Would you Recommend Family Members And Friends Not To Drive A Motorcycle; 7 Dead After Motorcycle Crash

[GER308]

It's a personal choice, I would not recomend nor discourage anyone including my daughter.
If the seven people were sitting in a passenger van it may just as well have ended the same.

I ride daily, go for weekend rides and the occasional longer trip. I have been riding for 40 years with some breaks.
I ride pretty mellow, wasn't always the case.

I have been living in Germany for 19 years now and I find riding much easier and relaxing here than in San Diego where I'm from. Two weeks ago I went on a 3 day ride through the Eifel/Ardennes Luxembourg, Belgium and France and it was amazing, fantastic roads through the countyside very little traffic...

Dreaming of a trip to northern Sweden at the momment, maybe next summer. Maybe a winter trip down through Italy?

[Vf6cruiser]

Bikes have a bad rep here at C-D I see. In spite of it all I feel as safe on a bike here in California as I do in a car......and bikes have the beauty of the white line. While cars are stalled and overheating I'm whizzing thru at 30-40mph singing a happy tune.
My first ride in 1962 I'm now 72 and still going after 50+ years. Bikes and planes kill the young and inexperienced. Some of biking is counter intuitive. Have never had a car pull out in front of me yet......but it doesn't matter because my hand is on the brake and I'm going slow enough to evade, also have a laser focus on front wheels and person behind wheel. So you go slow around town. Freeways are different.....if you want suicide you ride a bike 60mph on SoCal freeways. CHP bike cops commonly run 80-110mph thru traffic and you want to do basically the same. They spend zero time in anybodies blind spot. You don't follow closely behind cars, 4 wheels brake harder than you do, and cars and truck kick flotsam off the freeway up at you. A big board or tire strip will ruin your day. I don't follow EVER pick ups with carpet rolls, cement mixers being towed, anything with dual wheels......I will do whatever speed it takes to get around any of these hazards. So speed doesn't kill but being stupid certainly does. On slow speed motorcycles there was an article a few years ago where a daughter proudly proclaimed her dad rode his Harley to work every morning at 3:30am very safely as he NEVER went over 55mph!. I knew how that ended immediately.......he met his demise in the radiator of a Honda Civic driven by a wild eyed punk kid doing 90mph.

It's too bad that all states don't allow bikes on the white line......it is actually safer than hanging off the back end of traffic waiting to get smashed by some texting soccer mom.

People in cars never see the advantages of bikes which are generally taller. I can see usually a quarter mile ahead in traffic looking over cars, big advantage. In contrast to most on C-D I can't imagine a life without bikes, they have been unending fun for decades for me.......now if you have a lot of snow the equation doesn't work.........

[Blondebaerde]

Originally Posted by TheGoodTheBadTheUgly

Years ago I used to drive a motorcycle but with all the crazies out there “No way Would I Drive A Motorcycle Today”

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/24/u...-randolph.html

I find the statement, "Would you recommend family / friends not to drive a motorcycle" in response to a specific incident...(less than helpful)

Friend of mine's brother was one of four survivors of nine bicyclists run over in Kalamazoo, MI the other years. I believe five died, four lived. The brother is a bit messed up but got on with his life. Like I'd do better, with a serious head injury, too? He still rides bicycles, in fact as much or more than before. I do admire his courage. The person who plowed down all nine was some sort of maniac, it really doesn't matter now does it? I don't see anyone advocating "maniacs stop driving" (I jest...though how to test for that, good luck!)

I recall one nodding acquaintance killed on the road, he was a higher mileage sort of dude on his pretty yellow Ducati. 'Round the turn he comes and there's a dump truck perpendicular to road, for whatever reason, and whammo. He was 30. He was a good rider, it just happened. Didn't stop me attending track days (lots) or putting in street miles (lots more). I'm simply less interested these days because my sports cars fulfill the need at least as well (Porsche 911s (former) and Shelby GT350R (current)).

All riders may wish to pause and consider the consequences of riding, for the occasional/odd maniac to come by and run down nine of them, but that has little bearing on whether I'd recommend riding or not. That's an individual choice. Ensure Will is always up to date, and medical insurance. End of story.