Motorcyclists get a bad rap.
They are often accused of being stupid, careless, reckless….
And for the most part, it isn’t true.
My husband rides a bike and he is one of the safest drivers I know – so safe in fact, that he took a defensive driving course while and in the Marines AND he took a motorcycle safety course a few years ago.
But…I won’t deny that there are jerks out there that ride their motorcycles like they’re invincible. I’m sure there are plenty of personal injury lawsuits in OK, NY, CA and the rest of the country to back that up.
I can’t deny that there aren’t guys (and girls) on crotch rockets, flying down the Turnpike at 150 miles per hour, weaving in between cars, using the shoulder to pass cars…
I have seen it firsthand, as I am sure that many of you have! Those few idiots ruin it for everyone else.
This morning my husband sent me a text of something he saw…
I was irritated…but not surprised.
What’s that in this guy’s hand that has him not even looking at the road or having either hands on the handle bars?
HIS CELL PHONE.
Really?
There are so many things wrong with this that I can’t even begin with a coherent thought…of course, I will try anyway.
- No phone call/text message/tweet/facebook status/email is that important. Just effing wait.
- Those purple lights clash with his uniform.
- Really? You can’t at least hold onto the handle bar with one hand? You need both hands to hold your cell phone? Oh, that’s right, it’s windy on your motorcycle, so you need to hold onto the cell phone with both hands while you text and drive.
The biggest thing that bothers me about this incident is that this is a man in uniform. He’s a solider.
This is a man that most likely, has seen warfare, or will in his near future.
What do you all think he is going to do when he’s in the middle of combat, side by side with his fellow soldiers, and he gets a text?
That is what bothers me the most.
Tammy says
June 5, 2012 at 12:26 pmThat is so scary!
Donna says
June 5, 2012 at 12:52 pmNuts! I get frustrated with bikers that don’t wear helmets, but this guy takes the cake!
cmcl says
June 5, 2012 at 12:57 pmThat’s the worst part of the photo for me, too. This is a serviceman. A defender of our country, who is flagrantly disregarding both the law and common sense. Oh man.
It really is the jerks who ruin it for the rest. I try to be aware of motorcyclists, but so many times it seems like the ones who have the loudest mouths about how cars need to watch out for bikes are the ones who are driving the most dangerously!
Colleen says
June 5, 2012 at 1:16 pmYikes! That is ridiculous!
Anne - Mommy Has to Work says
June 5, 2012 at 1:42 pmWow! I hate it when they ride inbetween cars. Drives me nuts!
Jenn says
June 5, 2012 at 2:08 pm*cringe* and in uniform too.
Erika says
June 5, 2012 at 2:56 pmOh this really bothers me. Plus, I’m always so careful around motorcycles, and it’s not fair if they aren’t looking out for themselves, too.
Robin says
June 5, 2012 at 3:26 pmOMG are you fricken kidding me? That’s just plain stupid.
HilLesha says
June 5, 2012 at 3:32 pmMy goodness, but I’m sorry to say this…..what an idiot!
Crystal says
June 5, 2012 at 6:18 pmUm, that is horrible. There is absolutely no excuse for his behavior.
Steve says
June 5, 2012 at 7:42 pmTerrifying! One of my biggest fears is hitting a biker and this guy isn’t helping!
Notorious Spinks says
June 5, 2012 at 10:48 pmSpeechless!
Apryl says
June 5, 2012 at 11:27 pmHe is nuts!
Crystal says
June 6, 2012 at 12:02 amI didn’t even know you could ride a motorcycle without a hand on there to keep it steady. That’s just crazy!
nicole says
June 6, 2012 at 6:31 amRIDICULOUS! Not to mention that on ALL bases worldwide texting while driving is illegal.
Alison says
June 6, 2012 at 1:09 pmWe’ll be seeing him in the news because he caused an accident and killed himself and other people. I can’t believe it.
Mike says
June 6, 2012 at 2:47 pmI ride. I understand why you are upset. I don’t drink and ride, my phone is always in the saddlebag, and I don’t listen to an iPod or whatever else. I don’t like the distractions. I have ridden for more than 35 years, I am always a bit scared and the ride itself is enough of a charge to keep my attention. He is nuts for what he is doing.
That said, don’t be too harsh. He is a warrior and we need to remember what he has seen and what he has been through. He is probably too fearless at this point. Maybe he just doesn’t care what happens now that he is back in the world. I think many warriors come back and do some really crazy things. There is a time for them to adjust and it could very well take many years.
Toni says
June 7, 2012 at 6:13 amThat is not okay in the least. He is not only endangering himself but everyone around him.
Henrietta says
June 7, 2012 at 11:08 amThis really irritates me. My husband rides (and I ride on the back occasionally), he has also taken the safety course and is a safe driver. It’s people like this that get other people senselessly killed. I don’t care if he’s a soldier who has or hasn’t seen war, a doctor, a teacher, whoever — the fact is, he is endangering everyone around him without a care in the world and it’s bullcrap.