Sunday, May 28, 2006

It Boggles the Mind

Obviously, this one has been going on for years. But it doesn't make it any less annoying. It just happened again on my way back from the store:

While I sit inside my 4,000 lb Pontiac coupe, surrounded by air bags both front and side, metal all around me and over me, safety features built into virtually every inch of the car to ensure that I am safe...I have to strap on my seat belt, whether I want to or not.

Next to me, 35 MPH, cruising down Knoxville, is a husband and wife on a motorcycle. Never mind the fact that he is barefoot, she is wearing flip-flops. Never mind that he is shirtless and wearing cutoff shorts, and she is wearing a tiny tank top and a pair of shorts. That, to me, is their choice and a dumb one at that. What boggles the mind is the fact that neither of them have helmets on, and they're well within their legal rights to do so. That's what boggles the mind.

I'm an inundated with commercials (bought with taxpayer dollars, btw) ordering me to click it or get a ticket. While the guy next to me has the right to cruise on a fenderless, roofless, bike with his head, elbows, legs, and feet completely uncovered. I'm not complaining about the biker and his wife, they can be stupid and dangerous if they want to...they're doing nothing illegal.

It's a screwed up world.

2 comments:

pollypeoria said...

But BJ, if you were creamed on the road you would be missed much, much, MUCH more than stupid biker boy and dip chick. Didn't your mom ever tell you to eat your veggies and that two wrongs don't make a right? Society's oversight - not legally forcing biker morons to wear helmets, shoes, and leathers doesn't make society's attempt to make those in cars -such as your fine self- safe(r) wrong.

O'Brien's Briar Patch said...

BJ,

You know, the way I've always looked at it is this way: if the operator of a motor vehicle doesn't want to take safety measures, then that is the operator's problem, but everyone passenger riding in or on the vehicle should be mandated to, otherwise the operator will be ticketed.

This goes for motorcyle passengers and helmets.

What I hate seeing is a small child on the back of motorcycle, especially when their little arms can get around the operator's gut.

S