Letters to the Editor
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Motorcycles or something else?
I see a lot of commentary defending being a motorcyclist. I don't think Ann's article was about the dangers of cycling, so much as what happens when two people become a couple. Something has to give and it can't all be given by one person.
He can't keep living the bachelor life, flying off to each and every single meet that his buddies put together, once he has married. He also should not have to give it up entirely.
A marriage takes work and compromise. She has to tell him, "Okay, I really need you for this thing." He has to pick and choose which events will satisfy his interest in the sport, but remember that he does not have to go to every single one of them.
As for his buddies gossiping about them on the internet, that'd happen with any group. Given the choice between a happy marriage and the occasional poker game, tatting circle or drunken brawl with the lads, most people would gladly take a happy marriage.
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Yes, of course you can die from just about anything.
Yes, of course you can die from just about anything. I admit that. I never said otherwise. A married person's family is going to be sad when that person dies, no matter what the cause of the death. That's true. However, that’s not the point I’m making here.
My point is that 1.) the odds of you dying or being seriously injured during motorcycle racing are high (much, much higher than everyday activities), and 2.) since motorcycle racing is a hobby or sport for most and therefore not necessary, the family is going to struggle with understanding that death or injury. They will wonder if you loved racing more than them. This struggle will be the direct result of the fact that motorcycle racing is so dangerous.
A number of folks argue that motorcycle racing is no more dangerous than riding on the street, or even less so. I think this is bunk. I understand the hazards of riding on the street (the other clueless drivers, the hard obstacles, etc) and the advantages of a track for riding fast. However, I argue that the very high speeds involved in racing make it more hazardous. Tracks are trying to improve their safety, but bikes are also getting faster.
Also, this is a matter of how you interpret the statistics. It may seem that deaths at the track are rare to those that participate. In an absolute sense, they are rare. However, in a relative sense, they are not. You have to consider how few people race motorcycles (as compared to how many ride on the street) and how little time is actually spent racing (compared to hours on the street). Also, to be fair, you need to factor out drunken motorcyclists and those not wearing helmets (those two problems don't exist at the track). When you do all of that, there is no way racing is going to be safer.
The problem with the difference between absolute and relative statistics is why those that work with statistics do not consider anecdotal evidence when judging the likelihood of any event occurring. One person’s story or experience does not a statistic make. What you know to be true may not be so on average.
If you want to race motorcycles, more power to you. Despite the fact that I think it is very dangerous, I think anyone who wants to race should do so. No one is guaranteed a long, healthy life. However, I also think that those who race should not dismiss how dangerous it really is and what affect their death or debilitating injury will have on those that love them.
I will try to find some more data on motorcycle racing. I doubt tracks will be wiling to give up that data (what's in it for them?), but I will try.
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Fantasy World
Being a female member of the group she speaks about I take great offense to a lot of her sterotyping of racing and motorcycling in general. I think her problem is that she is unwilling to learn or even appreciate the friendships that have developed within this group that never probably would have happened without it. We have strong ties to each other and its no longer just about the bikes even though it started that way. We are not racist, sexist, and whatever other -ism you want to label us with. We are all upstanding citzens who do what other upstanding citzens do and we do not like to be pigeoned-holed by someone who is on the outside looking in. Maybe if she had taken the time to get to know us instead of jumping to conclusions about what kind of people we are because we race and ride motorcyles she might have found that we are a good group of people who truly care about one another.
I would never ask, tell or hint at my husband that he needs to give up bikes or racing. Motorcyle racing is no more dangerous now that we are married than it was before we were. I knew that motorcycles were part of the deal when we got together. I would not ask him to give it up no more than he would ask me to give up something I loved. It is called compromise. If you don't compromise you better have either a good therapist or a good divorce lawyer because the marriage will lead to one of the two.
Having meet the writer she is no more cultured than than the people her new husband surrounds himself with, but she likes to think she is. If someone said something that offended you should have spoke up (if the event actually happened, which is questionable). Most of the events she spoke of either never happened or have been so elaborated that those involved are left scratching their heads in wonder as to if they where actually there or not. Nothing new really said here but when you assume things about people you really do not know you make an a** out of yourself. I am not trying to be mean to the writer (though I could be) because I like and care about her husband a great deal. I give her points on creativity and use of big words. Very impressive.
P.S. I love the sterotyping about wives/girlfriends of motorcyle racers. If I ever wore short shorts and a halter top I think I would give permission to my friends to shot me on sight-a good majority of the females in the group do not fall in to the catergory that she placed us in. We are supportive and knowledgeable about the racing community and we would like to be respected for that, not put in some box that someone paints us into.