Letters to the Editor
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fiction not fact
This is not an article, it's fiction. It does not ring true in it's descriptions of motorcycle racing. It seems to be a piece of fiction, and not a very good one at that.
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Again...seriously??
I can assure you that everything she is writing about in this article is indeed based on the truth. But I say based on the truth because it's so over exaggerated I dont even know what to do. These are all normal adults having fun at the track...she makes it sound like she is 80 years old talking about the punk kids down the street. Please, these are all good people, with good jobs...obviously, because motorcycle racing isnt cheap. It's funny really....if you knew the people involved...it's super funny because most of them are the timid type......not some Hell's Angel group she makes it out to be.
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My God, some people will never get it
As an avid motorcyclist, I have to say I'm encouraged by the response of most here.
But there are a few people who speak of motorcyclists and motorcycles in general as if they actually have some sort of clue. Here's a clue: You really don't have one.
And you will never understand what draws "us" people to motorcycles, so stop trying. Contrary to your uninformed blathering, most motorcyclists I know tend to be educated, thoughtful and interesting people with an uncommon set of skills and passion for life. Quote all the statistics you want; the truth is that those statistics are questionable at best. I can go into why that is, but it wouldn't convince you anyway.
Yeah, motorcycling is more dangerous than, say, driving a 5000 lb., urban-assault luxury crash cell (which, contrary to popular belief, are less safe than conventional cars). But managed properly, riding is not as dangerous as you think. And roadracing, even at the amateur level, is certainly less dangerous than you can imagine. Oh, yeah, maybe we should all be playing golf instead? What an interesting world that would be.
Why don't all of you safety Nazis reserve some of your compulsive handwringing for something more worthy of your time, like the aforementioned SUVs "piloted" by selfish, insecure, unskilled and inattentive drivers that kill many times more people than motorcycles ever will? We'd probably save an awful lot of motorcyclists in the process, too.
As to the author, she's perfectly silly, self-centered, oblivious to her own motivations and a fine example why at least half of all marriages fail. And, yes, her form makes her piece all but unreadable.
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One thing I've learned from reading these letters
is that motorcycle riders are mean as hell and don't read very carefully.
Also that they can't fathom that someone might choose to give up motorcycle riding in favor of other activities, perhaps involving actual testicles instead of motorized substitutes.
Have fun, y'all! Keep up those insurance premiums, you're gonna need them!
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Who's being mean?
Of course, rehab nurse, we're all speaking to you from the grave or wheelchairs. The Internet's an amazing thing, ain't it.
Your kind of drivel is what fuels such strong reactions from motorcyclists. Glad to see such sympathy coming from a supposed angel of mercy.
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Don't fool yourself into thinking you are invincible, the body is a fragile thing.
Its hard not to be blunt about the dangers of motorcycle riding because in my work I see the results in the ER on a regular basis. There is very little margin for error and even less protection on a bike. Other accidents are also horrible, in fact most spinal injuries in the United States are sustained in an SUV rollover. However, any crash involving a car has a greater probability to be survivable than a motorcycle crash. I am not an individual who is averse to risk. As a rock climber, I never climb too high without a rope because the consequence of a fall is too great. Even if the climb seems eminantly easy, I can't control the random bee that might sting me or the dust that might get in my eye. The margin of error in a motorcycle accident is similarily small, although I may be a seasoned and talented rider, if I screw up there is no rope to catch me. This article is not about the dangers of riding a motorcycle per se, but I feel compelled to comment. Calculated risk is what adds meaning to life; uncalculated risk can end life before it is fully lived.
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What happened to compromise?
I'm a motorcycle enthusiast who grew up around racing and eventually got my own streetbike. While it was dangerous and my father and a lot of his friends were hurt at some point, it was something they had a passion for and above all, enjoyed. Sometimes it's hard for people to understand why someone would spend so much time and money on something that yes, is dangerous, and for 99.9% of the racers out there, will never get any of their money back. Yet, if you were to talk to racers, they will probably admit to not understanding why say a marathon runner does what he does, but they definitely understand the passion involved in it.
I am very fortunate in that my girlfriend, even thought she lost her mother 5 months ago in a motorcycle accident, has never asked that I give it up. All she asks is that I'm careful. She knows how much it means to me and how much a part of my life motorcycling is and even though she's hesitant, she's told me it wouldn't be fair to keep me from something I love so much.
Whether it's directed at motorcycles, art, music, or even crocheting, drive, determination and passion are admirable qualities in anyone. she talks about how perfect he is in every way, yet basically condemns him because of his love of motorcycles is rather harsh. To ask him to change the qualities in him that make him who he is in my opinion is asking too much.
She tries to give the reader the impression that he's being selfish for doing something he loves so much, but maybe she needs to reassess her idea of what compromise is in an honest, giving relationship.
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Intolerance
Whoa. So much prejudice against people (bikers) who aren't doing anything to you at all.
My husband works in the motorcycle racing industry. As a result, I know lots of people--mechanics, team managers, riders, PR types, etc.--who have made an excellent life out of this sport. Do they get hurt? Sure they do. But a lot less often than you might think--on a track, the vast majority of them stand up after a crash and walk away. And the vast majority of those who do wind up injured usually spend a few hours in a hospital being evaluated, and then get sent home--just fine, thank you very much. Most of the rest go home with a cast and orders to stay off the bike for a few weeks, or (rarely) the rest of the season. *Very* occasionally, someone has a career-ending injury. And the last time I knew of a professional road racer dying was a brilliant young gentleman named Daijiro Kato back in early 2003. Tragic? Certainly. A common occurrence? Certainly not.
Riding on the road is a whole other issue, but that's not what we're talking about here. In fact, most pros don't ever ride on the road--it's too scary. Riding 150 mph on a purpose-built track is safer. Much safer. Tracks are built with runoff and air fences and cambers etc. to maximise the safety of who that race on them--club racers as well as professionals. In fact, these days, one of their major occupations is holding the tracks accountable for providing a safe environment for everyone to race on. Just read this if you don't think they take this stuff seriously:
http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=24740
"A married person who has a spouse and children that depend on him or her (emotionally, if not financially), should not risk his or her life for something that is not necessary. To do so is simply irresponsible and selfish."
The racers I know are some of the most devoted family men ever--Mat Mladin, Aaron Yates, and Neil Hodgson, to name a few. Do their wives worry? Sure they do, but no more than the spouses of firefighters or police officers or managers who have to commute an hour and a half on a busy, dangerous freeway every day. Racing bikes makes these men who they are. And to suggest that any of them are "irresponsible and selfish" is ludicrous. Spend some time with them, and maybe you'll lose some of those preconceived notions.
The article that spawned all this correspondence does nothing to help the unwarranted prejudice that the perfectly reasonable, unbelievably intelligent, rather kind and generous people in the motorcycle racing community are subjected to. Go to an AMA race next summer. Walk through the paddock and talk to them--most of the riders will be hanging out there, in full view of everyone, signing autographs and shooting the breeze with fans. Believe me, they'd love to tell you what it's all about. You'll likely be very pleasantly surprised.