[Culverin]

Let me be the other side of the coin here

Riding is inherently unsafe. Probably more-so in Vancouver than elsewhere. We have some really shitty drivers on the road, there is construction everywhere and the gravel and debris never gets cleaned up. It rains here all the freaking time. On a bike, you don't get a windshield wiper, all the rain beads on your visor. At night this is 5x worse as oncoming headlights create crazy glare on your visor making trying to see through your wet visor like trying to navigate with beer goggles on. Every single time you get on your bike, you are risking injury, paralysis and death.

And this is with SAFE riding habits.

Now if you're like me and you want to ride because it'll be fun, it's because of the thrill, you're bound to speed. I'm not saying by a lot, but just bit a little. I ride a freaking 50cc scooter and I do an average about 5-10km about the road traffic which is already doing 10-15 about the posted legal limit. That's not safe. I'm betting you want to get into a CBR600RR or something equivalent. I'd like to hear you say that you have no intention of speeding. I get into 1 close call every week. Like when a car doesn't shoulder check and turns into me or a car that was parked popping out suddenly. Most of these it's not even my speeding habits getting me into danger, it's just those drivers are retarded. But when you put it with my extra speed, you're looking at a recipe for injury.


So... keeping that in mind. Your GF would be a worrier.
I'm a worrier, but I still ride. I'm single. I'm fully willing to accept that I could end up in a wheel chair for the next 40+ years of my life because I ride AND speed. If she's wife-material, could you knowingly subject her to that?


I don't think the other guys in this thread ride. Cause it's so hard to be seen on a bike and even if the drivers see you, you'll get a lot less respect and right of way.


So if you're going to tell me you're going to go out in full gear everytime (helmet, gloves, jacket, pants and boots) AND stay at 50km/h which is slower than all the other cars on the road. Then by all means, go ahead and ride, your risks will be less. But that still doesn't stop the retarded c-lai from richmond into rear-ending you into the intersection so you get run over by a truck.

I'm willing to take that risk. Are you?
And more to the point. Are you willing to lose your GF/potential wife over that?