WELL SAID, BILL!!
We all learn from making good and bad decisions as we grow up.
Our kids have to do the same thing. What we do is try to pass along what we
learned to help them avoid making REALLY bad decisions.
Kids who are hemmed in by a fence of parental NO's will watch a lot of TV and
may never grow up at all.
Mike Cook
----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Sohl
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 9:13 AM
To: 'FOT'
Subject: Re: no lbc young drivers
From: "Richard Taylor" <tarch@bellsouth.net>
> I, too, have competed in many (measured in hundreds) motorcycle races.
> And,
> yes, I ride my old Triumph Trident 750 back and forth to the vintage
> races.
> But there is no way in the world that I would support any of my three
> progeny riding a motorcycle on the street.
I hope you realize how silly that sounds.... do as I say...not
as I do.
> Race motorcycles? Absolutely.
> Everybody is going in the same direction and the level of predictability
> is
> high. I raced motorcycles with my son from the time he was 14 until a
> couple of years ago when those other hormones kicked in and his needs
> changed from speed to whatever it is that makes you really reckless
> (albeit,
> sometimes really happy).
> To me motorcycle riding is a lot like soaring. It's glorious fun but it
> takes a huge amount of concentration.
Why is it OK for you to get the "glorious fun" but not
for your three progeny?
> In a glider when you lapse into the
> pleasure mode of enjoying what you're doing, you may lose a little bit of
> that hard earned altitude. On a bike, when you start daydreaming about the
> sensation of the gyroscopic action of your wheels as they transfer the
> vector force to the limit of adhesion on the pavement, the loss of
> altitude
> can hurt. Or worse, you gain altitude as you high-side, and then it really
> hurts. And worse yet, there's that guy who pulled out in front of you from
> a
> side road because he could not judge the distance and speed of a single
> headlight approaching him.
Again, what you seem to be saying is that only you have the
mindset to recognize and accept the risk(s) of motorcycle
riding on publlic roads but your progeny don't. Why wouldn't
you do your absolute best to impart your wisdom/knowledge/skill
to your progeny IF one of them wants to ride motorcycles
rather than just taking a stand in opposition? Remember too,
once they are adults (which may already be the case) you have
no power to stop one of your progeny from getting their
motorcycle license.
> You are absolutely right about the schools and safety gear, except I start
> and end with as firm a "no" as my ever-dwindling authority can muster. And
> when it is all gone, I'll sing your song, and, like you, cross my fingers.
> Richard the Motorcycle Curmudgeon
rob
No to schools and safety gear? Why?
Not meaning to be harsh here...just curious about the
mindset that sez OK for you...but not for your kids.
Cheers,
Bill Sohl
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