[Zig Zag]

Originally Posted by Smoke 'em

I agree with some of the others, don't get it to just get girls. There is much more to riding a bike then just hoping on it and going. As far as taking a course, you have to take the safety course before you even get your license unless part of your bad boy image is driving without one. Lol, jk. Anyway, that is sort of like driver's ed for bikes, just some basic stuff. They offer other courses after that where you get more into really learning how to ride and they make you use your bike for those instead of one they have for you like in the safety class.
Then there is having to deal with the idiots on the road that have no respect for people on motorcycles now a days. I don't care if I offend anyone with what I am about to say so save it and if you are offended then go somewhere else. The reason people don't respect a lot of bikers, namely the ones on sport bikes, is because of the idiots that are driving in between the cars when traffic is backed up or the ones that are weaving in and out of traffic crossing 2 or 3 lanes at one time and cutting people off or riding their asses. Bikes heat up faster than cars so they have to keep moving in traffic but for every 3 that I see go between me and another car, 2 or them are wobbly and almost loose control. I have seen a number of times when they did that and scratched or hit the side of the car and kept going. By the way, that is not legal in Texas not sure about RI. I would always just sit in traffic with everyone else. If it was bad I would just turn my bike off and walk it the couple of feet we moved evey 10 min. I didn't act like an idiot and tried to be as safe as possible everytime I got on my bike.
Then you have the people on cell phones. This is what caused my accident from what I was told. I have been riding bikes of all kinds for about 25 years. Started when I was a kid. So one day I am on my way to work on a beautiful morning. I haven't even gotten on the freeway yet. Just about 3 miles from my house my life was changed forever. All I know is what the police report said " I was running late and I was on my phone, needed to change lanes because I realized I was about to miss my turn, I hear a loud clunk then see a guy laying in the road a few feet away from a motorcycle, I didn't see him". How do you not see a yellow bike, bright yellow helmet and jacket? You just weren't paying attention at all. I have no clue what happened at all. The only things I really remeber is being in the middle of the road, seeing my bike down with one of my boots standing right beside it, calling my wife, a guy putting my gremlin bell beside me, and the ambulance showing up. I remember trying to move out of the road but part of my leg was going one way while the rest of my body was going the other way. The worst thing I remember is my wife screaming and crying in terror when she got there with the kids all crying too. I always wore my helmet and my jacket. They said when everyone got to the scene I did not have my helmet on but could tell I was wearing it. I don't know if someone took it off or if it came off in the accident because apparently I kept passing out. It was fitted properly so I know that was not the issue. First the doctors said I might not make it. After I made it they said I would be paralyzed. After I was able to move everything the next day they said I was lucky. I told them no, I have just been blessed. I had surgery the day I was admitted to the hospital to repair an open femur fracture. The bone broke and went through the back of my leg. They put a rod and pins from my hip down to my knee. I had multiple other fractures in various parts of my body. I had a C1 and C4 fracture in my neck which was just mm away from ending everything. This was in June of last year. I still cannot go back to work yet and probably won't be able to until around the 1st of the year. I just had to have knee surgery in April and I am just starting to be able to bend my leg and walk ok without crutches but I have to use a cane. That was the short version of the injuries. I am not trying to scare you because many people ride bikes and never have an issue. Sometimes you just end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just be careful and do it for the right reasons. There is such an awsome feeling that you get when you are out on the open road and those that don't ride usually don't understand when you try to describe that feeling. Sorry for being so lengthy but I just wanted you to understand the other side of that coin. Be safe and have fun.

I have 35 years on the street.
Smoke 'em's post is spot on.
Don't get yourself in a jam trying to chase tail.