I recently had a conversation with a clueless person. Here is her quote: "Bikers, by and large are pretty low down characters,imho." I told her she didn't know what the fuck she was talking about.
Sure there are 1%er's, but they represent a small percentage of the biker world. but even then, they have open wallets for any cause or need.
The majority of bikers I know are law abiding citizens, they are cops, firemen, business men, preachers, ministers, priests, doctors, lawyers, the list goes on & on. Politicians, sports figures, all walks of life, all levels of employment. I remember seeing years ago, about half of the Greenbay Packers ride to a home game on their bikes.
There are clubs made up entirely of Christians, military personnel, cops, firemen. Some clubs are made up of AA members. Church groups, bowling teams, co-workers.
On any given weekend there is at least one charity ride or fund raiser.
We raise money for breast cancer, a fallen police officer, a fallen soldier or a fallen brother or sister. We raise money to help out kids with no dental insurance, people that need a life saving surgery & have no insurance or very little to pay for it. Name a disease & I can name a charity ride to raise money for that disease or get one going. Tell me the name of a family that had their house burned down & I can get a couple hundred bikers to either ride to raise money, help rebuild the house or find them a place to live.
I've been on a ride that raised money for musical instruments for a local school.
How about the group that is now on TV? They have devoted their life to rescue abused & neglected animals.
Toys rides, food & clothing for the homeless rides, every seen 1,500 bikers go by with frozen turkeys strapped to the back? or 1,000 bikes go by with stuffed animals tied to the bars?
Last year, our local bikers raised over $56,000 for Special Olympics.
A few weeks ago, local groups collected a truck load of food for the local food bank.
& How about our Patriot Guard? They escort fallen soldiers funerals & provide security for the family's, shield the mourning family and their friends from protesters.
Anytime, anywhere there are bikers that will do what they can to help out someone, they have open wallets & open hearts. & If it involves kids, there wallets open even wider.
We are an extremely diverse group. All are welcome, there is no discrimination of skin color, sexual preference or even bike type.
If you think bikers are low down characters, think again. You just might be related a biker, work with a biker or your dentist or OB GYN could be a biker.
Not all bikers ride Harleys, you ride a bike with two wheels, you are a member of the biker family.
The next time you turn up your nose when a biker goes by, ask yourself. Who has given back to the community more, who has been more generous to a charity, you or that low life biker?
There was a story about a biker in a chicken soup for the soul book (I think it is the Cat or Pet lovers one but I'm not certain). It is written from the perspective of a veterinarian. He was in his clinic when this huge biker approaches the vet. The biker holds out his hands to the vet and asks the vet to fix Tiny, a Tiny little kitten.
ReplyDeleteThe vet couldn't and in absolute fear that the biker would hurt him the vet told the biker the Tiny could not be fixed and needed to be put down. The biker was sad but it was done.
Then a few weeks later the biker approaches the vet and again asks the vet to look at a little tiny kitten. Tiny II. This time it was just a check up and Tiny II was perfectly fine.
*sniffle* Such a cute story.
Upon meeting a biker, I generally ascribe a higher starting point for likely trustworthiness than I do meeting a more nondescript type. Maybe it's the honesty in appearance; generally, someone in biker garb reflects a genuine aspect of his/her life: he/she is a biker. OTOH, someone in khakis is only that--another guy in khakis; who knows what they are/do. Maybe it's from my pizza-delivery days; bikers were never rude and always tipped well. Maybe it's that my childhood pediatrician was a doctor; wore chaps to the office occasionally, had a motorcycle tread painted up the waiting room wall. Maybe it's that my dad's best friend, business partner, and neighbor of 30-some-odd years is a biker. So, in short, I've never been taught to think anything negative about the "type" since birth. BTW, Neighbor became a grandpa last week--a la MistPanther's kitten story, watching him with that baby girl has been a total trip! The hospital staff was so funny--"Oh, that's grandpa! Ok... right this way!"
ReplyDelete*childhood pediatrician was a biker. (Also a doctor, of course).
ReplyDeleteGood stuff, d_b! I started riding when I was too young and fresh to have any other worries (and subsequently did some stupid things on the bike, but, thank goodness, I never hurt anyone or anything, save a few clutch and brake levers I snapped off in laying her down). Throughout my life, more than just about anything, riding's kept me connected to that young kid who started before he knew any better. And I like that! A lot! :-)
ReplyDeleteI've seen a few scary bikers, but most are just folks. I may be cautious around ANY stranger, but don't assume the worst until and unless I have reason to. 99% of the time, I haven't had reason to distrust people I happen across.
ReplyDeleteMy Museum had a run coordinated through 2 clubs. Before I went, I thought that bikers are a less-than-savory bunch. Then I met them. The sweetest, most generous & loyal group of people. I will never ride a bike again if I can help it b/c I'm a scaredy cat. But I have nothing but love for bikers now!
ReplyDeleteI think some people have trouble discerning that bikers do not equal Hell's Angels. Just like not all young black men are drug dealers.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me sad. My parents rode my dad's old Honda all over the hills of Eastern Washington when they were young, and they're some of the most wholesome loving people I know. But then again, I've never been impressed with those that like to judge others on appearance. *they get annoying really quick*
Thanks everyone for your comments. To know a biker is to love a biker.
ReplyDeleteEven the Hells Angels do good, they also have charity rides & open wallets.