^^ That's a great story lol
I never mess with bikes, i always just move over or stay away.
Haha.
There are three attitudes I encounter.
1 is fear, since it's a cruiser. This is rare but now and then you'll see a little old lady clutch a purse or someone reallly try to avoid you. If it's got a lot of chrome and wide handlebars, you must be a hells angel. Must be an age thing. My wifes Mom is still to this day scared to death that everyone is going to think her daughter (my wife, who also owns a motorcycle) is going to be mistaken for some motorcycle gangster. Not sure if it's her shiny red Honda, the angel graphics on her full face helmet or the pink stitching in her riding jacket, but I guess something in there freaks her out! But I've had some folks tell me that in the 60's, the only people who rode motorcycles were outlaws. I call bull on that one, 110%, but as far as they are concerned it's STILL that way because they have a fear-induced pre-conceived notion. Belief doesn't create fact, so believing everyone on a motorcycle is an outlaw doesn't make it true; but the funny thing is, if you believe it long enough, it'll begin to change your memories! (For the record, in the 60's and 70's, motorcycle sales were through the roof, but Harley-Davidson, the brand outlaws ride, was struggling big time, especially in the 1980's. The 'outlaw bikers' in fact, are proud to call themselves the "1%", as in, 1% of motorcyclists, due to an AMA statement in the 70's that 99% of motorcyclists are law abiding citizens).
2 is respect, they know that I have less protection than them and they will stay a little farther bike, or avoid me altogether. That's well appreciated.
3 though, is becoming more and more common, and that's wanton ignorance. I've actually heard people tell me that they are intentionally less cautious around motorcycles because they are so dangerous that "You don't care about your safety anyway so why should I". Motorcycles ARE more dangerous. Period. But most motorcyclists care a great deal about their safety. How many car drivers spend hundreds of dollars to go above-and-beyond their drivers licenses to take classes on how to be safer? Get magazines about safety, buy EXTRA safety equipment for their vehicles, or join entire multi-national organizations dedicate to safety and education? These are all big industries in the motorcycling world. Very slim in the 4-wheel cage world (outside of where it's professionally required, or those who race).
BUT, they assume since we don't care, they shouldn't care. Ride our butts, pull out in front of us, even try and use size to bully us out of their way. And you've gotta let them. Just let them pass. Not worth it. If you're on a motorcycle and trying to jockey for position and get there as quick as possible, you're doing it wrong. I tell people all the time that my commute is about 18 miles by car, and 40 or 50 by bike!
I still love it though! Dealing with people is part of it but usually not a big part of it. I spend most of my time on twisty roads away from traffic and cities. Would much rather ride 100 miles on back roads to some hole-in-the-wall, middle-of-nowhere barbecue joint than fight traffic to go to some crowded hot-spot in the city.
