TxDOT has recently stated that there have been 1,000 more motorcycle wrecks this year than last year.

Let’s see….gasoline is really expensive, economy is sluggish, consumer spending is down yet motorcycle and scooter sales are through the roof. I suppose logical deductive reasoning would say that with more bikes on the road, yes, it does seem logical that there might be more wrecks.

A recent NBC5 report, or course, focuses on “inexperienced” riders v. “inattentive” drivers. It was interesting reading some of the feedback on the site that accompanied that report. Some posters - anonymous of course, God forbid they actually use their name - stated it was all the bikers fault because we ride like idiots, lane split, etc. Personally, sounds like someone has some sour grapes because Harley Davidson Financial denied their application for credit.

Speaking as a biker, I don’t lane split. A Harley with an engine guard and highway pegs is too wide to lane split. I also don’t split because I don’t trust drivers to stay in their lanes because it’s been proven time and again that the vast majority of them are clueless when they are behind the wheel.

On an almost daily basis, this biker, who cannot be classified as “inexperienced” by any stretch of the imagination, has to deal with “inattentive” drivers often. They swerve because they simply aren’t paying attention; they drift into your lane (I guess they haven’t figured out what those white striped lines on the concrete are for), they’ve evidently bought vehicles that didn’t come with the luxury option of turn signals, etc etc.

However, for every inexperienced rider on the road each day, I would dare to guess that there are 50 inexperienced drivers. With those odds, it’s kind of hard to continously bash the bikers as always being in the wrong.

Chill out, have some dip, and just share the road. Cutting in front of us bikers won’t get you to your destination that much faster and may prevent us from using our motorcycle boot to kick off your driver’s side mirror to get your attention.

NOTE: If you are a rider and you have not done so, please take time to sign the petition asking the City of Dallas to implement Designated Motorcycle/Scooter Parking.