Start watching out for Motorcycles.
It is the first good weekend of riding weather here in Chicago....
and I already have one close friend and two aquaintances in hospitals.
All three accidents were the cause of automobile drivers texting, running a stop sign and generally just NOT paying attention.

Please.......Please......watch for us......
WE have a right to use the roads too!!!!!

Thanks!!!!!

Good luck with that. One too many near death/severe injuries has killed my motorcycle riding enjoyment for the last 35 years...but lately been getting a hankering to buy a new hog.

Sorry to hear this.I am very carefull!

a good message to put out. keep your eyes open and stay focused on driving. lives are at stake.

Here in the UK also.

I believe every new driver should have to learn to ride a motorcycle first.

I used to ride a motorcycle but after a long break from being on a motorbike, lost my confidence. Maybe I will take it up in the future. Still have my leathers though.

ALWAYS, ALWAYS THINK BIKE!!!

One of my closest friends is in the hospital waiting hip surgery.
The young woman in the car.....who slammed on her brakes at 35 to 40 mph in the left lane of a 4 lane road, admitted to the police that she was texting and dropped her phone on the floor mid text. sooooooooooooo..........
she stopped in traffic to retrieve her phone.
His bike is totalled but due to his experience he was able to ride it out and lay it down properly. Inpact and friction seperated his hip from its socket.
He will be ok......but.........

HONESTLY!!!!!!

She got a ticket.....and will pay considerably more for insurance if she can get it.
Not quite what I consider a fair nor Just trade off!!!

DITTO!

Sorry to hear. I just purchase a blue tooth for my phone for my car. I see so much texting as I'm driving my school bus....it's just nuts.

Sorry to hear that man. I always try to be careful of them. This is why I stick to dirt bikes......

i know how you feel dude a buddy of mine few years back lost his kidney and 1 eye due to some nut hit him while he was riding his Motorcycle but hope your buddys get better my friend cheers

You ain't gonna like what I am gonna say Brother Ghost....

Stop riding.....

I have had 7 bikes man. I love riding and just groovying on it man. The wind, the speed, the power to get the fk up and GO!!!!

I know what it is like to ride bro.

It is those blood chilling incedents that are within inches of death...that made me reconsider. After the third one....I quit.

I gave up bikes....cause honestly.....I dont trust people in the lane next to me.....so I play it safer but, the trade off is it is less sexy than a motorcycle.

So....I split the difference....and just drive a convertible....I am good with taking the panzie way out.....

Let's hope the bikers watch out for everyone else, too, rather than weaving in and out of traffic at high speeds, thinking nothing will happen.

I understand Krupa....

for me it's in my blood.
I make half my living wrenchin on bikes....
and in "The Wind" is as close as I can feel to "Whatever" made me.
It is my way of Life.
But I am smarter than the average biker.
I don't ride the interstates. I avoid traffic.
Ain't nuttin good to see in traffic.
I hit the country.......two lane roads.....where I can ride in relative peace.
I still have to watch out for Morons...just not as many.
I make the other half of my living in a Semi....
and I daily see the lack of intelligence in the motoring public.
6 out of every 7 cars passing me are texting......
4 0f 6 are holding the phone to their ear......
3 of 7 are reading something.......
and I wont even talk about truckers.......
I see them doing just as much stupid Chit at the wheel as car drivers!!!!

Crotch Rockets and those who ride them like Idiots should be banned from the road.
Most States have just passed Legislation to confiscate licenses and bikes from anyone operating a motorcycle reclessly...on one wheel or weaving lane to lane in traffic.
I commend lawmakers on This one!!!!!

Trust me bro..got no reason to lie...

My family has produced custom show bikes since I can remember.


My brother Buddy Lee (his actual name) was the mechanical intellect and my Dad taught us custom paint and sculpting, and fighting, and love...and to try to be a good man.

My famly as a trophie room you would like...I bet my virginty on it.

Driving defensively here is good advice. With watch out for everything and everybody isn't really being paranoid here. Whether its a school bus or dump truck trying to maneuver roads made for horse driven carriages some roads really need to be widened when you are in the country. Here we have to be aware of people who like to collect road signs as we do chickens crossing the road or dog who like to lay in the middle of the road. Four wheelers are more prevalent here. And please watch out for turtles crossing the road.

Okay, bikers. I'll take extra care.

I solemnly swear to not force any motorbiker or bunch of motorbikers travelling together off the road with my bicycle.

I solemnly swear to give enough room to each and every Harvey Davidson Motorcycle and each and every packet of Hells Angels roaring down the road, and not block three lanes with my bicycle.

I also solemnly swear to not flash my headlight at night, drive without high beams, and use no excessive noise with my bicycle horn.


There. You got from me what you wanted.

But one snide word, bikers, and I will push you off the road, intimidate you, cut you off, and chase you into the ditch with my bicycle. No matter how few or how many of your lives I shall be endangering at a time. Even if just one single pregnant mother flips me the bird, she and her fetus will be begging me for mercy to leave them alone.

You're fighting a losing battle man.

Commuting on the freeway I've seen people doing everything from putting on their make-up to eating a bowl of cereal while driving with their knee. It's nuts out there.

I didn't think I would ever say this but I gave up my motorcycle today... After 4 surgerys on my legs and foot, don't have the confidence to ride anymore.. I gave my bike to my son and he is trading it in on a "Fatboy".. I know I'll miss it but I'd rather be alive and able to walk...We've already had several motorcycle accidents here and one fatality...too scary..

Hey OP Thanks for the great post. Hopefully it will spare some innocents suffering.

As someone who used to love to ride it was really hard for me to make the decision to get off the road but I did it years ago and it is hugely worse now days.

Be nice if there were more designated only motercycle roads or at least lanes but with the injuries I have seen it just is not how I want to go out.

The deal with driving and phone use makes me cringe for sure. It is hard but I do my best to hang up on anyone talking on one when I realize they are driving. Makes my son mad but I figure if I save his life my Grandkids will be grateful.

I wish cars had signal scramblers so it was impossible to be moving and call. Considering what it is costing us in dollars and lives I can't understand how it has not become law. Witht eh insurance pay outs maybe they will require it for coverage. We can only hope.

I think eventually it is going to get so expensive to drive they will have to improve mass transit maybe that will solve some of the problems.