Friday, July 22, 2005
Not too long ago I posted information regarding the legislation of motorcycle exhaust. Apparently some people are annoyed by the sound of a loud motorcycle. Purportedly, elderly people seem to think our motorcycles are loud for the sole intention of irritating them. How pompous can you be!! I have also read articles where riders have stated the ONLY reason they have loud pipes is so "cagers" (people in cars and trucks who think the roads were built with their exclusivity in mind)can hear us coming and give us some road room. I for one do not ride for anyone elses benefit so loud pipes with the intent to irritate another does not apply to me. Moreover, of the 100 or so other riders I know personally, and the thousands I've met have all one thing in common - we ride because we have too.
Ask a musician why they play music and if the person is a musician and not a poser they will tell you because they have too. We ride because it's the only thing that let's us get away from the rat race. There are many many outlets for escaping the day to day life - some golf, some cook, some build cars and so on. We ride. Although there are more and more motorcycles on the road these days, there are still the same number of "riders" and the same number of clubs per capita as there has always been. There are alot of people out there buying bikes and getting on the road without the slightest bit of training. They've never been on a motorcycle except maybe once when they were a kid and road a little "50" around their cousins back yard, hit a fence and swore they'd never ride again. Now this same cat is making some money and decides at 40-45 it's time to "get the wind in their hair". This is the same demographic that was buying boats 20+ years ago without any formal education on how to SAFELY operate a watercraft.
I digress.
It's true though. Loud pipes do save lives. I cannot tell you how many times some cager has tried to kill me on the highway by changing lanes without looking. It's pretty hard to miss a 900lb Harley dresser. It's even harder not to hear it. But with the cel phone comes the "Incompetent Cager".
Oh - let's not forget the peddlers either - they need to share the road too. My brother rides more miles per year than many people drive in their cars. You bastards need to look out for the guys and gals on bicycles too - quit pushing them into the berm.
So to all you assholes out there that think we do what we do to irritate you I say this once again - FUCK OFF!
