Motorcycles: Death Trap or Efficient Transportation

As a motorcycle enthusiast myself, whenever I tell people I want a motorcycle, I get the same array of answers: “You’re gonna get yourself killed.” “Why would you be so dangerous?" “Just drive a car.” But once you get the taste of the fresh air against your face, and the adrenaline rush from the speed, you’ll never want to go back.

 I was in fifth grade the first time I got onto a motorcycle; it was my grandpa’s Harley-Davidson. He took me around Washington, through Illahee State Park, and down by the beach. It was the most magical ride I have ever experienced. However, the next day, I was trapped in a metal box again without any enjoyment.

Ever since I fell in love with motorcycles, I've been told by almost everyone I know to “make the right decision and ditch the bike.” But I just can’t do that.

Why are People So Against Motorcycles?

One argument I often hear is that motorcyclists are bound to crash and die. And yes, that’s pretty true. Studies have shown that motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to die in a crash compared to car drivers. This makes a lot of sense considering that cars are big metal boxes filled with fancy safety features, and a motorcycle is just a big bike with an engine. 

A lot of people forget to see that these crashes usually occur at high speeds, way over the legal speed limit and with reckless drivers. Not only this, but even more motorcycle accidents happen while the driver is under the influence of either drugs or alcohol.

It’s obviously dangerous to go high speeds, especially over 100 mph, and when you decide to “have a little fun,” you are not only putting yourself at risk but also other drivers and bikers on the road.

Along with this, many bikers like to up the speed, but when they get caught, they decide to up speed even more. Running from the cops is not only dangerous, it's stupid. Some people really want to risk their life, license, motorcycle and others' lives just to get out of a 200-dollar speeding ticket.

However, crashes aren’t always the motorcyclist's fault, but instead the driver's. Drivers aren’t looking out for bikes; they’re checking for other cars. So, when preparing to make a turn or stopping at a light, they may not see the motorcycle, not because they can’t see it, but because their mind is blocking it out. The driver may also make a fatal mistake by not turning on their blinker or even not looking before changing lanes.

To prevent this, many bikers make sharp movements to stand out in a driver's peripheral vision, like standing on the bike, safely swerving, and waving at drivers. This helps drivers notice a motorcycle before turning or braking.

One tip I’ve also heard is to “ride like you're invisible.” Many bikers nowadays seem to assume that all drivers are always looking out for them, but that’s not the case. If a biker rides like no one can see them, they’ll be safer in the long run because they won’t be putting themselves in risky situations.

I’m also often told that bikers don’t know how to ride properly. Again, people assume that all bikers break the law because they may have seen one or two dangerous riders. However, to even get your motorcycle license in California, you have to go through rigorous training and preparation. If you’re under 18, then you have to have a permit for 6 months before going to the MSF course and getting your license. If you’re over 18, then you have to go through the MSF course and then pay the fee for your license.

It not only takes a long time to get your license, but riding a motorcycle is also a huge investment.

A used motorcycle may cost anywhere from 4,000 to 6,000 dollars, and this isn’t even taking into account how much gear costs. There is a common saying, “dress for the slide, not for the ride.” If you get a motorcycle, then you need proper gear to keep you safe; the difference between gear and no gear is life and death. For a decent set of gear, you’ll need the proper jacket and pants, helmet, gloves and boots.

Additionally, many jackets and pants feature plating to protect the rider from spinal injuries and damage to their back and abdomen. Gloves also have slide pads, webbing and knuckle protectors.

In all, if you are truly riding with the correct gear while going the speed limit and you are aware of your surroundings, motorcycling is relatively safe.

So why did I make such a bold claim that motorcycles are the most efficient way to travel? Well, in a car, you're stuck in traffic because you can’t magically go between cars. However, in a motorcycle, you can drive between cars in the state of California to get out of that headache-inducing traffic.

This is called lane splitting. Many drivers seem to hate it because they think that they’re getting “cut” in line. However, if a biker were to just stay in their lane, they would essentially be adding more traffic to the bunch when it's not necessary. I agree, it is dangerous, but only when the biker isn’t paying proper attention and not following the proper laws.

Lane splitting is safe when performed correctly, going under 30 miles per hour, and not going when it's obviously dangerous.

So, instead of being stuck in traffic all day and night, on a motorcycle, you don’t need to worry about that, although you do need to be more aware and focused.

There are things called group rides. Sometimes, a lot of laws are broken when riding in groups, like speeding, running lights, and just being rude as a whole. If you are going to ride with a group, make sure you know the other bikers well. You don’t want to get peer-pressured into speeding, crashing, and getting hurt.

Motorcycles aren’t as dangerous as people think, especially when the rider is following laws and paying as much attention as possible. Motorcycles are fun, thrilling, and just cool as a whole, and I hope that people can be more open-minded to the idea of more bikes on the road.

Written By: Anastasia Biniasz

Edited By: Oliver Handoko