thank you
thank you, thank you, thank you ... an essay of this sort is LONG overdue.
go to any motorcycle bulletin board and you will find tales of "bravery" among motorcyclists who have stood up to cagers by kicking doors or yelling or flicking ball bearings over their shoulder (when being tail-gated).
of course, you don't hear from the ones who have been mowed down by a buick in retribution.
each and every time i swing a leg over my bike i make myself a promise: i will NOT lose my cool. in more than 30 years of riding i have not always kept that promise, but most of the time i do.
the stakes are just too high. your 500-pound bike is no match for a pickup truck, no matter what. they may end up in jail, but your wife/husband/kids won't care, because you will be six feet under.
if someone cuts you off. or tailgates you. or does something else stupid ... for heaven's sake, just shine it on. get yourself out of harm's way and live to ride another day.
thanks again for a great essay. i'm gonna tell all my friends and tell 'em to subscribe if they haven't already.