97.791% versus 69.391%
Okay. I made the percentages and numbers up, but not the reality. The reality is this:
I traveled over 3,000 miles, rode through 13 states - twice, and met and passed a whole herd of two-wheelers, both motorcyclists and scooterists, and found that motorcyclists, almost to a person, either initiated or returned a wave from me, a scooterist, while almost half the scooterists I met couldn't be bothered to acknowledge my existence.
Yesterday, my BRW and I traveled over 200 miles and met umpteen motorcyclists. Only three didn't return a wave. We met 7 scooters.... not one returned our wave.
Why?
Theories, anyone?
Mike - sounds like you've been playing the David/Bob game of "Will they wave?" I had to take my VStar in for service last week and a friend followed to give me a lift to work. The first thing he (a non rider) mentioned when I hopped into the car were the waves I'd received by all but one motorcyclist. I can't explain that one any more than I can explain your non waving scooterists. (Now, I apologize to all of those rider's I've met, just as I'm clutching and couldn't wave, other than that, you'll always get a wave from me!) We are going to have to get the message out to all two wheel'ists'.
ReplyDeleteI'm torn.... On the one hand, I think it's lack of training, on the other hand, I think those that ride scooters see themselves in a different light than do other two wheelers.
DeleteWish I knew the answer.
When you coming down?
The straight dope.....scooters are not bikers, not trying to be mean, but they dont even know what the bikers code is. They ride toys, we ride machines. They ride for gas mileage and because most cant afford a car or even know how to pull thier pants up all the way. Just because you have 2 wheels and a helmet.....dont call yourself a biker. when you have ridden the open road such as me and my brothers and sisters, then and only then will I consider you a biker.
ReplyDeleteMichael. I'm sorry. I didn't see this note until after I had replied on a Facebook page. Thanks for your input. After you read what I sent you, please feel free to write some more. I like your ideas - for the most part - and think good communication is always a good thing.
DeleteI just want to address the "they." I ride a scooter for pleasure, not anything else. I purchased it because it was way more fun to commute on a scooter than on a subway or a car. I actually do ride my scooter on the open road too; maybe not going 60-70 miles an hour, but a solid 40 on a MA open road is just as sweet. If it's the "danger" aspect that you are referring to, well then that's just your ego. I don't really appreciate the way you address scooter owners and how you quick you are to talk down to us, as though we are not up to your standards. You sound like a high school kid trying to prove you're a bad ass. Reality is, you are on a website with scooter enthusiasts who respect each other. There's other websites for you.
DeleteBy the way, I can afford a car, a nice one if I chose; I just don't see the need to own one when my scooter does just fine and I enjoy it.
Also, the other reason I don't own a "machine"(scooters are machines, FYI - I know, crazy) is because I live in a city and often travel through suburbs and I like the freedom of not being stuck in traffic and being small enough to bypass cars in Boston traffic. So there's that.
Respect, my man, respect.
Wow! Look what happens when I go on the road after posting an interesting topic. Well,let's see… I think Mr. Adkins is a strong, though not mean-spirited person. I base this on further conversations with him. I'm being presumptuous speaking for him, but my belief is that he has experienced much while riding that one would not normally experience UNLESS one IS on the road extensively, and if one then meets up with a person whose experience is meager by comparison, but who speaks with the professed wisdom of deep experience, then Mr. Adkins, (and others like him) tend to get "huffy". Understandable. I think. But, better minds than mine are required to comprehend and, hopefully design the process by which dialog can increase and both pleasure and experiences can be disseminated.
DeleteNo theories here, we wave at everything including bicycles.
ReplyDeleteI love to give big waves to the cruisers who don't want to wave back. Over the years we have noticed lone Harley riders will typically wave, but when they are in a group where their friends can see them, they don't.
You are the epitome of goodness, fairness and all that's well with the world. Now, how did you ever get to be a paralegal?
DeleteJust teasing.
What's funny is the reverse works here. Stick your hand out for a group of HD riders and everyone returns. Say hi to a single rider and you just get a look.
But then, you have the Sun going DOWN into the ocean, instead of COMING UP out of it.
Strange.
Mike:
ReplyDeleteI think most of those who ride small scooters are not enthusiasts. These are people on a budget and want the cheapest form of transportation. They only ride to go somewhere and do not ride for pleasure.
I found that most Harley Riders were easy to talk to. They are everywhere touring the country but I had a couple who wouldn't even acknowledge I was beside them. This even happened to some BMW riders when I parked beside them and they didn't even look at me
I have generally found that bikers in the USA are friendlier than those here
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
Well Bob, I hate to say it BUT, Everything is better…… No I won't say it.
DeleteI agree. That kids on cheap scooters don't wave.
ReplyDeleteI've yet to get a wave from a Goldwing rider ( but their SO's riding pillion do wave ).
Sportbikers sometimes nod.
I try to wave all the time, sometimes I get caught unawares and don't get my wave out.
Hmmmm…. How about kids on expensive scooters? From all the responses (both here and on my Facebook page, there seems to be as many answers to the question as there are people riding….
DeleteOften when I ride my scooter, I get mean cat calls thrown at me every once in a while. Usually they consist of some sort of mocking (clearly, they are just jealous and wish they had the galls to be riding a scooter!). I often just ignore them or blatantly laugh in their face depending on my mood or my rush to get somewhere.
ReplyDeleteSo maybe they are on edge and fearful of being mocked? Although, I don't know why they would think someone else on a scooter would be mocking them.
I'm prefacing this as a joke! Please no hate comments...
ReplyDelete"Because all scooter riders are snobs!" :)
Actually, that isn't so, and I often think about a scooter for commuting. It just seems like it would be "easier".
I find Trobairit'z and Mike's comments telling. I was going to say something similar to Mike's. We seem to encounter good days and bad days. The other day 1 in 7 motorbikes responded with a wave. That is very low for these parts. Maybe it was the moon? Other days everyone waves. To my annoyance, people will even wave to me during a tight twisty, turn. And there is just no way I'm removing a finger from the handle, so I give a mighty big nod.
However, here we also count in proximity to tight twisties and mecca roads. All waving stops when motorbikes congregate around destination twisties.
As far as scooters, maybe many of them ride such short distances and encounter so few other riders in their day to day that they don't often see a wave, so don't think so much about returning it?
Hmmmm…. Not out so often so have no concept of brotherhood? Hmmmm….
DeleteI believe you are accurate in that there IS NO brotherhood, fraternity, soulmate, out there as far as scooterists are concerned, and perhaps it's because there is NO STIGMA, no loathing, fear or downright hatred that the public has for motorcyclists - without which there exists no catalyst to band together, no need to form a brotherhood. Motorists don't hate scooterists (motorists don't even think of scooters other than the occasional "how cute those little things are" statement. Motorists hate motorcyclists. Perhaps not blatantly open, but hate them they do.
So, perhaps because there is no collective scooter soul binding and protecting, supporting and standing ground with you, that there can be no bonding among and therefore no brotherhood of scooterists.
MikeT. I think its time you just left this site alone. You clearly are only here to insult. We respect motorcyclists, here. Have some respect for us. This is the wrong and inappropriate place to put your mean thoughts. Go find a scooter website that is bashing motorcyclists and leave you comments with them. Grow up. Also, I own a scooter and a motorcycle. Just though you should know....
DeleteAnother thought; maybe scooter riders ride their scooters so often, that they think nothing of it. They just go about their motions and don't realize another scooter driver waving at them because it is just another typical day or commute. I think motorcycle drivers maybe cherish the fact that they are out more and get that excitement that we as scooter drivers have forgotten exists!
ReplyDeleteAll of the first party of the first part has a truthful ring, which is terrible to contemplate. Just think: You've just stated that scooterists have such a low (if not totally nonexistent) interaction with their machine that riding is "just another typical day or commute.".
DeleteHow sad.
My viewpoint is that the next time I fit my key, the next time I hear that burble, the next time the twist of my wrist doesn't send shockwave through my heart, body and soul, the next time I turn a corner on the way to work and fail to thrill to the lean, the curving arc of travel, the sense of wonder, will be the last time I ride.
Perhaps you've reached the crux of the issue. Perhaps the only reason many scooterists fail to wave is the same reason automobile drivers fail to wave: it's all so humdrum, all so ordinary, so mundane, so bloodless that waving is not only beyond comprehension, but would give meaning to a meaningless action.
Wow.
I wouldn't use the word 'interaction." Rather, we have so much interaction with it. It is the same as the reason why car drivers don't wave to each other. It's just part of the day. The best part of the day, but still routine.
Delete