Benedictine Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Hi, I have not been biking long, motorbiking that is I have had a push bike for a while, but I have already come across a lot of negative reaction to motorbikes. Is this normal and how do people deal with it? For example people will comment quite freely 'oh you've got a motorbike have you? Death trap.' 'Death trap' seems to be a favourite phrase.... Or I hear comments like, 'oh you are on a bike, you will be under a lorry on your way home.' These are not family members or friends, just random people who stop and pass judgement?? It's not like I have asked for their opinion or anything. Bizarre. Totally bizarre. Like f, you. Do I walk past a chip shop and say to someone eating chips 'chips eh, you'll be dead with heart disease by the end of the month'? Or 'fishing eh? You'll wrap your pole on an electric cable and electrocute your brain from your skull'? It's not as if I am flying around bends at 100mph. I'm only tottering around at 25/30mph on a 125 and in terms of safety I am feeling more secure than I did on a push bike, now that I am used to the bike, much safer. I would be regularly cut up on a push bike on a weekly or near daily basis, on the motorbike I am feeling that I am 'accepted' as a genuine vehicle and not as a thing to be ignored or rammed. Anyway, of course it is not about me, it's about other people's prejudice. I just wondered if this sort of reaction and comment by total strangers was quite a common thing and how do you react if so? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 You'll get used to it mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Comments and my typical responses... >'oh you've got a motorbike have you? Death trap.' I'd rather die than survive crippled from a car crash... I'd only die because a cunt in a car can't take more than half a second to check for traffic (87% of bike crashes involving another vehicle occur when a car pulls out on a bike). Fuck off you cunt. >'oh you are on a bike, you will be under a lorry on your way home.' Oh, you're an opinionated cunt? Your throat will be under my boot in a minute. Fuck off you cunt. Fuck off you total cunt. Those that will listen, I'll educate kindly about the truth and shatter their misconceptions about how there are twats in every kind of vehicle, the difference between loony summer motorcyclists, Ped Boys and proper bikers, etc Those that don't get told where to go and, if I'm feeling kind, how fucking clueless they really are. I can be polite or rude as hell, generally responding in kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slice Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Don't take it to heart, they are all dickheads, ask them if they have ever riden a bike and usually the answer is "NO there dangerous" which usually means that they drive a car and think your a target! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dt502001 Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Opinions are like assholes everyons got `1 just ignore them who don't "get It' what ridin is all about and laugh at them when you pass the gas pump,or fill up for 1/10 of the cost. 1/2 as often.Every biker is a child/wife beater,law breaking thug don't you know. Youv'e just met the dickheads so far it seems,you will meet the ones who will stop you and say 'gee I rember how much fun my old bike was sure do miss it" As far as Death trap on a bike you have way more chance of avoiding a accident,then in a death cage,we can fit into small spaces that would not be open to cars thier by driving around the colision,better brakes to stop in less distance,better view to our suroundings. Just face the fact everytime you put on a helmet you have been sterio typed ,,bad by car drivers and good by felow bikers,ignor thoes who don't get it and will never enjoy the freedom,driving thier cars to a job they hate to pay for gas,drivin around trin to find a place to park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilninggas Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 you hear similar said to cyclists - i know the risks, i've had a few crashes (2 at more than 60mph), im still here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benedictine Posted March 20, 2013 Author Share Posted March 20, 2013 Oh so it is as common thing, I thought so really for some reason. Good replies as well. I have had a few positive comments or general questions too, I suppose that balances it up, I was just a little bemused by the commentary from strangers. For example the 'death trap' one was from this bloke in a pub who sat at my table as I was leaving. He also asked about the price of 'those things' meaning helmets... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DkD Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 To many people are quick to mis-judge only because they don't know. "We" fear what we don't know or don't understand - it's nature. Generally, it's a war zone out there with us all fighting for space. But there are some decent people out there who understand bikers and when they do do something courteous we appreciate it more. Don't let them get to you mate, part and parcel of being in the bikers club.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grouch Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 The most common question I get is "are you selling it?" Silly bastards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benedictine Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 Nice bike Grouch. The XT 125 has the same engine as the SR model, they share the same manual the bikes are that close. The look very different though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busyeddie Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Try green laning on legal byways. That always goes down splendidly with ramb-liars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Cynic Posted March 21, 2013 Moderator Share Posted March 21, 2013 I quite enjoy it tbh. There is a big part of me that really wants to fuck the establishment. Motorcycles are one of the best ways. It is a definite club too and once ypur in ypur in for life. Some folks wont have had a bike for years due to the usual cash drains. But those folk will still talk bike bollocks over a beer for hours. When i went to the isle of man no end of people at work thought i was nuts. "you could get killed " being a favourite. Is dieing fulfilling one of your life ambitions a bad thing. I went to the island and had a week i will never forget. They just sat there whining. Do your thing. They can be scared of the front door. Wont stop me although using tje tdr for the last couple of weeks has given me a couple of extra grey hairs..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grouch Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Nice bike Grouch. The XT 125 has the same engine as the SR model, they share the same manual the bikes are that close. The look very different though. The XT shares its engine with the YBR as well, great little engines just a bit slow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bippo Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Had a few raised eyebrows at most so far, but only been in the game since last August. Most people I speak with are intrigued to know why I want to ride, especially being a woman and all that jazz. If anything I received more negative comments when I got around as a pillion, oddly enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy xs Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 live & let live that's what I say, I just smile and say "I know yeah" and leave them with a confused look on their faces co's no matter what you say they won't understand and sometimes ignorance is bliss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wild foamy Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 some people ive met have been almost happy to see the bike (one old chap came to talk to me in tescos car park, about how he once had the same slogan "my other toy has tits" on his numberplate some 20 years ago). as a general rule, if someone wants to enter into an intellectual debate about bikes/v/cars e.t.c then i will reply in an intellectual manner, if they are being a dick about it, i tell them to eat shit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grouch Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Had a few raised eyebrows at most so far, but only been in the game since last August. Most people I speak with are intrigued to know why I want to ride, especially being a woman and all that jazz. If anything I received more negative comments when I got around as a pillion, oddly enough. Definitely with you being female I bet your always getting funny looks lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyingram Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Up here we don't get that reaction, most Shetlanders have ridden bikes at some time in their lives, Park up and some one will nearly always speak to you about bikes. We have lots of women in our club 3 with Hyabusas. When I go South into England I find the attitude changes the further I go. Just ignore the comments and enjoy your biking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledBacchus Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Ive only been back on the bike since early Jan' and conversely I have to say my experience with strangers has been really positive. Walking into many places has spawned spontaneous positive remarks/conversations with peeps. Its really made me feel like being part of some elitist secret club. Im lovin' it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j0hn Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Another phrase I've heard that you can add to the list is "Organ Donor". I don't usually get any negative comments about riding but if I did, I would thrive on it. The fact that they are openly admitting that riding can be dangerous and they would rather sit in a cage to get from A to B is more than satisfying. My response will always be along the lines of having balls to live my life on the edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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