I Don't Care About Your Tragic Motorcycle Anecdote

Why is it when anyone that doesn't ride a motorcycle finds out that I do ride, they feel compelled to tell me some anecdote where someone they know, know of, or heard on the news 10 years ago got hurt, paralyzed or died? I couldn't possibly care less. Do these people also feel compelled to tell stories of someone at the beach that got bitten by a shark when their friends tell them they are going to the beach for their vacation?

The next time someone does this to me, and it will happen this week I can almost guarantee it, I am tempted to take one of the following approaches:

• Respond with "Really? Oh my. Hang on. Let me call my wife right now so we can sell both of our bikes and all of our gear. I had no idea this kind of thing could happen! You have probably just saved my life."
• Respond with "Really? Funny you should mention that. I know someone that said the same thing to me and a few months later, they had a car accident on the way home and both of their legs were crushed beyond repair."
• If it is a woman that is pregnant, think up the most horrific pregnancy disaster possible and convey that to her, and then say, "yeah, pregnancy can be dangerous."
• Stare into their eyes, get inside their personal bubble space and ask in the most unfriendly tone possible "why do you feel it necessary to share that with me?" and wait for them to move outside of the space I have just claimed.

Susan riding through Death Valley in 2011

That last one is my most likely course of action.

I know riding a motorcycle is dangerous. So is driving on the 5, walking across a 6 lane road at a crosswalk, running in neighborhoods, consuming high fructose corn syrup, carrying around 30lbs or more of excess body fat, smoking, or just breathing sometimes!

You pick what you want to do and do it. It is called living. I'll do what I can to enjoy life and if that means taking some risks, then I'll do it.

If you aren't a rider, next time you find out someone is, just smile, ask them what kind of bike it is, then change the subject if you are no longer interested. Don't try to scare them out of it just because you are afraid of motorcycles.