October 12, 2003
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In June, I lost a dear friend of mine. He was on his Harley, trying to catch up to another rider & an older man was making a left turn, and they collided. His death surprised me in how much it affected me. Ever since the accident, I see bikers not riding safely & drivers not being careful around bikers. In Keith Doug's honor, I write the following:
To all drivers: Do us all a favor & get the fuck off the asses of motorcyclists. People do not know how to drive around bikes & it is scary as hell to be on the receiving end of that. Imagine, if you will, that a leather jacket is the only protection you have from EVERYTHING, and someone with 2,000 pounds of metal protection is right on top of you. That is what it's like when you tailgate a biker. We did nothing to you, so leave us the hell alone. You don't need to understand why we ride, everyone has their own reason. Just because it's not something YOU enjoy or understand, doesn't mean you can put the other person's life in jeopardy.
By the same token, bikers, please don't ride like jack asses. Those of you riding in between lanes, weaving in & out of traffic, tailgating yourselves are the reason bikers get a bad rap. We ride because we enjoy it, not to be assanine. And PLEASE, wear your gear. Keith Doug died because he wasn't wearing any gear & he was speeding. Half shells, tee-shirts, shorts, sneakers....NONE of that gives you any kind of protection. Even the heaviest jeans will shread like paper against the road. Leather isn't a cure all, you can still get pretty badly hurt, but it's better than a thin cotton tee-shirt. Riding responsibly is just as important. As much fun as bikes are, you HAVE to be in control, mature, alert and safe. Enjoy your ride now and for years to come.
PLEASE be careful out there. We've lost a lot of good riders over the years, let's try to keep that to as much of a minimum as possible. It's not easy being on either side of an accident like this, but if we all act rationally, we can enjoy our cars & motorcycles in peace.
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