darxus: (SV @ LP '05)
darxus ([personal profile] darxus) wrote2006-02-02 11:21 am
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"start seeing motorcycles" stuff

http://ruiner.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/howclose.mpg (3.2mB, from http://community.livejournal.com/motorcycles/1370305.html)

I would appreciate you watching this short video. I met at least one person who is now dead because someone failed to see him while he was riding, with no excuse.

I have this kind of problem on a regular basis. If I didn't regularly expect people to be this stupid I would... not be so healthy.
One of the people actually said to me afterward, when I pulled up to them, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you!" Those words... piss me off.
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[identity profile] ex-absurdmin176.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 04:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Welcome to the world. This has been a universal constant. The choice to ride is yours, but you do so knowing that this sort of thing is likely to happen to you. This sort of video is one of the reasons I still haven't bought another bike. Its just not worth it around here. Too many people on cell phones, drinking coffee or doing their makeup. I have enough problems with people not seeing my jeep....

I'm not justifying it, but your choice in recreation puts you at added risk of injury. Its not much different from skydiving, skiing or scuba diving really. Speaking of diving... I'm so looking forward to my trip to jamaica..... I'll let ya know if I see any sharks. :)

Hell, we have an underwater camera. I'll try to get pictures.

[identity profile] benndragon.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 05:28 pm (UTC)(link)
So, do you not ever cross the stret either, since a pedestrian is even more vulnerable to drivers who can't be arsed to look for things that aren't larger than they are than a biker is?

[identity profile] ex-absurdmin176.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 06:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Not only that, I've built a moat and purchased alligators. I'm still waiting on the vats for the boiling oil to be delivered.

Your argument is a straw man, and a fairly sophomoric one at that.

Do I cross the street on highways where people aren't expecting pedestrian sized things? No.
Am I careful when crossing a busy street? Yes.
Do I expect cars to see me and slow down? No.
Would I like it if people put down their cell phones, coffee, whatever and started paying more attention? Absolutely. Its just not likely to happen.

Why must you attack someone who doesn't share your opinion? The fact of the matter is that you will never change the world to suit your preferences. Knowing this, I made the decision that the risk in the heavily trafficked area I currently live in isn't worth it.

If I ever move back to the country, maybe I'll start riding again. But here, riding in rush hour sucks. Even at night its still fairly far from relaxing.

The moral turpitude of something has no bearing on its continued existence. Ask the women in afghanistan about it. Trying to live in opposition to reality is just asking for problems.

Perhaps a more appropriate analogy would be swimming with whales. Sure, you should be fine, but if you get bumped you're going to get hurt.

For all the ire and righteous indignation that gets expressed about this, what about the bikers that blow by stopped traffic on the shoulder? What about the idiots with no helmets racing, passing cars by riding between the lanes? How bout the ones that like to tailgate? For every stupid car driver, I've seen just as many kids on rice rockets doing some phenomenally stupid things. Things that weren't even remotely reasonable, legal things to do. Bad drivers are bad drivers. It doesn't matter what they're operating. In a high enough population density, you're all but guaranteed to tangle with one on the road.

By all means, continue to drive what you drive. Be aware, be careful and be lucky.

[identity profile] benndragon.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 06:53 pm (UTC)(link)
When I ride, I don't expect to be seen - I assume I won't be. But just because I assume inattention doesn't mean my risk won't be reduced if someone occationally reminds people, "Hey, pay attention." Will people forget or ignore the message? Oh hell yes. But if one less accident happens because someone remembered or decided to look twice, then it's worth having someone say, "Hey, pay attention." Sometimes the life that's saved by paying attention is your own (just ask the woman who "didn't see" the dump truck).

I think you're trying to assuage some sort of guilt, either about no longer riding or about accidents that occur due to inattention. Please, for the love of $diety, don't do so in a manner that increases everyone's risk by indicating that drivers are excused from needing to pay attention. We are not perfect, but that doesn't excuse us from striving to be better.

[identity profile] ex-absurdmin176.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 07:16 pm (UTC)(link)
No no, I'm not assuaging anything. People should be held responsible for their actions and their choices.

What I said was that I accepted the inevitibility of me colliding with something possessed of more mass than myself. Based on that, I've choosen a different mode of transportation. I found this choice easier than trying to change my environment to suit my preferences.

I think what made me annoyed was the attitude that only people driving cars do stupid things.
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