muddysmind.com

Want to hear a joke?

Ben Roethlisberger

Want to hear a joke?

Ben Roethlisberger
______________________________________

Hey mister! Those are fightin' words!

And if I wasn't so tired (and cared a little more) - I'd do it.

However, I will say that ol' Ben did not look half bad playing in a pre season game the other day.

As a motorcyclist: Ben, you're a dumbass!

"As a motorcyclist: Ben, you're a dumbass!"

I'll second that. Then again....so are most of them up here as well.

My experience before and since I started riding is that people on bikes are typically a heck of a lot more skilled in/on any vehicle and are a lot more aware of their surroundings. People in cars rarely notice that the biker is even there. The vast majority of bike vs. car accidents are a) the fault of the driver, not the rider and b) happened because the driver didn't pay attention enough to notice the bike.

Driver's tend to look right through the bike which poses little danger to them and notice the things that bother them.

There are idiot bikers too, but there are a lot less as it simply requires more skill to hop ona motorcycle and ride through traffic than it does to hope in a car.

"My experience before and since I started riding is that people on bikes are typically a heck of a lot more skilled in/on any vehicle and are a lot more aware of their surroundings."

I was just simply refering to the fact that most "bikers" we see up here don't wear helmets. However, since you went into this spiel of yours:

1) Drivers do have many more blind spots. I can't think where a biker would have any.
2) There have been times when I haven't *seen* a biker (VERY rare) BUT you can always *hear* them. So because of that, you know they're there somewhere and so you check your blind spots.

"but there are a lot less as it simply requires more skill to hop ona motorcycle and ride through traffic than it does to hope in a car."

So, how are *your* skills?:-)

The fact that you hear them doesn't surprise me, but there is a movement to pass laws requiring motorcycles to have quiet pipes which would prevent you from hearing them as easily. And fewer people here bikers than you'd think. You'd don't always associate that sound with a bike.

Ohio has no mandatory helmet law. That's why so many don't wear one there. Georgia does have one, so virtually everyone has one here.

Motorcycles have the exact same blind spots as cars, thus we have to do the same thing driver's SHOULD be doing: do head check. When you could be moving into someone else's path you turn your freaking head! Blind spots are in mirrors. Unless you're in Tractor trailer or monster truck, your hear has no blind spot as long as you can turn it! You can also adjust your mirror in such a way that you reduce you blind spots, but most people have no idea how to do that

Blind spots are no excuse for not seeing a bike. You should be turning you head to be sure.

"You'd don't always associate that sound with a bike."

What other sound *could* you associate a bike with? Maybe some kind of road machinery but even those have their own distinct sound. If people don't hear bikes they either:

A) Are too deaf to hear properly and therefore should probably think twice about whether they should even drive period or....

B) They have their radio's turned up VERY loud (which I am *proudly* gulty of.:-) Even my eldest tells me to "turn it down" at times. Quite backwards would you say?) But even then....Bikes have a distinct sound different from the radio.

"Ohio has no mandatory helmet law. That's why so many don't wear one there."

You went out of your way to look that up just for this post didn't you?:-D Well, first off....Ohio is stupid which is why we don't have a law for that. Secondly, it's what *I* call a "common sence" law. If you ride a bike, you're NOT surrounded by the "body" of your car. Chances are if you crash - you just *might* be thrown from your bike. If that happens, the odds of your brain remaining *inside* of your head don't appear to be in your favor. Common sence would tell you "Hmmmm....it might be smart to wear a helmet.". However, I don't expect some Ohioans to pick up on something so simple though. You'd have to meet them on *their* level of "brain dead" and explain it slowly with pictures.

"Blind spots are no excuse for not seeing a bike. You should be turning you head to be sure."

No, you're right....blind spots are not an excuse and again....turning your head is a common sence thing. I know better and do it constantly. Again, though, you really have to take it slow with some people as they are too stupid to understand that.

Deaf people can drive legally. You shouldn't need your ears to drive, just your eyes. And trust me, a bike can sound a lot like a car, especially if you have whining little rug rats in the car. The difference in sound between my cars and my bike is minimal, especially at cruising speeds. However, louder is better with a bike IMO, as it does increase the likelihood of you hearing me when I'm right beside you and you want to change lanes into me (which people have tried.)

By the way, only 17 states have mandatory helmet laws. Yes, it is common sense, though some will argue that helmets are bad for your neck (crap, not to mention that a stiff neck is better than being dead) so some people do have arguments against them (there are others.) Being thrown from the bike is the least of my worries. If I am in a bike vs. car accident, I'd just be happy to survive. If I lay my bike down (again), especially at high speed, I don't want my skull smashed in or the side of my face taken off.

The other big deal is people tailgating me on a bike. When you see an F-250 riding 2 feet off your bike tire at 65-70 mph, you very nearly want to wet your pants. Bikes stop a lot faster than cars. If you use the 2 second or 3 second rule, when a bike is in front of you, add an extra second, if not 2.

"Deaf people can drive legally."

True.

"You shouldn't need your ears to drive, just your eyes."

It should be noted, though, that when I made that comment, I was half serious and mostly refering to elderly people. The thing is that the younger you are, the sharper your sences and reaction time is....of course - that's a given that everyone knows.

"especially if you have whining little rug rats in the car."

Hey now mister! Don't talk about my little rug rats like that! They resemble that remark!

"though some will argue that helmets are bad for your neck"

How could they be bad for the neck? Is it because they're heavy on the head an pushes down on the neck or something? That's the only thing I can come up with. I mean, stiff neck? I can kind of understand that one but like you said....it's better than being dead. Besides, I have fibromyalgia which sometimes makes my neck pretty painful to turn but I do it anyway - with the help of my upper body and side and review mirrors. I mean, it may not be easy to turn your upper body when controlling a bike but they do have side mirrors don't they? And aren't there also helmets that have mirrors on them as well?

"When you see an F-250 riding 2 feet off your bike tire at 65-70 mph, you very nearly want to wet your pants."

Well, I'm not sure what an F-250 is (I'm assuming some kind of a sports car) but I do know what to get you for your next birthday - some depends.:-)

A sports car isn't nearly as scary!

http://www.w8ji.com/images/Powerstroke/mobile/F250%202003%20small.jpg

"A sports car isn't nearly as scary!"

Ahhhh - yes. I have seen many of those on the roads. Pardon my ignorance.

The depends (along with a new pair of pants) are in the mail.:-D