Being Invisible

Bikers, in general, are invisible on the roads and in the public policy making decisions. The last good decision that my state made about bikers was to allow them to use the carpool lane. Though this rule is not specific to Washington; it is nation-wide such that air-cooled machine would not break down in the middle of heavy traffic and it is safer for bikes to be on the move vs in stop-and-go situations.

On the road, I can't even start to count the numbers somebody invaded my lane leaving me wondering my own mortality while they just drive on as if nothing happened. We are invisible to everyone except ourselves.

This is a shame because bikers, in my eyes, represent the best in humanity. We are the risk takers, and we take risks at our expense. We always hope for the best but prepare for the worst. We reduce congestion on the road. The best quality has to be the fact that we all have one passion, and we love to share it with other no matter their background or situation. Anyone who puts one leg over the saddle can be my brethren.

Any time we form a group, or introduce a change to the public policies, we are seen more as a nuisance than anything positive. Is this a case of people being jealous, trapped in their own world and detesting anyone or anything that choose not to live by the same rules they do? Until policies change, and the truth be understood by the masses, we will always be chased by cops, looked down upon by other motorists, and portrayed as deviants in the media. Once in a while though, we can see the twinkle in a kid's eye when he sees us, and that makes all the difference in the world.