Is biking too dangerous?

I don't guarantee this will work but...
buy a local paper every night for a fortnight and cut out articles on "local youth gone wild". Give these to your mother and ask her "Would you like me to be like the normal youth around here?"

Failing that, move out

On a slightly more serious note, I moved out when I went to Uni (over 20 years ago now). Friend of mine didn't, stayed living with parents. He recently (within last 5 years) moved out into flat of his own, then house share, currently renting a room from me (on a temporary basis). He can't even microwave a tin of beans properly, and his parents are now complaining because he lives 30 minutes walk from their house, and what happens if there is an emergency....
Work out that he is 41.....Do you want to be like that?

You _need_ to live your own life.

Originally Posted by AndyW

You _need_ to live your own life.

thats with a capital N.

[Bri w]

Does age/and or experience have anything to do with the level of danger?

At 20 i was the idiot doing 60 thro' town. I wouldn't dream of it now.

At 50 i'm the idiot doing it on the country roads with nowt about apart from hedges and walls.

There will always be the cage driver who just pulls out but most of the time there isn't anyone there for him/her to hit. If he/she hits a car, bent bodywork and a few bruises. If its a bike, ouch.

If you're in a car you hardly give it a 2nd glance. If you're on a bike you can mitigate the danger by giving someone a bit more room, expecting them to do the stupid thing.

whether more dangerous or not the dangers can be mitigated, and there is also what is an acceptable danger to one may not be to the next person.

I guess the stats suggest it isn't the safest pastime but there are extreme sports i wouldn't dream fo doing. Compared to them biking is pretty safe, imho.

Originally Posted by Bri w

At 20 i was the idiot doing 60 thro' town. I wouldn't dream of it now.

At 50 i'm the idiot doing it on the country roads with nowt about apart from hedges and walls.

Other way round for me.

At 47 I was the idiot commuting to my place of work via quiet
country roads in Wiltshire.

At 53 I am the idiot commuting into central London from
Hertfordshire. And I do 60 in London: there is a bit of my commute
(already well in London) where the speed limit is 50, so 60 doesn't
look too bad especially if you know where the cameras are. OK,
later the speed limit becomes 40 ... but I won't go into that.

And yes, biking is dangerous.

I feel people are missing my point, and I kinda get this feeling that people think Im living in some kind of parental bubble.

Firstly, I only live at home during the holidays. Secondly, my parents may be happy with my academic success, but im doing what i wanted to do at uni anyway. Thirdly, I do know how to microwave, lol!

Also, I AM living my own life - I ended up biking without telling the 'rents cos I knew they would never understand. I guess they just don't want me riding cos they are scared I would die - not because they wanna stop me from enjoying my life!...

If I wanted a scooter, I'm pretty sure I could get away with it. It's just the ignorance thats deep rooted about biking - be it parents, siblings, friends, etc - and if you can't convice 'em otherwise, then they WILL continue to worry.

Sorry. I think I've said too much. Anyway I only popped back into the office on the to download some stuff onto my dongle, so I'd better switch off

.

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by thulfi

I ended up biking without telling the 'rents cos I knew they would never understand.

Nope they probably wont, but don't you feel that you should tell them anyway. if approached in the right way they'll learn to accept it, even if they dont like it. That way you arent hiding things from them. I'm glad my parents / friends know, because they know I love it, they know its part of who I am. Also if my parents ever get a visit from a copper because I've come off they wont be shocked if the copper tells them "your son has fallen off his motorbike" they wont think "what motorbike he hasnt got one" and then be even more p*ssed off with me because I have kept it from them.

Originally Posted by thulfi

I guess they just don't want me riding cos they are scared I would die - not because they wanna stop me from enjoying my life!...

Thats quite normal, its a parents job to worry about their offspring, my mum hates the fact that, I ride, so does my dad and my brother does to. I guess I'm lucky my dad is a biker as I got help and advice from him when i first started out and he said he was happy for me to get my license as long as I didnt get a sports bike straight away.

My brother cant seem to stay on his bike and has had 3 big crashes now, but I've never heard my parents say "I dont want you riding anymore"

my mum worries about me when I'm driving, she also worries that I cant look after myself, despite I've been living on my own for several years, she thinks I can cook for myself, despite the fact that I have invited them round for meals in the past where I have done all the cooking.

They'll never stop worrying, but IMHO its not a reason to keep stuff from them. I know they worry about me, on the bike, but like I said they worry about me anyway. My friends all know I ride, but I know they worry about me to. Thats natural, but they all know that I love my bikes. Good friends and also your parents will accept it as part of who you are.

I really should get round to telling my mum I've got a bike again. I'm pretty sure she knows - thanks to Facebook - but I haven't directly told her.

She was alright when I told her about passing my test and getting my Bandit, although she was happier when I told her I'd sold it... I didn't tell her the cash went on the SV.

[Wideboy]

Originally Posted by jamesw1024

Is biking too dangerouse?

yes