Old people in cages

[fatbryan]

Ok by old i mean in thier 70;s, it was a beautiful day out so i went for a ride. Going down one of our major streets here in town, a very old couple pull right out in front of me, luckly i was paying attention because they wasnt, and no i didnt yell at them they probbly couldnt hear me anyways. Then i come to a place where they were cutting trees down, one lane road with my side being open. Im already in the lane when this old man decides there is enough room for us both so hes comming right at me. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION to everything:small3d031:

 

[gasbag]

According to your definition, I am two years from being old. I think I am a fairly decent driver. Maybe because I ride motorcycles and have learned to watch out for everyone. So the second I hit 70 I am going to be death on wheels?
Generalizing that "old" people can't drive isn't accurate or fair.
Why not pick on housewives with cellphones glued to their ears or teenagers driving without engaging their brain or Joe Businessman eating his lunch while driving to the next meeting? They are all stereotypes that generally exist in small numbers. But the moment we encounter one it makes that particular group demolition derby material to us.
There are good and bad in every age group and both sexes. Some people just can't drive.
Incidentally, I have seen some complete morons on motorcycles, everything from those idiotic "wrist snappers" at the stop light to Joe Dirt doing 80 and weaving through traffic on the highway.
We all do not ride like that but when someone sees one of us doing it what do they do? Yup, they generalize and remark, "Man those bikers are all a bunch of idiots."

 

[Redfish-Joe]

I would rather ride around older cagers than just one teenager texting.

 

[R_W_B]

Good points taken from all of you. Like Geezer said Old is just a number to some (a bigger number to some thought patterns like BUBBIE) but none the less it is just a number.

Some folks 'age' at lower numbers than others and some folks are still young at bigger numbers. But we do all need to watch out for drivers that exihibit characters or behaviors that warrant watching.

I think riding it motorcycle makes you younger. It definitely will wake you up in traffic as opposed to cruising in a cage. I do what a guy on this forum posted once as the foremost rule. I watch the tires. If I see a car stopped on a side road that I am approaching I watch for movement in the tires, planning where I'm gonna try to go if they do move. I watch tires in traffic also, which way they are turning of if they look like they have a driver with no direction (like some young people on the phone or texting).

But I do understand what both of you are trying to relay.

 

[War Horse]

Gasbag, gotta +1 on that.

Old is a relative term, when I was 10 a 20 something was old. Around here we have a senoir element, I'm 54 and get called old by some and a kid by others...sometimes ya just cant win.:wall

Hey RWB, who ya callin Geezer??

 

[fatbryan]

Gasbag, i was not picking on the old, i was just stating what had happened to me. Im no spring chicken either 47. I was just wanting to say you have to watch for everyone. Sorry if you was offended, not my intent.

 

[alto]

+1 Gasbag. My dad died of cancer at 78. He was one of the sharpest people I've ever known right to the day he died. He was a pro driver whether in a car or on his Harley. He also would have heard a fly burp..dig?
Also, I know several young cats that can't drive for beans now. I've watch Harley and the kids on rockets act like fools on the road.
Finally, be careful...we mock what we are to be.

 

[HDDon]

Tell you what I'll trade you a day of riding around "old" drivers for a day of riding around a college town. The last kid that tried to kill me was eating a big mac and texting. I saw an article from the NSF that said 7 out of 10 drivers are impaired. Ride defensively, your life depends on it.

 

[dnailbndr]

I have to jump in on this one... I love riding and I think I'm a very good rider. and a very good driver as well. That being said, I have been the old guy driving/riding with my head where the sun don't shine. Fortunately, there were other drivers/riders whose heads were in the right place at the right time. Just caus I ride a bike don't make me gods gift to motor travel of any kind... All I can do is make sure I'm giving due-dillagence to the task at hand, and hope the other guy is too. Knowing full well there a few heads out there where the sun don't shine, hopefully not mine.d

 

[dbmg]

Here my take: it is better to generalize the fact of a safe riding tip and sharing a experience as to how the invading experience was handles than to stereo type a group of drivers. I completely agree that any one talking or texting on a phone, is as, or more dangerous than a drunk driver. At 50 I tend to really give older folk alot of slack. Remember some day you will be there too......... And ride like your invisible..