POSERS I SEE

[Lawrence1]

Just for fun. 

 

So there's this guy I grew up with that got back into riding a few years ago. He had one of those shadow thingys, gear, full helmet, said he was "going to ease back into riding". Rode with him on a few rides with friends, didn't ride like shit except once I had to tell him not to ever pass me on the right again. 

Fast forward, he's now on the bar and shield brand, says it "better suits my personality", he's lost all the gear apparently due to his level of proficiency. 

So he calls me up and wants to go riding and I said ok, where you want to ride to? He says "let's ride around town" then I asked why would I want to ride around town and he said "so people can see us" I'm gonna pass. 

A few weeks later I see him from my cage on one of the main roads in town and he's got this Elvis snarl thing going on that made me laugh. A few weeks after that I see him and asked him if he was mad about something? You looked like angry rider, riding is supposed to be fun. He fidgeted. 

Is this a poser? Poseur?

 

 

[Gixxus Christ!]

Sounds like a douche. Best way to catagorize a poser douche canoe is to count the number of skulls on his Hardly Abelson. 3 or more, that's a confirmed douche. 6 or 7, serious douche, definitely has a collection of do rags and wrap around sunglasses. 8 or more and you're looking at vinegar and water in human form. 

[scottb]

Ask him if his bandana he wears is SNELL or at least DOT approved.

I understand people change and so does the type of riding they want to do.

If he wants to stay " local" for a ride that is fine, but I am not into a bar crawl on a bike. 

[jvandivere]

I've seen this a few ways and I just got my first bike a year ago.  I see folks I know in small towns (my uncle) go ride without a helmet around the lake he lives by or maybe into town for a burger but that's about it.  While stationed in florida, I used to see sport bike guys in, I kid you not, flipflops, shorts and tank tops doing wheelies in destin, trying to race and doing burnouts....  Most younger guys but still the stupidity alarm rang.  I read an article on SSD (tactical gear stuff) about Magpul reaching harley brand name status in the sporting goods market....I have 1 harley shirt and some gloves (cus my army gloves weren't cutting it). I tried to find the lowest key shirt available (just a long sleeve that says HD in cut out letters like an old jersey).  I don't want to have everything associated with the brand because I like multiple brands. I understand folks going from a shadow to an HD..not just for brand but style- I went HD sportster because I liked the old school styling. I was also looking at a Honda NC700X. My real style is a Ural, but didn't have 16K for a bike that only goes up to 70 on a good day....  Biggest thing to me for a poser is drinking the kool-aid and thinking because I ride and wear X, I must be able to do this or that (no gear, only for show- no long rides/commutes- just bar hoping and showboating).   To me, that's a poser. The guy who gets a few things because he likes the brand and is excited about it- no worries.

The bigger concern to me, if the guy is your friend is his safety and ability to ride. Be honest and upfront with him about why you don't want to ride with him. "Hey man, it seems like you're more interested in XX- being a HD dude than riding, and more importantly riding safe."  That will be a shock to him, but if someone doesn't call him out on riding unsafe/shitty- then we aren't doing anyone a service.  If he got in a wreck because of his stupidity, I would feel like an ass if I hadn't said anything....but that's just me.  Hopefully he wakes up and realizes riding with no gear (seriously) is retarded.

[JustinNck1]

Posers are everywhere, the only way to get away from them is out of town. I have a friend that wears shorts all the time when riding, and always insists on revving his bike when going through town. These are also the people who have a bike for a year or two and the "Coolness" wears off and they sell their bike with a thousand or two miles on them. 

[zx3vfr]

And this is why we can't live in a libertarian society. Even people such as fellow riders cannot support individual freedom.  

 

Fuck all the haters, if you want to ride in your birthday suit, I don't give a fuck. 

 

As as long as you are not harming me or others it is all your own personal choice and we should all support others choices, because one day we are not going to have a choice to do what we please

[smccrory]

Possibly the first post I've agreed 200% with you. ;-)

[smccrory]

Adding to that though, nobody here is advocating helmet and gear laws. Social mechanisms for changing friends' behavior are completely still game in a libertarian society because you and they can always choose to change their minds or their associations.

[Bubba]

1 hour ago, zx3vfr said:

As as long as you are not harming me or others it is all your own personal choice and we should all support others choices, because one day we are not going to have a choice to do what we please

Except that actions of others do affect your ability to choose.  Riders who believe in the "loud pipes save lives" mantra are the ones who started the EPA mandates against aftermarket pipes of ALL kinds, whether or not they have anything to do with noise.  Stupid squids who ride like lunatics in public are the ones who have primarily created the backlash of public sentiment against riders of ALL kinds and why communities are passing laws restricting where and how we ride.  And the catastrophic head injuries that are seen in cases of riders crashing without helmets are the primary driver for helmet legislation.  Believe me, I'm not arguing against your freedom, but I am arguing that your stated POV is absurdly naive.

[jvandivere]

55 minutes ago, Isaac's Papa said:

Relax, Francis. Not sure who even suggested legislation, other than you. 

Good movie.  Problem with legislation (even libertarian, by following laws you are giving up the ability to do what you want). Here lies the problem with some guy being a moron on a bike. I witnessed a bike accident on 33/270 yesterday where a guy was flying in cut me off and rear ended the lady in front of me.  While it was minor damage to her car and on one was hurt, someone is bound to make a claim with insurance groups (A requirement to drive in this state). Police will be called to take statements/accident report (possibly).  So, because this accident, statistics go up making your and my insurance possibly higher and our taxes higher (for police, safety lights, etc). Think about how fear and zeitgiest moves law in this country: Bike/bicycle helmet laws, seatbelt laws, no cell phone while driving law- all because other people had accidents or didn't wear helmets or seatbelts- I have to wear both and can't call someone while driving.... AND insurance is higher now than what it was 10 years ago and due to increased legislation will continue to rise as individual states require different coverage.

All that legalism aside, IF a so called friend is a moron and rides like a moron, we have the common decency as friends to keep each other accountable. This also goes for kids racing and doing wheelies. Take that crap where it belongs- parking lots or race tracks. Not the highway where my family drives and could kill or be killed by your stupidity. Government isn't going to save us, it's up to us to hold each other to a higher standard.