RANT: Save Lives Look Twice my ass
OK so we already know I have a lot to say about traffic, especially having learned to drive in NY and then having driven everywhere else. Plain and simple of it is that everywhere people suck as drivers. Now by no means am I trying to say I’m the best driver ever, but there are millions of bad drivers and I am not one of them. I’m talking about the ones that have no defensive driving skills, no regard for anyone else but them and their driving goal, UGH!
With that said recently I have begun to really get a bit pissy about one kind of driver and in the same respect one particular driving campaign. WHO and WHAT you may ask? I’m tired of the SAVE A LIFE LOOK TWICE stickers and well Motorcycle drivers.
OOOOOOOh oh no he didn’t. Now that I’ve got all you motorcycle drivers riled up ( and a lot of you guys/gals are my friends) let me clarify. If you know me in any way shape (mostly round) or form you know that I love motorcycles (mostly cruisers not crotch rockets) and you know I would love to own one and drive across country with it. Probably not gonna happen but I’m still very young (HA). And because I love motorcycles and have many riders who are friends I not only look twice but I look 3 four and five times when I even think there is a motorcycle near me. I respect them and mostly any other vehicle on the road ( I cant respect smart cars, I just can’t JK).
So you say ok but what about your first statement. Well I would love to go down to the police departments from state to state and figure out the statics on fatalities of riders in accidents with another vehicle and see how many of those accidents were caused by a rider and not by the driver of the 2 ton death machine ( thats a car for those of you not following along) not looking twice.
I can’t drive home without seeing one bumper sticker that says Save a Life look Twice, motorcycle safety blah blah blah. I get it motorcycles a far more dangerous to drive than a car and if car drivers had a bit more regard for other vehicles on the road ( cars and motorcycles alike) I guarantee there would be less cycle accidents hell less accidents in general. But because we live in a fast pace world and everyone wants to get somewhere, we’d rather speed up to get and edge than slow down to be safe. And more times than any riders get the shaft because of this.
However, where does it say that all motorcycle drives are saints themselves. I know the stickers and ads ( a recent commercial for safety has been on TV and its shot real well ) are there to promote awareness, but where is the sticker that says hey riders stop driving like its only my job to watch out for you. Stop zipping in and out of traffic and hugging my ass like its my job to know you are there. ITS BOTH OUR JOBS. Just this morning I witnessed a rider on the brink of riding between 2 cars on the highway. He got close enough to quickly shoot in front of the car slightly next to him and then zip right back over and gone. His first move placed dangerously close to the ass end of the car in front him and he rode there till he was clear to jump back over. What if the car in front of him need to slam on his breaks or better blew a tire. That rider would have been toast and looking twice wouldn’t have helped him at all. Its bad enough that drivers forget to keep even on length of car between them and the fool in front of them. Riders sometimes don’t even ( not all) keep 2 feet.
Riders the ones I know, you know I have mad respect for you and I love bikes. I really someday hope to at least ride one down the block, but please please please rider better and aware. You can’t trust that everyone is like me, ready to give a rider wide berth and always looking twice.
Have a good ride people and stay safe
I can see by your vast experience on this matter that you would be the one to listen to. Yes, I found your rhetoric offensive. There are large groups of people that have studied motorcycle stats ad nausium. They are the ones putting out the bumper stickers, bill boards, etc. while going to the state capitol to try and influence law makers to be more aware of motorcycle rights. Just a little more research and you would have known this. Having said that (trying to make it short) you are right that riders need to constantly practice to become better riders. Not drinking and riding is a good thing too. Two more things … we don’t drive our motorcycles we ride them. I am sorry that these awareness devices are making you sick, I hope you get over it soon.
YES a REAL COMMENT. Thank you BILL thank you thank you thank you. I like it when someone speaks their mind in an intelligent and thought provoking way. For the official record I love anyone who takes to the road on a bike and RIDES free on the road. And I also know I’m talking to a minority of riders that don’t take care of their own life but I guess my point in my Rant is I would like to see one or 2 bumper stickers calling that minority to the mat. I’d like to apologies for the offense, but I wont because it pushed you to write a comment and give your opinion and now not only am I but all of the 2 people that read my blog are now that much more educated and I like that.
THANKS AGAIN.
I want to apologize to my GirlFriend my Buddies Drab and Doug and anyone else who has made comments since I started this blog Your comments where real too. Sorry
I understand that a driver should take a second look before pulling out into traffic for the sake of motorcycles. They are difficult to see and I would hate to have one pulled out of my car; I am sure it would make a mess.
BUT I believe that riders of motorcycles have a greater responsibly to make sure that THEY are safe. More often than not, I am confronted with motorcyclists, that make stupid mistakes that put MY life in danger. Where is my bumper sticker? Why should I have watch out for assholes that fly between cars, drive in the emergency lane, hide in my blind-spot and do wheelies at 80 mph!
I am sure the campaign is designed to create awareness about those who are less visible. We all want to save a life, but why should I have to worry about their safety when they don’t seem to care about me getting home in one piece? If they are that worried about getting hurt, then stop buying bumper stickers, and buy a car.
WHILE YOU MAY BE A GREAT DRIVER A BIT TO SURE OF YOUR LOOKING OUT FOR US BIKERS ,A LOT OFPEOPLE OUT THERE DON’T WATCH FOR US AND ARE SHITTY DRIVERS TO SAY THE LEAST.
YOU SAY YOU HAVE FRIENDS THAT DRIVE MOTORCYCLES…HMMMMMM…… I WOUNDER IF YOU HAVE EVER LOST ONE OF THEM TO AN INCONSIDERATE ASS HOLE WHO DOES NOT LOOK OUT TWICE ,LESS THEN ONCE FOR A MOTORCYCLE OR ARE SO SURE OF THEM SELVES AS YOU ARE THAT THEY RUN THEM DOWN OR OFF THE ROAD INTO A SOLID OBJECT LIKE A TREE POLE ETC… AND KILL US. AN IF WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SURVIVE WE SPEND THE REST OF THEIR LIVES IN A WHEEL CHAIR BEING FED THROUGH A TUBE! I HAVE LOST SEVERAL FRIENDS TO PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU, PEOPLE WHO CLAIMED TO LOVE CYCLES,HAD NO BEAF WITH THOSE WHO RIDE THEM ,BUT FOR SOME DUMB REASON THEY HIT ONE.
I DO AGREE THERE ARE BIKERS WHO NEED TO SLOW DOWN A BIT AND BE A LOT MORE CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD.BIKERS ARE NOT PERFECT I KNOW BUT GO f**K YOURSELF IF YOU DON’T LIKE READING ALL THOSE STICKERS OR LIKE EVEN SEEING THEM.THEY ARE APPAIRENTLY NOT FOR SUCH A GREAT DRIVER AS YOU, THERE FOR ALL THE OTHER DUMB ASSES OUT THERE WHO CAN’T DRIVE.
SO DO ME A FAVOR ,PUT UP WITH US ,THE STICKERS ,STREET SIGNS AND WHATEVER ELSE IS OUT THERE TRYING TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF US, BECAUSE THERE ARE THOSE OF US WHO ARE OFFENDED BY YOUR BITCHING AND AS A RIDDER MYSELF FOR MANY YEARS I AM ONE OF THEM!
OH AND THERE ARE CAMAPINS TO KEEP YOU SAFE.MOTOR CYCLISTS CAN TAKE CLASSES TO LEARN TO DRIVE SAFELY AND MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES OFFER A DISCOUNT IF WE DO. AS RIDDRS MOST OF US ALL TALK ABOUT HOW TO RIDE SAFLEY.WHILE THERE ARE THOSE RIDDERS WHO DO WHEELIES AT 80 MPH ,MOST RIDDERS DON’T!
THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF RIDDERS WHO DRIVE TO FAST JUST AS 4 WHEELERS DO .WHY IS IT WRONG TO CALL ATTENTION TO US? WHY WOULD YOU SAY JUST BUY A CAR TO GET HOME SAFE? IGNORANT STAEMENT!!!!!!!
I HAVE LOST SEVERAL FRIEND TO ASS HOLES LIKE SOME OF YOU,NOT ONE WAS SPEEDING,DRINKING DOING WHEELIES !THEY WERE HIT BY PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU.I HOPE YOU NEVER HAVE TP EXPERIENCE THE FE ELING OF KIILING SOMEONE ON A BIKE DO TO YOUR STUPIDITY.AND I HOPE EVEN MORE YOU DON’T HIT SOMEONE WHO LIVES TO DEAL WITH YOU LATER.
ALL WE ASK IS TO SHAIR THE ROAD EQUALLY,THATS IT NOT OWN THE ROAD!
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE OFFENDED YOU BY THEIR DRIVING A CYCLE UN SAFELY I AM SORRY BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE JUST ON THE ROAD ENJOYING THE DAY WITH A LOVED ONE OR EVEN ALONE .
PLEASE PLEASE “LOOK TWICE SAVE A LIFE MOTORCYCLES ARE EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!”
http://media.causes.com/603618?
http://media.causes.com/570890?
HOPE THIS LIKE WORKS
WATCH THESE IF YOU DARE
Thanks for yelling Bill, left side of the keyboard its called cap locks push.
LOL ,GLAD YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS! NOW FIND YOUR COMMON SENCE AND UNDERSTAND WHY THOSE STICKERS AND BILL BOARDS MEAN SO MUCH TO BIKERS ,THEIR FAMILIES AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES AND QUIT BITCHING!
Bill I get why the stickers are their and if you re-read my post I mainly bitch at those bikers who have no care for their own safety and thus no care for mine. My statement is simply as much as these ads beat us over the head with our responsibility to look twice (which I commend and follow) their is nothing out there that says hey bad motorcycle driver smart’n up and drive like you care about your life just as much as the people who have the stickers promoting other vehicle drives to look out for you. Its hard to see most motorcycles if you don’t take to really look but its even harder when bad riders stay in areas where you cant see them or make moves that leave them vulnerable to my car even if I look twice.
I appreciate and welcome you comments but seriously all caps really. Thanks for posting
SORRY ,THEY ARE JUST CAPS,AND I AGREE BIKERS NEEET TO WATCHbut you sais it yourself”we ar hard to see” so whats wrong with asking people to look twice ? not a dam thing. so ok ,lets promote a stickers asking bikers to drive safely,don’t speed ,don’t drive in blind spots . i will gladly put it on my vehicle!
While we are at all of this promoting, how about we take a little time to promote spelling and grammar! To me, Bill, reading your posts were about as painful as your motorcycle friends who have been hit’s injuries! Hmmmm I feel a new bumper sticker campaign coming on…Read twice, and don’t save until you have spell checked and corrected grammar…..Catchy!
FUCK OFF,GRAMMAR,SORRY I MISS SPELLED A BIT,SORRY,NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE MESSAGE IS THE MESSAGE>…….
GIVE ME A BREAK,OK,MISS SPELLED A BIT,DID NOT CHECK WHAT I WROTE,THE MESSAGE IS THE MESSAGE,GRAMMAR? SORRY REALLY AM,LOL
OH AND YOUR PAINFUL,DON’T COMPAIR THE DEATH OF FRIENDS OF MINE TO READING A POST OF MINE AS BEING AS PAINFUL,NOT! EVER LOOSE SOMEONE SPECIAL TO YOU? NOW EVER LOOSE SOMEONE SPECIAL TO YOU TO A NEEDLESS DEATH? I HAVE ! SO DO NOT FUCK WITH ME! WHAT ARE HITS INJURIES? WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE HIT AND KILLED ! INJURIES? DEATH ! DEAD AND DONE! YOU REALY DO NOT GET IT .YOU CHOOSE TO LOOK AT MY GRAMMER ,LOOK AT THE FACTS,BIKERS ARE SUBJECT TO NEEDLESS DEATH DUE TO RECLESS DRIVERS WHO DO NT CARE ABOUT YOU IN YOUR CAR OR BIKERS ON THERE BIKE.THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS A BIKER HAS LITTLE OR NO CHANCE AGAINST A CAR ,TRUCK….ETC…. HITTING THEM. SO PLEASE EXCUSE MY SPELLING OR GRAMMAR.SORRY SO PAINFUL FOR YOU! BURRY A GOOD FRIEND ,THEN TEL ME I AM PAINFUL!
OH ,I MISSED AN L TELL ,KILL ME! AHHHHHH
DONE POSTING HERE
ALL I CAN SAY IS HOPE YO ALL DON’T DIE IN A MAJOR CAR REACK FROM SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT LOOK OT FOR YOU,IT MOST LIKELY WON’T BE A BIKER!
OH AND ,I LIKE CAPS !
I’ve yet to see a cruiser or touring motorcycle being ridden between vehicles, or being ridden in such a wreckless manner as a sport bike. ‘Crotch rockets’ are being ridden in such a wreckless manner every day. When they want to flaunt their dare devil skills, they are asking for an accident, injuries, and even death, from their own behavior.
However, riders of cruisers and touring motorcycles are being run over, or run off the road by people who are distracted, or just not paying enough attention to notice.
These are the people that we are asking to please give us a second look. We can only do so much, but when a bigger and heavier vehicle is coming in too close, what can we do?
I should add, not all sport bike riders are insane maniacs. And, not all riders of cruisers and touring bikes are saints.
I am not saying that people should only watch out for any particular motorcycle over the other.
All life is precious, no matter what type of cycle they are riding.