Disclaimer - First let me say that I will probably offend 95% of those reading this. If you have the intestinal fortitude to endure, then please read on. If you woke up today particularly sensitive or your mommy didnt wipe the drizzle from your nose today, I would advise hitting your back button.I purchased a new motorcycle about a month ago. Well not new being it is a 2006, but new to me. I did this for many reasons - save gas, commuting, speed, and overall the thrill for bikes. As I continue to ride to work and various places everyday, I am finding myself hating people in cars exponentially more now that I partake in 2 wheels rather than 4. What I do not understand is the incessant need to for people to "lolly gag". By lolly gag I mean those drivers who never seem to be on a schedule. They get in their cars, and instead of focusing on driving like they should be, they focus on fiddling with their stupid ass iPhones, navigation systems, fancy stereo apparatuses, make up kits etc, instead of doing their best to get where they are going in the safest, most efficient manner possible, they feel that their car trip is some romantic vacation that they are going with their little devices, rather than a mode of transport between A and B. Meanwhile, here I am on a motorcycle. Senses on overload all the time trying to avoid these nonchalant drivers and all the while trying to get where I am going. I am cut off, tailgated, merged on and blocked on a daily basis. At first I thought it was because I wasn't visible enough, but now I am starting to think there is some sort of vengeance involved. I actually had a guy try to run me off the road the other day because I went around him. Are they jealous because I can split lanes and not sit in lines of traffic at stop lights? At first I would have said no, but now 30 days later I would attest "yes".
Driving is a privilege, NOT A RIGHT! Not only do we allow them this privilege but we allow it for LIFE! We allow a 16 year old to take 1 test, and have his license for LIFE! They are wielding a 3000lbs killing machine and they are good to go after answering 50 questions? I really don’t see the intelligence in this. What is wrong with a retest every 5 years just to make sure you have not become even more of a bumbling idiot than you already were? Maybe 6 months for women. Dont get me wrong I love women, they really rev my engines, but if I have to swerve to miss another chick with her iPhone on, compact flipped open and cigarette hanging out of her mouth I am going to break!
Ugh...I regress.
They should take a page from Europe and Japan for everyone whether they drive a car or ride a motorbike and make the license test something you actually have to prepare for. The tests are hard.In Finland you have to spend 3 years taking lessons and they teach you everything including how to do a controlled power slide on a skid pad being covered in water.
ReplyDeleteMotorcycles are even more difficult in other countries. Europe and Japan have graduated licenses based on engine capacity that forces everyone to start on a 125cc or smaller. Then 250cc and then 600cc+.
While many of your points are perfectly valid, there are those drivers, myself included, who simply CANNOT SEE YOU. I almost KILLED someone at the end of my road in Ojai. He pointed his finger at me and pulled the trigger like it was a gun. I simply didn't see him. I looked right and then left and then (as my father had always instructed) right AGAIN , and STILL didn't see him. No cell phone, no compact, no smoke. So you think about that sweetie boy before you take the lane splitting chances. I won't and will not let David even follow a mc on the freeway....blood does not look good on my car. Are your headlights on bright... in the daytime? and what color is your clothing? Ask your Dad about this....
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