Have you been asked these questions?

[Sicman]

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/five-things-not-to-say-to-a-motorbike-rider/story-fneuzlbd-1226835340812

[Biggles]

Thanks Tony.  A few good points there.
I was guilty as a parent of a newly car-licensed son of saying, "No motorbike- a car. I'll help you find and buy one. What do you like?"
Funnily enough, he had his heart set on an EH Holden (back in 1995) so we found one and I taught him the three gear column shift.
Eleven years later I bought a motorbike. 
He's never shown the slightest interest in m/cs since then. 
Maybe I'll grow out of them too.

[Sicman]

I get this all the time :-(
"Your a Paramedic / Firey - how can you ride a motorbike with the things you see?"
I respond
" Its so relaxing and relieves the stress from the things I see therefore keeping me sane"

[alans1100]

A few years ago I asked one of my next door neighbours if she would go for a ride around the block as she hadn't been on a bike before. No way, she didn't want to leave her kids motherless.

Two years ago they went to New Zealand and went on one of those jet boat rides, go figure.



 

[nealeray]

I also strongly believe that the things you see as a cop/firey/ambo etc, make you a more aware and cautious rider. If you've been taught to ride or drive defensively, all the better.

[Sicman]

Glad to see the ute today didnt get to check your insides out 

[nealeray]

Abe got a better look at him than I did. I pulled away from the lights and just noticed this tosser travelling rather close through the mirrors. Kept nice and cosy into Richmond then overtook on the inside still half in my lane. Pity I've changed jobs.

[Totgas]

I recon that I hear most of those comments daily. You either get motorbikes or you don't.     
A.

[ST2UP]

Last year we where sitting outside a coffee shop/cafe in Forbes NSW, bloke in a WB ute pulled up went in an ordered....came back sat on the bonnet of the ute, commented that we are mad riding a bike as "it's to blood dangerous" and push and motorbike riders are "just temporary Australians".


So Mr WB sits on his bonnet drinks a big bottle of coke, has 2 smokes, grabs his fish and chips with the oil soaking through the paper jumps in his ute with the canvas showing on the front left tyre, lights another smoke and roars off without his seatbelt and his unrestrained cattle dog pup on the back.


And we are the temporary Australians   

[Old Steve]

They missed,

"Is that a Harley?"

to any rider of a Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, BMW, Triumph, Victory ......

When someone tells me that it's dangerous to ride a motorbike, I answer that it sure is, but it's OK if you've got balls!  That's self promoting and yet denegrating to the questioner in the one sentence.

[Diesel]

That is a curiously true commentary by the author.

We don't drop to our knees and worship the person in front of us for arriving safely in the car - despite upwards of 1,000,000 road deaths worldwide each year.

Great find mate.

Cheers, Diesel

[saaz]

Most times I just get asked about how great it must be to be out on the bike.  Usually those who used to ride or have an old bike back in the shed, and just want to talk bikes. On the way back from the Border Run last year I had a lady talk to me about the trip she and here husband did back in the 70s on a small Honda, I think.  She seemed quite nostalgic, as they were stuck in a camper van of some sort - and I get the drift that she would have preferred to be on the bike.

[TAZZIEBAZ]

Most of us ride with the greatest of care, I have no doubt about that, some do foolish things and get away with it, others perish, like the rider and his pillion passenger  who were killed here in Perth, Tasmania, fairly recently, who were hit by a ute while riding an unlicensed bike at night, without helmets, and with no lights on the bike, with the rider holding a torch in his mouth! And then there are others who ride so carefully, yet are brought down by careless motorists.
I agree with the comment by Neale............that the things you see as a member of emergency services make you more aware of the dangers that we all know exist when riding a motorbike, and, as Totgas commented "you either get motorbikes or you don't"............I know I do!!

[BigTed]

I had to post this... as I was about to leave for work this morning on the ST, wifey says "be safe" - I look back at her with a grin (we were thinking the same thing) - she quotes our favourite TV show - The Big Bang Theory... "The Jiminy Conjecture" - season 3, episode 2...

Scene: The elevator shaft. Sheldon is inside looking for an annoyingly noisy cricket.

Raj: Be careful.

Sheldon: If I were not being careful, your telling me to be careful would not make me careful.

</chuckle>

[Biggles]

From my wife it's "Keep safe".
She's a bit of a worrier, but I appreciate the sentiment.  It might slow me down when I need to.

[TAZZIEBAZ]

Vicki always says the same thing to me, "stay safe".

From my wife it's "Keep safe".
She's a bit of a worrier, but I appreciate the sentiment.  It might slow me down when I need to.

[Old Steve]

My wife sats, "If you come off, you know I'm not going to visit you in hospital."

Probably has the same effect as those above, makes me ride just a little more carefully and aware.