I don’t know if you’ve been e-mailed this little melodrama, but you’d be one of very few if you hadn’t. The first time I read it, after that I just deleted it… and then I got it from a friend whom I consider to be an intelligent and thoughtful person, and I thought it was time that I passed on my feelings about it.
It starts:
I saw you, hug your purse closer to you in the grocery store line.
But, you didn't see me, put an extra $10.00 in the collection plate last Sunday.
I saw you, pull your child closer when we passed each other on the sidewalk.
But, you didn't see me, playing Santa at the local mall.
I saw you, change your mind about going into the restaurant.
But, you didn't see me, attending a meeting to raise more money for the hurricane relief.
I saw you, roll up your window and shake your head when I rode by.
But, you didn't see me, riding behind you when you flicked your cigarette butt out the car window.
I saw you, frown at me when I smiled at your children.
But, you didn't see me, when I took time off from work to run toys to the homeless.
I saw you, stare at my long hair.
But, you didn't see me, and my friends cut ten inches off for Locks of Love.
I saw you, roll your eyes at our leather jackets and gloves.
But, you didn't see me, and my brothers donate our old ones to those that had none…
And so on.
Until the protagonist is run off the road by the car driver who ‘didn’t see him’.
This is what’s called 'victim think'. What's worse, it's self-righteous American victim think.
Have you ever seen anyone hug their purse closer in the 'grocery store' (hello?) line when a ‘biker’ was anywhere near them, even on the ‘sidewalk’? Or stare at long hair? (And what's 'Locks for Love'?)
And so on.
Motorcyclists - even 'bikies' or, in American, ‘the biker community’ - are not regarded as some kind of underclass in Australia. If they were, dentists and lawyers wouldn’t spend weekends dressing up like that. Let's not perpetuate the impression that motorcyclists - we – are feared by the wider public, because these things have a way of coming true. We’re Australian – Australian! - citizens, the same as everyone else.
And as for the concluding justification of this e-mail, ‘If you don't re-post this, It sucks to be you. I hope you never loose (sic)someone that rides,’ that’s just despicable. I have lost people who ride, and blaming some dumb car driver who doesn’t like leather jackets somehow doesn’t make me feel one bit better.
It may suck to be me, but at least I don’t go around seeing my fellow Australians ‘hugging their purses’ in the ‘grocery store line’.
Nov 25, 2007
THE BIKER
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6 comments:
Hi Bear I have read this posting previously, and mostly (but not quite) agree with the thrust of what you say. There are still a few individuals who do think bikers are somewhat marginalised people, sometimes based on their physical appearance and (most likely) their riding habits. By extension these misguided folk generally avoid contact if possible with bikers of all ilk as it takes them out of their social comfort zone. They tend to ignore us bikers when we talk directly to them feigning they are busy doing something else. I have met such people on a few occasions and just smile inwardly when I do because its only their silliness and ignorance that allows this. In time they will mature further like we all do I guess. On a lighter note I am now going to eyeball everyone "hugging their purses" in a grocery store line to see what their reaction might be.
As a rider I do feel that some of the public frown at me because of the bike. Death trap, organ doner, or temporary Australian. And then there are the Salavo's who take our pressies and give them to the kids, the blood bank that recognises our annual police versus bikers donation challenge. As a group of individuals, we come from some very diverse backgrounds and interests but the bike is the one common connection that stops us from behaving like a mob. We all understand that our choice of mobility is what makes us different in the first place. We can pick on the Harely riders, or the Ducatisti, or the SR500 club for a joke, but when a rider is down you can rely on another rider to help out as best they can. Such drivel that has been put out by such as the original e-mail is but sympathy in another guise. I don't think that many riders want sympathy at all, just the right to ride and not be treated as different from the society we live in.
I occasionally encounter some negative prejudice. I recall one time I called into a restaurant to enquire about booking a table for a group-ride I intended organising. I was in the car (so no biker-gear) and didn't mention anything about bikes. The manager of the place seemed strangely hesitant, as if he didn't want my business. Anyway I left with the (vague) info he gave me. Then I remembered the pull-over I was wearing - with a motorcycling event logo on it! Right! But other times I have been surprised at how positive the reaction from others has been. But I'm aware enough of the negative view some people can take to always consciously trying to be a "good ambassador" for motorcycling.
Thank God somone else finds this whole thing sentimental American drivel. I really don't find the prejudice that this craps on about.
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