an asswipe of an editorial

[Sheppo]

This gentleman is an EX Chelmsford Ma. Cop. Someone took him off the boob a little too early...

Motorcycle campaign spinning its wheels - Lowell Sun Online

Discuss.

[Pittenger5]

I agree with most of the points he makes, but not the tone he makes them with, so I dunno what that means.
Of course, half the points he makes could ALSO be pointed at most cars on the road, so its a shame he singles out bikes.

[Jaynnus]

give the guy a break...he just got a new thesaurus for his birthday and needed to use it somehow.

[Doc]

I agree with most of the points he makes, but not the tone he makes them with, so I dunno what that means.
Of course, half the points he makes could ALSO be pointed at most cars on the road, so its a shame he singles out bikes.

I agree with dollabill! 100%

[Sheppo]

I agree with most of the points he makes, but not the tone he makes them with, so I dunno what that means.
Of course, half the points he makes could ALSO be pointed at most cars on the road, so its a shame he singles out bikes.

That was my thoughts as well. He singled out motorcyclists. In every group there is a percentage that make it bad for the others. Even police officers have their bad apples, that doesn't mean I am going to write and editorial about how bad cops suck. ( which I don't think they do, atleast not all of them )

[Pittenger5]

I especially like how the first paragraph mentions he doesnt ride because he saw one rider severely hurt. I wonder how many car accidents he responded to with serious injury, yet continues to still drive a car.

[capt1014]

One thing I didn't see in the article was him including EVERYONE who rides either a harley or sport bike.

If you ride like has been described then what have you got to complain about, sooner or later you'll be a statistic.

Whatever! It was a good piece on realism that there really isn't going to be much change coming any time soon.

So get the sand out of you vagina!

[Sheppo]

So get the sand out of you vagina!

summery fresh

[Doc]

One thing I didn't see in the article was him including EVERYONE who rides either a harley or sport bike.

If you ride like has been described then what have you got to complain about, sooner or later you'll be a statistic.

Whatever! It was a good piece on realism that there really isn't going to be much change coming any time soon.

So get the sand out of you vagina!

...and do what YOU can to effect change!


Edit: is it effect or affect I always forget.

[loridin64]

hey Shepp, where in WFord are ya? Thats where im at too. Im on the north side, by the Butterfly Farm

[imkindafkedup]

any one up for an early morning ride up rt 3?

[-jro-]

that was some pretty ignorant crap...and like everyone else already said, he's generalizing. I also don't agree with his comparison to the baby on board signs...people with the "motorcycles are everywhere" stickers are, true, probably a rider. But their sticker raises awareness for more than just themselves, its raising awareness for everyone who rides. The baby on board stickers are just about "ME ME ME"- usually new mom (and dad!! Of the only two couples I know who have this stupid sign in their car, it was the dads who put them in there) who thinks her little bundle of joy should receive some preferential treatment from the rest of the world. They don't care about anyone else, just themselves.

[rjh200]

While I agree that Motorcyclists need to change their ways in various areas, his approach to this article just goes to show how much of an arrogant prick he really is. Especially after suck a great turn out last year for the CPAL ride last year and an even bigger turn out expected this year.

[KillBill]

Sounds like a fresh case of "sandy vagina" to me.

Live and Let Live, to each is own

[OreoGaborio]

Yeah, I agree w/ a couple things he talked about, but his tone does make me wonder what the weather is like up on that high horse of his. I bet there's a nice cool refreshing breeze.

[ChrisNoF4i]

give the guy a break...he just got a new thesaurus for his birthday and needed to use it somehow.

I might need to borrow said thesaurus for my rebuttal. I don't think it's proper grammar to start a paragraph with "Dear Dickface".

[Sheppo]

hey Shepp, where in WFord are ya? Thats where im at too. Im on the north side, by the Butterfly Farm

Rt 40 side near Groton

[spicy]

saying you don't ride a motorcycle because you're a cop and all you ever see are dead/living motorcyclists in pieces after accidents is like being a piano drop-liability insurance agent

OMG PIANOS ARE SO DANGEROUS BECAUSE THEY'RE CONSTANTLY FALLING OUT OF THE SKY ONTO PEOPLE



of course you're going to have skeptical views on things if all you're ever exposed to are the negatives, you ignorant dipshit. maybe we should start calling calling the police every time we come back from enjoying ourselves on a ride...

[seth399]

I couldn't resist and posted a comment as my alias......"SETH"

[Kham]

that was some pretty ignorant crap...and like everyone else already said, he's generalizing. I also don't agree with his comparison to the baby on board signs...people with the "motorcycles are everywhere" stickers are, true, probably a rider. But their sticker raises awareness for more than just themselves, its raising awareness for everyone who rides. The baby on board stickers are just about "ME ME ME"- usually new mom (and dad!! Of the only two couples I know who have this stupid sign in their car, it was the dads who put them in there) who thinks her little bundle of joy should receive some preferential treatment from the rest of the world. They don't care about anyone else, just themselves.

and people here thinks im an ignorant crap. i mean

i'll bet next time you see that sticker, the mom would be on the phone.

[Boston Moto]

I happen to think the guy is pretty much spot-on.

Spend any time in my garage of an evening and you will see the myriad of straight pipe harleys and tire-spinning stretched swingarm gixxers all night long. Too loud, ignorant motherfuckers. I'm ashamed that they are motorcyclists like me.

sorry.

[spicy]

you should've seen the straight-piped fuck on a GSX-R or 600RR (couldn't tell from which the ungodly-loud sound was emanating) at newbury st last night.

the prick was pinging off the rev limiter for 3-4sec, did it probably 5 times

christ, i wanted to massage his prostate with the toe of my boot.

[Pittenger5]

Well, interesting development, I was bored at work after I read this, and decided to write a response to the editor in a direct email. I recieved an email from him this morning saying he'd like to run my response as a letter to the editor if Id so desire. THink I should? Heres my response.

I have never written into any sort of publication in response to any article, but Mr. Roark's article was so far fetched enough that I felt the need to write in. I believe the whole premise of the Motorcycles are everywhere safety campagn is to remind the public to watch for motorcycles on the road. I can not, and will not defend the "crotch racketeers" or the straight pipes that Mr. Roark argues against, I realize these people give good motorcyclists a bad name to the general public, and we often pay the price of the publics image because of these people. However, the Motorcycles Are Everywhere campagn has nothing to do with people breaking the law, and everything to do with sharing the road with LEGAL vehicles, that in this time of high gas costs are rising exponentially, so that we are safe on the highway. Fact of the matter is most cars and suvs can be 5 or even 10 times heavier and bigger than a typical motorcycle. Add into the small size of the motorcycles, and the enormous blind spots of these vehicles, to say nothing of cell phones, eating, reading the newspaper, checking email, and text messaging activities of some drivers, its easy to forget a 450 pound motorcycle right beside you. That is the point of the Motorcycles Are Everywhere safety campagn.
And once again, I can not and will not defend the majority of illegal activities many motorcyclists participate in, but did Mr Roark ever have a large SUV swerve into their lane while aboard a 300 pound motorcycle, or catch wind gusts from an 18 wheeler that can literally push a motorcycle across the highway? Obviously not, because then he might understand while motorcyclists are often changing positions on the highway. Maybe for some its to shave some time off their commute, but for many its to put themselves into a safer position so they can react better to impending danger, as in a person changing lanes.
It also must be noted that in our state lane splitting is not legal, however, in certain cases sometimes its the lesser of two evils to lane split. Once again, I invite Mr Roark next time he travels into Boston in the middle of summer in rush hour to wear a full helmet, jeans, boots, leather gloves and a leather jacket as I always wear while I'm riding. Then maybe he might understand why lane splitting isn't just a convience but a way to keep some air moving around me so that we don't get heatstroke in our protective gear.
As for his physics lesson, I wonder why he included that, but forgot to petition the Registry to include the physics rule (and I must apologize I don't know the name or exact definition of the law) that two objects can not occupy the same space, so that might be something for drivers to keep in mind so as to not swerve into the side of me on the highway, or pull beside me while I'm waiting at a stop light.

Thank you for your time
Richie Pittenger

[seth399]

As a rider that would not make me cringe and I respect that rebuttal. I say go for it.

[Brit-Triple]

Well put "dollar bill", all of your leg humping, fast humping and track suit humping aside, you hit that one on the head very well.

I think of when you pass someone you know in the street (or in a public place) they look but they see nothing. You saw them and the were oblivious as if scanning is just a habit but they aren't taking anything in. That is how I feel in traffic, people look, don't see (or don't care) and then cut us off.

I would send it, you had the right blend of being very level headed, also hating the people who do obnoxious things, but more importantly didn't like the condescending nature of the article without calling Roark a dick head.

cheers