A Quick Plea

It's come to my attention as I ride around town that people generally have no concept regarding their vehicle's safety equipment.

Take horns, for example. Your automobile's horn is designed to be heard by another motorist while he or she is encased in their own car, with the windows up and the air or heat on, probably listening to music and not really paying attention. After all, that's when the horn is necessary, right? It stands to reason that your car's horn is pretty loud, right?

Now, imagine that you are riding a motorcycle next to an SUV. The person driving the SUV happens to think you're hot, or perhaps likes your pink flamed helmet or pink custom leathers. The SUV's driver hits the horn in order to gain your attention so they can impart their appreciation of you, your helmet, or your leathers.

People on motorcycles are not entombed in a hermetically sealed vehicle that is designed to cut down on as much road noise as possible. In fact, motorcycle riders are not protected from all kinds of noise - wind noise, freeway noise, noise from other people's radios, noise from other people's mouths. Motorcylclists don't have the luxury of tuning the world out as they ride. And an enthusiastic fan blasting their horn 20 inches from a motorocyclist's head is going to do more than get their attention - it might get them killed.

Folks, I can not adequately describe what it's like to hear an automobile horn at close range while riding a motorcycle. It's terrifying. It's shocking. It's like the Hand of God squeezing your eardrum and ripping out your spleen all at the same time. It's paralyzing. And it guarantees that the cyclist will react - and perhaps not in a fashion that saves lives.

Please - use your horn ONLY in emergencies! Not when you're pissed, not when you're horny, not when you're overcome with the urge to let the motorcyclist know that you think he or she is cool.

I, personally, prefer the "thumbs-up" or a friendly wave. I won't look as cool with my skin shredded and my head squished. And as cool as titanium legs are, I don't want one.

Thanks.