Last Weekend there was kid (he was 23) who died while attempting to pass a taxi on his bike. It was a bullet bike and he had only been riding for 3 months. From what I’ve gathered from news articles and all the online discussions, he chose to pass the cab in the center lane (for turning) and was too close, clipped the mirror of the taxi and this caused him to careen into oncoming traffic.
While tragic, I am frustrated at the amount of discussion I’ve seen on this accident. This accident was 100% caused by someone making bad decisions. It is no one’s fault except the kid who was in such a hurry to speed off on his new toy that he could follow traffic laws or AT LEAST make sure he was far enough away from the car he was passing to not hit it. I don’t even really feel that this is a “rookie mistake” as a stupid “I want to go faster” mistake, easily made my anyone, bullet bike, cruiser or cage for that matter. I feel bad for his family but not for the rider himself, and I think some people find that cruel. But there was no reason for this accident. None.
It’s this kind of shit that makes people hate bikes, and bikers alike. And that give those in cages a reason to be annoyed/frustrated/scared of any bike they see on the road. It makes me feel guilty and sheepish whenever I move quickly in and out of traffic, when in reality I would be making the same maneuvers in my car, OR am trying to get out of dangerous situation. But cagers don’t see that. They see a bike accelerating and changing lanes because of our need for speed and idiotic things like this just give those people fuel for feeling self-righteous.
Memiors of a MotoMaiden 
All true points. While tragic, we the living have to deal with the consequences and stereotypes. It’s unfortunate that safety is not passed down generationally or among peers in the motorcycle community.
LikeLike