08-22-2014, 06:54 AM
No, I can't say I am horrified. Growing up, my family moved around the world a fair bit, and so from an early age I ended up going to international schools. As a result, I had American friends from very early on. Later, as a teenager, I was really jealous of my American friends who could drive as early as 16 and even sometimes 14, while I had to wait until I turned 18. I just never really thought about what the situation was like for motorcycles in the US.
The thing is, I take motorcycle riding very seriously. We are extremely vulnerable and it is up to us, and only us, to do what we can to try and stay as safe as possible. I know the risks I take while riding, but to me everything I get out of riding makes the risks worth it. I know we all have to die some day, but I like to put the odds in my favour to the extent that I can. Requiring a certain level of testing before letting kids out on the roads in bikes probably helps a bit, but it is far from the solution. As a motorcycle rider we never stop learning, and because of that I have continued taking various riding courses since I got my license over 30 years ago.
I think I have a fair bit of experience by now, and according to some coaches I have had over the years I am not a bad rider. I am not a good racer because I am not aggressive, but I can stick with the fastest if I want to. I try to share this experience when I can, but unfortunately kids usually think they know everything. At the end of the day, we all have to get our own experience and unfortunately that will be a lethal experience for some.
The thing is, I take motorcycle riding very seriously. We are extremely vulnerable and it is up to us, and only us, to do what we can to try and stay as safe as possible. I know the risks I take while riding, but to me everything I get out of riding makes the risks worth it. I know we all have to die some day, but I like to put the odds in my favour to the extent that I can. Requiring a certain level of testing before letting kids out on the roads in bikes probably helps a bit, but it is far from the solution. As a motorcycle rider we never stop learning, and because of that I have continued taking various riding courses since I got my license over 30 years ago.
I think I have a fair bit of experience by now, and according to some coaches I have had over the years I am not a bad rider. I am not a good racer because I am not aggressive, but I can stick with the fastest if I want to. I try to share this experience when I can, but unfortunately kids usually think they know everything. At the end of the day, we all have to get our own experience and unfortunately that will be a lethal experience for some.