me for being so reckless. For them I have a well rehearsed string of profane expletives that will forever justify in their puny narrow minds that they were indeed correct in their judgement. I mean, I am just another dirty old biker after all.

 

[Buzzy]

Kinda funny I am just seeing this thread. Coincidence that I did something today at lunch that fits right in with this topic, more on that in a minutes.
First, here is how I deal with it and I get it a lot! I first change the subject on them and really get them confused. But it never fails, the same people time and time again have something to say every time they see my bike, me on the bike, me talking about the bike or even just seeing another person on a bike and I happen to be around!

So as I grew tired of repeating my self over and over, I turned to actions rather than words. Here is a fine example and what happened today.
I am leaving for lunch and my 2 bosses are leaving at the same time. One of them looked to the sky and asked if I didn't look at the weather this morning, looks like rain and how dangerous it is on a bike in the rain, don't you get wet, ect.

So this is what transpired next, I need to set up the scene first for you. I added floorboards and a chrome side stand a couple weeks ago. Well I had to add the Kury side stand extension or I would have to raise the board every time I wanted to put the side stand down or up. Problem is, that sucker scrapes WAY early before anything else does!
So I figured I would have some fun with the boss. Down the road at the light, we both have to take a left turn onto a 10 lane road. This means I get to make a long sweeping left crossing over 5 lanes and a median before I reach the first lane of eastbound traffic.

I don't know if that nice shiny chrome extension makes sparks or not, but I rolled on the throttle, tossed the girl over on her left side and scraped concrete through the entire turn. That thin chromed plate makes one hell of a noise when it scrapes.
When I got to lunch, I examined the part and I have now bent it up where the board will hit at the same time I think. So that's one point in my favor.
When I got back to work, my boss asked if I was crazy because I was grinding off my expensive Wing on the road like that. I responded, it's just a bike, I'll get another one once this one is used up!
Of course we all know that looks can be deceiving when it comes to the wing. There are not many things as impressive as a Goldwing tossed over in a curve with sparks flying!

 

[Tooth]

People would tell me the same thing..."your going to kill yourself on that motorcycle" .......I tell them when I went thru my divorce that "I would have killed myself without my motorcycle"...they usually shreek up and shut up.

 

[Stratman]

I've had more ppl (especially the elderly) walk up when I'm refueling, with that wishful look in their eye, and comment "what a great day for a ride". I think a part of them can see themselves cruising down the highway.
Sure, there's naysayers, but I get many more envious comments than I do negative ones.
Strat