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Choices and Responsibility
 by
Dave Preston
Like many things in life, riding a motorcycle is a choice. Once
past that first giddy decision to ride, we enter a whirlwind of
other choices. We choose to ride a particular model, of a particular
brand, in a color we selected, in a price bracket that “fits” our
budget.
We may justify our choices to self or spouse or family by using
logic, or, more often, by mislabeling “lust” as logic. I once
purchased a Honda 450 Street Scrambler because I’d just been
declared 1-A, and felt sure I’d soon be off to Viet Nam, which meant
I had a good chance of becoming either dead or maimed. A new
motorcycle for the time I thought I had left seemed entirely
logical. Still does, as a matter of fact. In any case, by signing
the check, or the loan papers, we take responsibility for our
choice.
As adults, we should have learned by now to be responsible for the
consequences of our actions. I realize this is anathema to much of
our current culture, but almost all civilizations in world history
have been based on the concept of self-control and responsibility
by, and from, the citizenry. Police forces are not charged with
preventing all possible crime. They attempt to protect citizens who
take responsibility from the urges and predilections of the minority
who do not.
On a motorcycle, if I’m in control and riding above the posted speed
limit, I should choose to accept the consequences, which could
include an accident where excessive speed is the cause, or (far more
likely) a ticket. I’ve never received a speeding ticket when I was
not, in fact, speeding. True, I have not received very many tickets
in 40 years, so I lack a mass of evidence here.
How responsible are we for our actions that may affect other
motorcyclists? Have you ever been passed by a motorcycle going much
faster? I was on the North Cascades Highway at a pretty good clip
and was overwhelmed quite suddenly by four bikes going 50 mph faster–
and I was not crawling. They were far over 100 mph. There was no
chance to see them approaching in the mirrors – just a sudden blast
of noise and wind as they blew by and then crossed back into my lane
to avoid oncoming traffic.
How do we respond to such an event? First, fear at the sudden
explosion of noise and speed. Then, anger. Why? Anger is a typical
response to being scared. I’m a motorcyclist and an enthusiast. How
do you suppose two people in a Volvo who are not enthusiasts react
in such a circumstance? They’re trundling along at 45 mph, listening
to NPR, and BAM! When their heart rates return to normal, for how
long will they recall those horrible “bikers” who subjected them to
such stress? Ten years? Forever?
Last year I was riding through Bellevue with a friend. We, and
everyone else, were passed by a GSXR on its rear wheel going about
90mph in heavy traffic. I’m not opposed to wheelies, although I
choose not to partake of them myself (at least intentionally), but a
bozo pulling a wheelie in heavy traffic is making choices that I
will have to bear consequences for, and I resent it deeply. It
scares people, and frightened people get angry, and stay that way.
It is useless to argue that they need not be scared. They are, and
did not invite that feeling into their cars that day – they have
been invaded by the irresponsible choices of others.
Like many of you, I’ve spent most of my adult life trying to present
a good image of motorcyclists, and it is so frustrating when one
moron, or a few, can undo in an instant the efforts of thousands
over years. Non-enthusiasts may read about or witness motorcyclists
raising millions for various charitable causes. Then someone with a
small …er… ego… rattles the windows and wakes the baby with a
motorcycle with no mufflers at all. Which do they remember longer?
All of this I’ve learned to deal with after a fashion. People make
choices, and I understand that some of them will be poor choices –
including some of my own. To err is human, and so forth… but Cycle
World magazine? Their feature article in the March issue glorified
the “Euro Cannonball” – for all intents and purposes an all-out race
on city streets with the unwitting populace serving as obstacles.
Participants bragged about the high speeds attained in crowded
public areas, and about how many laws they had broken. The author
described his actions as “stupid,” and then wrote about them at
length.
Why would people put on such an event? Why write about it? Why would
the editors of a leading publication choose to print this stuff? The
answer is, of course, MONEY. This article originally appeared in
“Performance Bike” magazine in England last November, so the author
has successfully sold the article twice – at least. The organizers
of the Euro Cannonball charged enormous fees for the event, and (oh
goodie!) will bring a similar event to this country. Cycle World
magazine has chosen to print an article that is luridly sensational.
The article will be discussed and written about (see, their plan is
working) and everyone will rush out to buy the next issue to see
what happens.
As someone who began to read Cycle World in the mid-60s, and
idolized every person who appeared in its pages, this is simply
tragic. Founder Joe Parkhurst actually built the magazine in
response to crap “journalism” like this, and preached a higher
calling. He chose to turn down opportunities to print biased test
reports and sensational articles (the usual practice at the time) in
order to present a quality product. To do so, he chose to risk his
entire life’s savings in a gamble that very nearly did not pay off.
His posthumous reward is to have his own magazine spit on his memory
and dedication.
Bewildered by how this article could have made it to print, I took a
“cultural field trip” to California to investigate. The lengths I go
to! From my sister in-law’s home in Las Gatos I had a few days to
take in the car and motorcycle culture – and what an experience.
For one, the entire state of California appears to be an
enthusiast’s paradise where some people actually do other things –
like make movies, or computers, or agrarian enterprises –
surrounding by thousands of miles of paved and dirt roads and trails
that are mind-boggling.
And the money! I spent some time strolling Carmel, where the Porsche
911 is clearly the small car of choice for your high-school student.
Everywhere I went there were $100,000 plus vehicles parked at the
curb, overnight. There was a car lot in downtown Las Gatos with
about $4,000,000 worth of delectable used inventory parked –
outside.
Curiously, I did not see as many motorcycles as I expected. The week
I visited, the temps were in the mid-50 and it was not raining. In
Seattle, EVERYONE would be out riding. In California, I think
they’re so spoiled that the motorcycles were left at home because it
was… too cold! More research needs to be done, clearly.
Could a culture of normally fantastic weather, great roads, and
plenty of money warp someone, or an entire staff, so far off the
mark that they would lose all sense of decency, or even
self-survival, and print an article clearly aimed at the future
destruction of their own industry?
Seems far-fetched, even to me, but how to explain this? I hope there
was at least a loud and emotional argument about the viability and
morality of printing the article. Too bad that taking responsibility
for choices lost the argument. Someone is paid to make the final
decisions – someone is paid to bear the responsibility – and I
assume that would be the editor.
It is rare to read an article in a motorcycle magazine where I’m
rooting for the State Patrol to arrest people, but this one
certainly qualifies. This upcoming Cannonball event? If people are
charging considerable entry fees for an enterprise that is clearly
intended to break multiple laws – can’t some enterprising District
Attorney file charges? Can the RICO statutes used to track down drug
lords who run illicit drug, gambling, and human traffic operations
be used? How about Cycle World magazine itself? By promoting the
coming event, can they not be charged with aiding and abetting in a
criminal enterprise?
Hate to say it, but I hope so. I hope so because I can already see
the result. Another round of state and national legislators seeking
to ban all motorcycles, or all motorcycles of a certain size, or
speed capability, or whatever. These legislators will be armed with
powerful evidence in the form of film footage, and print articles –
evidence the motorsports community, through Cycle World, will have
created and presented to them on a platter. We’re not talking here
about a speeding ticket, or even motorcyclists dying. The issue
here is the putting of others at great risk – ordinary people who
wanted to go about their life, and missed the memo that told them
some knob would be riding through their town at 140 mph, and if their
baby’s stroller is in the way – oh well.
At the end of the day, my 40 years of love for street motorcycles is
under direct attack – by the leading magazine of the sport – because
they chose cheap sensationalism (actually, expensive sensationalism)
as the road to quick profits, and screw everyone else.
Shame on Cycle World, and especially editor David Edwards.
Ed's Note: Email Dave at the link below and share your
thoughts with him. We'll run the responses in an upcoming
issue.
Dave Preston is the author of
Motorcycle 101, a sensible book
for the new and returning rider.
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