eastbaydave
Needs a job
Posts: 2245
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posted October 27, 2005 08:47 AM
Biker rudeness newspaper article
http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_3149393
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THE Grump isnt scared of Dennis Hopper. Theres no way Peter Fonda gives me grumpbumps. And Jack Nicholson, he can take that rakish sneer off his face and try it on someone else. Doesnt frighten me one bit.
In fact, Im calling all three of them out right now. Easy Rider, my eye. The motorcycle life is far more dangerous these days.
But not for motorcyclists, who have an easier ride on Americas highways than ever before. The dangerous part involves automobile drivers who have to deal with these obnoxiously aggressive motorcyclists.
Hopper, Fonda and Nicholson likely havent ridden Harleys together since their counter-culture cult movie. And the Grump isnt asking them to dust off their motorcycle jackets and wash their old bandanas.
They just need to get in their expensive automobiles, venture out on the freeway and focus on the new kings of the road the bikers.
In the last few years, bikers have assumed authority of Americas highways with the ultimate rudeness. Speaking as a Californian, these brasher-than-ever bikers have me flat-out petrified.
Im not kidding. My nerves have turned into grump jelly over the modern-day biker, who is taking huge risks without any sign of fear.
And there is no preparation, really, for the brand of fear they create. Thats because they strike almost without warning. An automobile driver must be on his or her toes, even though their toes already are pushing against the accelerator and the brake.
But a drivers mental antenna has to be as acute as the cars antenna because a biker, or bikers, may be bearing down on them fast and whizzing by even faster.
Even The Wild One, Marlon Brando, looked like a moped rider next to todays bikers, who no longer are content to stay in the freeway lanes like the rest of us. They now feel the white line is their bike lane.
Their message to nonbikers is: Get out of our way, sedan scum and SUV slobs.
The modern-day highwaymen are bikers who ambush automobile drivers only because there are no more stagecoaches. There is no money being handed over, but these highwaymen rob us of our senses.
Take the Grump, which my wife would like someone to do, because shes tired of making me peanut butter and banana sandwiches for dinner every night while I watch Gilligans Island re-runs. Can I help it if I think Bob Denver can out-act Brando?
Anyway, the Grump and the Grumpess were out driving recently, with me behind the wheel, mindlessly listening to the great Nat King Cole singing Unforgettable mercifully, without his daughter when our Dodge Stingray happened to veer slightly to the right.
Suddenly, we heard a thump, thump, thump on the cars right side. Practically scared us out of our Hush Puppies.
Then three guys on motorcycles passed us, revving their bikes as they did. The lead rider even gave us the old highway salute as they rode off.
Brazen? You bet. But what is an automobile driver to do other than pay constant attention?
Staying alert at all times is a priority on freeways. Yet who is conditioned for the white-line bikers (no pun intended)?
The Grump has been informed that if bikers are forced to idle in heavy traffic, their bikes motors would be damaged. All right, but that doesnt mean we have to accept this intrusion, and invasion, of normal freeway traffic patterns without offering some solution.
Californias roads were re-designed to accommodate bicycle riders, right? So lets reconfigure our states highways to accommodate bikers. The far right lane would work out just peachy.
That way, we can all be easy riders.
Grumbling messages can be left at (510) 208-6436 or write to The Grump at PO Box 28884, Oakland, CA 94604. You can e-mail miffed missives to grump@angnewspapers.com.
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Enjoy the ride!
02' ZRX1200
00' ZX12R sold
  
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eastbaydave
Needs a job
Posts: 2245
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posted October 27, 2005 08:48 AM
One of many typical responses I saw on local rider website to "The Grump" editorial in The Daily Review local Oakland, CA newspaper. I strongly suggest we start an e-mail flood to this bozo who needs straightening out.
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Thread: http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/f...threadid=140974
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From: Osborne, Brice
Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 1:50 PM
To: 'grump@angnewspapers.com'
Subject: Motorcyclists and rudeness article
To whom it may concern,
As a motorcyclist and a gentleman, I'll choose not to focus the bulk of my response on my disappointment, confusion- and dare I say, anger- and the ignorance and, frankly, stupidity of this article. Rather, I'll just point out a couple of things to the author.
First and foremost, did the author ever stop to think about how scared those on motorcycles are? I commute on a motorcycle and I lost count after a couple days of commuting of how many errant drivers almost caused an accident because "they couldn't see me" - when in reality they did not even care to look as they made reckless maneuvers with their cars. Second (and this should really be first), the author is suggesting that it is acceptable to drive down the road and be unaware of one's surroundings and it is bad that this level of awareness is heightened due to motorcycles. That is downright crazy. I'll not even get into the utter lack of common sense in not accepting the practicality of a motorcycle for fuel and traffic purposes.
The author should also be advised that it is legal for motorcyclists to share lanes with cars in California. This is not due to a lack of a law forbidding it, but in fact is made explicitly legal.
Cars and motorcycles alike have every right to the road, and both should be very aware of each other's existence. There are those that ride motorcycles that exhibit poor driving behavior, just as there are car drivers who behave poorly. The level of ignorance the author demonstrated by not having the mental capacity to differentiate between the two is mind boggling.
However, the one thing above all that I would like the author to remember is that motorcycles don't have a "cage" to protect them, only their mind and what riding gear they wear. The author should keep that in mind the next time a motorcycle forces him to be more aware of his surroundings.
Regards,
Brice Osborne
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Enjoy the ride!
02' ZRX1200
00' ZX12R sold
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fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21894
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posted October 27, 2005 08:56 AM
wow... I'd respond, but the "article" just feels like a post on a website fishing for responses.... Did Dirtypete get job or something? 
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What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
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beansbaxter
Needs a life
Posts: 5911
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posted October 27, 2005 02:55 PM
hey did the guy respond back to that reader's email??
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frEEk
Administrator
ummm... yeah
Posts: 9660
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posted October 27, 2005 04:43 PM
Brice Osborne put it very well IMO. unfortunately the Grump's mailboxes are liekly to be stuffed chock full of oneli e responses like "jack ass" and "fuck off and die" which do nothing but strengthen the author's position.
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NinjaNick
Needs a job
'08 ZX14 (Blue)
Posts: 4558
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posted October 28, 2005 07:01 AM
GAWD!
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THEMADKAW
Expert Class
Posts: 211
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posted October 30, 2005 07:26 AM
I sent the moron a line!
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THEMADKAW
Expert Class
Posts: 211
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posted October 30, 2005 07:28 AM
And I didn't call the idiot any names either! or did I? Damn I just did!
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tinhead
Expert Class
Posts: 203
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posted November 04, 2005 04:19 PM
 I think the best solution to that columnist's griping would be to mandate a new warning sticker inside cages, three inch high black letters on a 5 inch high bright yellow strip across the dashboard.
 STAY OUT OF THE WAY ASSHOLE!!
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