An Open Letter To Sedalia’s Drivers About Motorcyclists

Let me start out by saying, I've never driven a motorcycle.  I've never owned one.It's never been something that particularly interested me.  Just wasn't my thing.  But it is my father's thing. I remember him having a couple of bikes in the 80's, and it was a fun hobby for him. I've seen pictures of him doing some dirt track racing on bikes from the 70's.  I get it, to each their own. After a while, he gave it up until recently.

After he retired, he was looking for something to feed that wanderlust he'd always had. You know, the feeling to just get up and go somewhere out of the blue.  So he got himself a bike again, and he goes out riding every now and then.  He's not irresponsible, but I was worried when he bought it.  Not because of him, like I said, but because of other drivers.   And until recently, it had been fine.

My Dad told me a story this past weekend of a ride he'd taken recently.  Apparently, there are people out there who like to mess with motorcyclists.  Why, I have no idea. But this lady in a van had followed him into two different lanes, crowded him, and was smirking at him the entire time.  He did something I don't quite understand that essentially translated into smoke from his exhaust in her windshield. I just don't understand why someone would deliberately crowd a motorcyclist, knowing they're less protected on the road than they are.  And to do it just for fun? What is up with that?

Okay, people.  Here we go.

Dear Sedalia Drivers,

Please, please, be careful around motorcyclists.  Please don't be a jerk and try to mess with them or tailgate them or do anything unnecessary to put their lives in danger.  They're just out like you are, and they're not there to do any harm to you.  Please remember your humanity.  Please remember that motorcyclists are not just "dudes/chicks on a bike".  They're someone's father, mother, brother, sister, cousin, aunt, uncle, friend, co-worker, neighbor. They all have their own homes, families, and lives to go home to. Don't put them in danger just because you have a preconceived notion of people who ride motorcycles. There are enough danger factors out there with weather and road conditions, they don't need to worry about deliberate intimidation as well.  Not to mention that you taking the time out of your day to mess with them distracts you as a driver.  That puts you in danger, as well as the people in your vehicle. Would you really want to live with the guilt of knowing you caused another person physical injury, or even death?  And what would be the legal consequences of that? Do you really want to deal with those, as well? So please, Sedalia Drivers, stop this nonsense and leave motorcycles alone.

Noncyclingly yours,

Behka