OK, this is not a technical question so feel free to delete it, but I need to "talk" to someone and ALL of you are it. . .
Yesterday afternoon, I ran to the little grocery store up the road from me. This is a tiny place, that still runs a "tab" for local people, and where we all go to find out the "newest news." We have 77-official folks living here, so its a little town. As I was parking I noticed a woman and a man riding what appeared to be fairly new bikes pull into the church parking lot across from the small store, park the bike and walk across the street to get a drink. It was obvious that the woman was not very experienced and the bike was probably too large for her to handle. She looked uncomfortable and very shaky in trying to manuveur the bike just to park it IN A BIG CHURCH PARKING LOT. I didn't know either of them, and decided that it really wasn't any of my business, so I didn't say anything other than, "Nice bikes."
At 11 last night there was a single bike accident with a casualty and no one knew who the rider was. I immediately felt guilty and ran over to see the bike to see if it was that woman. It wasn't her, but it was a younger man riding a Suzuki Venture (I think), older bike with spokes, small tank, a 800CC or so. He died. It appeared that he ran straight into a tree on a part of the road that is flat and clear. No explanation, no skid marks. Nothing but a destroyed life and a bike that hit with enough force to push the wheel back into the cooler. The guy wasn't wearing a helmet and no one knew who he was.
Five days ago a 63 year old's Harley was side-swiped on the interstate close to here and died. A passing trucker saw his body laying off the shoulder and called it in. They know it was a white something that sideswiped him and kept going. No idea who, only that they didn't stop.
Anyway, this has gotten me thinking. What, if anything, should we say to folks who really appear too inexperienced to be riding? Here in Indiana folks go through a short course to get their permits, then they learn how to ride on the streets. They take the course on a little 250, and then buy these big bikes. When I tested out, we had to test on what we were going to ride and only were licensed to the CC that we tested on. I have an unlimited license because I tested out on the biggest bike available at that time. I gather that that is no longer the case. It seems crazy to me. Do we just pray and hope for the best? Should I offer a ride and a safe place to park a bike to a person who looks as uncomfortable as that woman did? What humanistic duty do we have towards our fellow fools out here?
Should we try to legislate common sense? We don't have a helmet law here in Indiana, assuming that common sense prevails, so the majority of folks that I see are helmetless and usually in tennis shoes. . .my insurance rates cover their catastrophic injuries.
Sorry for the philosophical ramblings. This really upset my kids when they saw me run out to see if it was that woman. I was so relieved (then guilty over that relief) when it wasn't her. This is not going to get me off the bike, but it does make me think. My kids are thankful that the bike isn't running. Makes me wonder if they are doing alittle something-something to make sure it doesn't run. . .
Anyway, I just needed to reach out to you all and write this junk down. Sorry. Please stay safe.
Cam
Yesterday afternoon, I ran to the little grocery store up the road from me. This is a tiny place, that still runs a "tab" for local people, and where we all go to find out the "newest news." We have 77-official folks living here, so its a little town. As I was parking I noticed a woman and a man riding what appeared to be fairly new bikes pull into the church parking lot across from the small store, park the bike and walk across the street to get a drink. It was obvious that the woman was not very experienced and the bike was probably too large for her to handle. She looked uncomfortable and very shaky in trying to manuveur the bike just to park it IN A BIG CHURCH PARKING LOT. I didn't know either of them, and decided that it really wasn't any of my business, so I didn't say anything other than, "Nice bikes."
At 11 last night there was a single bike accident with a casualty and no one knew who the rider was. I immediately felt guilty and ran over to see the bike to see if it was that woman. It wasn't her, but it was a younger man riding a Suzuki Venture (I think), older bike with spokes, small tank, a 800CC or so. He died. It appeared that he ran straight into a tree on a part of the road that is flat and clear. No explanation, no skid marks. Nothing but a destroyed life and a bike that hit with enough force to push the wheel back into the cooler. The guy wasn't wearing a helmet and no one knew who he was.
Five days ago a 63 year old's Harley was side-swiped on the interstate close to here and died. A passing trucker saw his body laying off the shoulder and called it in. They know it was a white something that sideswiped him and kept going. No idea who, only that they didn't stop.
Anyway, this has gotten me thinking. What, if anything, should we say to folks who really appear too inexperienced to be riding? Here in Indiana folks go through a short course to get their permits, then they learn how to ride on the streets. They take the course on a little 250, and then buy these big bikes. When I tested out, we had to test on what we were going to ride and only were licensed to the CC that we tested on. I have an unlimited license because I tested out on the biggest bike available at that time. I gather that that is no longer the case. It seems crazy to me. Do we just pray and hope for the best? Should I offer a ride and a safe place to park a bike to a person who looks as uncomfortable as that woman did? What humanistic duty do we have towards our fellow fools out here?
Should we try to legislate common sense? We don't have a helmet law here in Indiana, assuming that common sense prevails, so the majority of folks that I see are helmetless and usually in tennis shoes. . .my insurance rates cover their catastrophic injuries.
Sorry for the philosophical ramblings. This really upset my kids when they saw me run out to see if it was that woman. I was so relieved (then guilty over that relief) when it wasn't her. This is not going to get me off the bike, but it does make me think. My kids are thankful that the bike isn't running. Makes me wonder if they are doing alittle something-something to make sure it doesn't run. . .
Anyway, I just needed to reach out to you all and write this junk down. Sorry. Please stay safe.
Cam
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