Sheldon wrote:
>
> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> > In article >,
> > "Chris Marksberry" > wrote:
> >
> > > > I'd ride a bike to work in a heartbeat if my commute was not 25 miles by
> > > > freeway. :-(
> > > > --
> > > > Peace!
> > > > Om
> > >
> > > As much as I hate to I'd have to agree with Sheldon (seems kinda unnatural)
> > > on the motorcycle deal and people not wearing helmets. I have a step-son
> > > who's a Harley-Davidson enthusiast (and owns about 3 Harley's)and when the
> > > helmet law was repealed in Texas he promptly started riding without a
> > > helmet. Scares me and my husband and we talked with son to no avail...
> > > guess safety is less important to him and to have his hair flying the breeze
> > > is more important.
> > >
> > > When our boys were still at home (all 5 of them) we had a rule... if you
> > > want to ride a motorcycle you will have to live elsewhere!
> > >
> > > Chris
> >
> > When I said bike, I did not mean motorcycle...
> >
> > As above and in another post, my commute is either 25 or 30 miles
> > depending on the route I take. That varies depending on freeway
> > construction that has been going on now for about 5 years or so. :-P
> >
> > I meant bicycle.
>
> Commuting by bicycle on US highways is far more dangerous than riding a
> motorcycle. I used to ride a bicycle to work, 7 miles each way, I had
> to mostly ride the shoulders, which were not hospitable to bicycle
> tires, and motor traffic didn't even see me... even motorcyclists ran
> me off the paved part a few times.. motorcyclists are notorious for
> using the shoulders to pass slow moving traffic. Motorcyclists bitch
> about not being respected but the vast majority show no respect
> whatsoever... in fact they're far worse, zipping between cars/trucks to
> pass through when traffic slows, accelerating past traffic on on-ramps,
> buzzing through intersections in left turn lanes, purposely riding in
> blind spots, etc., etc., then they have the nerve to get ****ed when
> they're not seen. And fact is the vast, vast majority of bikers have
> no real riding skills, have never taken a motorcycle riding class, and
> only about 4% of bikers possess a motorcycle license and/or carry
> insurance. I used to ride a motorcycle, and legally, for about 8
> years, but I would never get on a motorcycle again.
>
> Sheldon

Last I heard the stats were somewhere around 50% of bikers properly
licensed and insured. Still pathetic, but a far cry from your 4%.

As for the behavior you noted, that is primarily confined to idiot kids
on crotch rockets, not more mature riders on "normal" bikes.

Pete C.