Earnest Parenting » Philosophy

5 Biggest Motorcyclist Myths and the Truth Behind Them – Let’s Clear the Air

Melissa Cameron — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:19:58 +0000

If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, or know of someone who is, then you are probably well aware of the stereotyping that goes along with the bike. However, if you are just looking into riding, or your loved one is, then you might want to know the truth behind it all.

Motorcycle riders have had to fight stereotyping for years, unfairly actually. I know several people who ride, and I would like to clear the air about a few of them.

Perhaps you know of someone who is thinking about buying a motorcycle, and you want to learn more about what you have been hearing. Read on, to ease your mind about some of these myths.

Myth #1 – Bad to the Bone

The old George Thoroughgood song comes to mind when I think of the most prominent misconception about bikers. There seems to be a feeling among a few that because you ride a motorcycle, especially in large groups, that you must belong to a seedy motorcycle gang.

While there are a scattered few who might fall into that category, the majority of riders are everyday people, like you and I. They come from all walks of life ranging from the assembly line worker to the CEO of a large corporation. I even knew a pastor of a church who loves to ride his motorcycle.

Myth #2 – They Wear Black Leather to Look Cool

Black leather in the motorcycle community is rampant, yes. But, there is a reason for it, other than it looks amazing.

The main reason riders wear leather motorcycle jackets, gloves, boots, and pants, is for protection. It’s the best material available to protect a rider from the pavement, if they happen to meet it unexpectedly.

Also, black is the most common color for leather. Sure they make other colors, but black is universal and common even for non-riders.

So, the next time you see a rider in all black leather, know that it’s mainly for protection, which is why you will notice it even on warm days.

Myth #3 – Bikers are Destructive

For some reason, bikers get a bad reputation of being destructive with property. Perhaps it’s what people see in the movies, or have seen reports on the news about a scattered few who have been in scrapes with the law.

However, I remember overhearing a conversation with someone who owns a hotel in a popular spring break area. Someone asked them if they dread biker week, and the response was enlightening. They had said they would much rather have bikers stay with them, then any other spring break group that comes down.

Their reasoning is because they realize that if they have a nice motorcycle, they usually know how to take care of valued property. They added that they have never had any issues with bikers in the years they have owned their hotel.

As I stated earlier, I know several bikers, and tend to agree with this hotel owner.

Myth #4 – Bikers are Anti-Social

This one can be true, and can be false at the same time. Just like any group of people, you will find various personalities among them. Some might be a loner, while others are very social.

In fact, there are several bikers who rally together for good causes, and go on ‘runs’ for benefits. They do this in packs, not alone. The next time you see a large group of bikes going down the road, it just might be to help cure a disease, or to raise money for a family who is struggling.

So, while they may ride alone at times, they are just like any other group, with many differences between them.

Myth #5 – Bikers are Broke

This is not true, on the whole that is. Sure, some bikers might be struggling financially, but it’s certainly not a given. Quite often a motorcycle is a biker’s second vehicle.

It may be an inexpensive form of transportation, but that doesn’t mean it’s the reason they are riding. Most bikers ride because they love to, and no other reason. In all actuality, if it’s a second vehicle, that probably means another insurance bill, loan payment, and the cost of maintenance as well.

In addition to the cost of the bike, there’s the equipment, such as:

Helmet
Gloves
Saddle bags
Boots
Leather jacket
Heated motorbike jackets

These are all costly items to have and maintain. So, as a hobby, or second vehicle, I wouldn’t consider a motorcycle as a poor man’s ride.

In Closing

I hope I have been able to shake some of these common myths about motorcyclists. What it comes down to, is that they are no different than any other group of people. In most every group, you will see a wide variety of personalities and lifestyles.

About the Author:

Melissa Cameron has written numerous articles offering money saving tips and valuable advice on various topics. She loves surfing the Internet, looking for deals and learning new things. Melissa currently resides in Texas with her husband and 2 children and she has just discovered Twitter.

Earnest Parenting: help for parents of motorcycle riders.

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How To Be Happy, Part 3

Amy LeForge — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:05:56 +0000

The third rule that Hubby and I live by is “blessings are undeserved”. Now, I know that this explanation is not going to sit well with everyone who reads this post. No problem! You are most welcome to disagree with me; however this is how we choose to live.

So. Blessings. Undeserved. As my friend Raymond asked in the comments of part one, what does that mean?

Well, it’s very simple. I am not better than anyone else. I live in a very nice home, have clothes to wear and food to eat. That is not the case for millions of individuals on this planet. Take for example Haiti. Rampant crime, abject poverty, and then several months ago they suffered an earthquake of epic proportions. (Has the world even thought about Haiti much recently? I haven’t seen any headlines.)

And yet, people are suffering there. While I’m living in comparative luxury here. “Blessings are undeserved” means that I understand that there is NOTHING that I have done to deserve such a wonderful life. I could have been born into a country as poor as Haiti. I was not. This was not of my own doing (and I think even Law of Attraction proponents can agree with me on this particular point).

Do I in any way deserve an easier existence than someone else on this planet? No. Anything I get is because God has decided to bless me; it’s not for anything I’ve done or any kind of superiority I have to anyone else.

How does this help with happiness? For starters, realizing that blessings are undeserved helps me maintain an attitude of humility and avoid thoughts of entitlement. If I don’t think I’m entitled to things in life, then I can’t get upset if I don’t get them.

Instead, I can be content with what I’ve got and if additional blessings come my way, I can be grateful. This leads to more feelings of contentment and thankfulness and…happiness.

This also ties in with part 2, and the discussion about not holding tightly to things we own. By letting them go, I am freer. I don’t just mean free from clutter; I also mean that I’m free from the wanting more and more stuff, and (most importantly) I’m free from feeling that I’m entitled to stuff, which leads to disappointment and bitterness when that stuff is not forthcoming.

One final point: believing that blessings are undeserved also helps me cultivate a servant’s heart. When I don’t feel superior to others, it’s easy to instead feel compassion and empathy. It’s easy to want to serve…to help…to share.

When was the world a worse place with those kinds of impulses in peoples’ hearts?

Photo courtesy of Cecilia, some rights reserved.

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How To Be Happy, Part 2

Amy LeForge — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 19:10:17 +0000

To continue what TechnoBoy and I discussed about being happy, the second rule is to hold lightly to the good things in life.

What I mean by that is that at any time, life can be turned completely upside down. Just because we have a nice house doesn’t mean that will be true tomorrow. A tornado would only need seconds to wreak complete havoc; a fire would only need minutes.

I know a woman whose son was shot and killed in a confrontation with police last month. Another dear friend of mine went surfing with her husband of 25 years in 2006 only to watch him suffer a massive coronary and die in her arms on the beach.

It only took me about ten seconds to fall down skiing in January. In football, they a similar injury an “unhappy triad”. I tore more than that. Recovery may take as long as a year.

Are those examples enough?

Life has difficulties. Anything could be gone in a moment. We shouldn’t spend our time afraid of loss, but do try to always remember that stuff is just stuff. Enjoy it while it’s here, do your best to keep things nice and well-maintained, but that’s where it ends.

Are some things precious to me? Of course. But they’re only things. They’re not more important than people.

Letting go of items that you no longer need or that have become clutter can be difficult at first, but it really is worth it to move things out of your life that have become clutter. It feels….lighter. And finding someone who really needs or wants something that is taking up time, space, and energy in your own life is a lot of fun.

As for the people, the friend who lost her husband in ’06 is always telling us to “give flowers to the living.”

I think she’s got that one right.

photo credit: tiarescott

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How To Be Happy, Part One

Amy LeForge — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:55:13 +0000

TechnoBoy and I were talking about happiness the other day, and he made an interesting comment to the effect of, “If I were born a prince, then my life would be perfect.”

I disagreed, explaining that while there are advantages to being a prince such as being wealthy, having people who will clean your room for you, and so on, there are also huge disadvantages. For example, the intense public scrutiny, continual invasions of privacy, and expectations of perfection at all times.

Out of the ensuing conversation came 3 rules that Hubby and I live by. Below are the conclusions we draw from those rules.

There is no such thing as a perfect life.
Hold lightly to the good things.
Blessings are undeserved.

It’s not every day that wisdom comes rolling off my tongue (more frequently it’s direction or correction), so I thought I’d write this down while it’s still in my memory.

You’re welcome.

We do not live in a one-dimensional world. There cannot be up without down, wide without narrow, good without evil, or happiness without sadness. God just didn’t create it that way. In fact, He promised that all of us would face difficulty and sadness in life.

I can choose to fight that and spend my time raging against the injustices as they come. But what good will that do? If I spent my life raging, wouldn’t I effectively be throwing an 80 year temper tantrum? Would that stop evil or wrong or even unfairness in the world?

Nope.

I accept that bad things will happen. I accept that no matter what life I could be born into, there would be parts of it to dislike.

Right along with that: if I’m going to enjoy the blessings that come my way, it’s only fair to deal with the difficulties as gracefully as possible.

I believe that this life…the one I have been given…can be one in which I find happiness. I believe that I was uniquely created to live this particular life. One of the ways I can show my thankfulness for such a wonderful existence is to live it being the best person I can be.

photo credit: LawPrieR

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Gratitude

Amy LeForge — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:41:19 +0000

I didn’t know what I wanted to say on the anniversary of 9/11 last week, so I didn’t post anything here on the blog. Instead we watched a little bit of the coverage in the morning and I explained the story to the boys again. The older boys were only 3 and we didn’t have the younger ones yet so telling the story is an annual thing around here. The boys ask questions and I answer. Then I get all choked up and they get all, “Moo-ooommm, stop crying” and we move on.

I am sharply aware of the possibility that one or more of my own children will go off to war someday, seeing as how there’s plenty of it happening all the time. The magnitude of that sacrifice-for both the soldier and his or her family-just floors me. Here are young people completely putting their lives on hold in the pursuit of service to their country. That’s so huge.

A friend sent me a link to the Gratitude Campaign and I just knew that this is what I wanted to talk about this year.

It doesn’t matter what your politics are, or whether you’re for or against current military campaigns being undertaken. Bottom line, these brave individuals have given up a lot for you and me. Please thank one (or a hundred) if you can.

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