Comradeship

[fontana]

Do you feel an affinity with other bikers.
Do you have a sense of comradeship with total strangers, just because they're on a bike.
Henry Cole is always banging on about the biking brotherhood.
The fact that no matter where you are, other bikers are your friends.
Sorry, but I don't think that just because a person rides a bike, it means they share anything in common with me.
If I'm out riding, and see a group of Harley riders out on one of their fancy dress parades, I just think, KNOBS.
Same goes for people wobbling about on their state of the art crotch rockets, believing they are superior to everyone else.
In fact I'd say that in general, I don't have much time for my fellow riders.
Most that I come across are thick morons.
Just sayin

[Herb]

Seriously!? Is this how low you are sinking now to get a response?

[fontana]

Seriously!? Is this how low you are sinking now to get a response?

Dives for cover

[Herb]

Maybe it's me? I either don't understand your attempt at a humorous post, or you really are attempting to be divisive and provocative? I actually can't tell.

[Grip Fast]

Maybe it's me? I either don't understand your attempt at a humorous post, or you really are attempting to be divisive and provocative? I actually can't tell.

I'm a bit mystified too. There's a smiley face at the end of the post, but no hint of humour within the words. There are people who are clever enough to be cutting and provocative in humorous and witty writing, but that's just not clever or funny. It just seems like more of that depressing and energy-sapping bile that is becoming all too common on social media.

Moving on...

[Herb]

Moving on...

Yep. I've got to stop taking the bait.

[milleplod]

That special button is calling you......I've never looked back!

Pete

[Herb]

That special button is calling you......I've never looked back!

Pete

I have avoided that. I wouldn't want to miss the fun, but might have a rethink.

[Al]

Do it Herb, you know you wanna, do it, dooooo it.

Al.

[wotmeworry]

Yawn

[Grip Fast]

That special button is calling you......I've never looked back!

Pete

There was a program recently, looking at the problem of internet trolls, and for one chap, it was seen as a victory when he pushed someone into blocking him. The more blocks he got, the more it boosted his ego, and enjoyment of spouting nastiness.

I'm not convinced that our man is a troll - I've agreed with a few things he has said, and some things I haven't agreed with but also haven't seen as offensive, more a simple difference of opinion. But whether this provocative stuff is just a game of wind-up, or much worse, I don't want to be pushed into clicking the "special button".

I suppose it's the old freedom of speech conundrum.

[fontana]

No I wasn't trolling.
Just thinking aloud I guess.
I find as I get older I have less in common with my fellow rider.
I bought MCN today to read a test on the R NINE T Racer,
They've got this campaign they're asking people to join to agree to cover at least 5,000 miles this year.
Apparently, the average rider today does about half that, so they want to encourage people to get out on their bikes more.
I mean FFS.
I've covered nearly 10,000 miles since last July, and I'm a fair weather leisure rider.

It strikes me that a lot of people just want to own bikes for the odd Sunday pose, and bragging session in the pub.
What ever happened to buying a bike, and actually using it for the purpose it was designed for.
Again not trying to be antagonistic.
Just expressing a view I am perfectly entitled too.
MCN must feel the same way, hence their campaign to get people riding the bloody things.

[Grip Fast]

Wondering why some bike owners don't do a lot of miles on their bikes is completely different from labelling one section of bikers, "knobs", and most of the rest as "thick morons".

[fontana]

So would you answer the question I posed
Do you feel a sense of comradeship / brotherhood with total strangers, just because they're on a bike.

[Grip Fast]

I take people as I find them. If they are on a bike, it's a good talking point to begin with, and I've met all sort of interesting folk as a result. Nice bike, where are you heading, how far have you come - that sort of thing. That usually, but not always, leads onto a longer conversation where you explore common interest or experience, and maybe discover something / somewhere new.

Brotherhood or comradeship maybe a bit strong, but there is certainly a sense of common interest, especially, I find, when traveling abroad or a long way from home. But even at my local fuel stop, I had a fascinating chat to a guy on a Brough Superior SS80. Have I met any "knobs" or "thick morons"? Ermm... Can't recall any of the top of my head.