Is it bad to be a biker?
 

OK WTF (What The F—K) is the big Idea about having long hair, gray beard and scruffy looking biker type that is so bad? WTF is up with that? I get terrible looks from people in our office building in the financial district in San Francisco (Market St) as I walk in with my leathers on, longhair waving and gray wind blown beard sticking out all over the place, I stand in the Elevator and ride up with everyone and the Elevator conversation goes quiet, no one speaks or makes eye contact with me. Sometimes ladies smile, make eye contact and talk to me but not many men will converse with me. At least when I was in Texas, if the guy at the next pump did not like me or my looks, he would look me in the eye and then spit on the ground without breaking eye contact. That I can handle. This fraidy cat attitude of the left coast is driving me nuts (and it is a short drive lately). It is as if I going to infect them, eat their kids and/or steal their dog.

We are required to come to work in suit and tie but it is not my style, and they appointed me this job as I look now. There have been times when I came to work in my 3-piece suit (under my leathers) and I still get the dirty looks. I guess you can’t take the biker out of me. Hell I’ve been ridding since 1969, far too long. Skin is old looking, Face is ugly rough and some times I’ve laughed too loud and everyone turns around and looks. My boss sends others out to make comments about my looks but he is too much of a puss to look me in the eye and say it himself. We have company officers that visit and news media reporters dropping by all the time. Hell you might have seen me on the news once and never known it. I know they will be happy when I retire.

Anyway I ask again; WTF is up with the biker image?

You badass biker gang man! LOL. I know what you mean. So many people base their experiences on what they've heard or the appearance of somebody. We all know doing that is a dangerous thing. At my previous job, I used to ride into the business district, and park the hog in a 'biker friendly' alley (meaning lots of bikes (asian, italian, american) got parked there). It was a prime parking place mainly because it was free and nobody ever hassled us about it. So anyway, park the bike everyday, chat with some other riders then head out to the sidewalk for work. I enjoyed many a day (almost every one) when I stepped out onto the pavement to get looks and have people clear a path. Hell, it was just plain annoying. I'd make my way up the elevator with everybody silent. I'd stand there and marvel over the great smell of exhaust I still had lingering about me as I clutched my helmet and wrestled with my leathers.

Yeah, everybody got quiet and nobody struck up a conversation, but F them! If these people are so shallow as to not talk to me b/c I'm in my riding gear and they have a preconceived notion of who I am....fine....I don't want to talk to them anyway.

These people have an idea of what that image is supposed to be...too bad that's just in the movies. Until they see otherwise they are going to keep doing that. I usually go out of my way to talk to people when I'm riding or in my gear....let them come over and check out the bike, sit on it and b/s about just anything.

The people that turn and don't talk at all, or just ignore you are ignorant son of a bitch's. Little do they know that if they started up a conversation with you, they would probably learn a thing or two...and be privvy to your stories about the road, etc.

My point is, be your own person and keep doing what you do - don't let the assholes change ya. Unfortunately, appearance gives people a first impression - not until these people wise up will anything change. They are the same people that think African Americans are all gangsters, Italians are all in the mob, and Middle Easterns are all terrorists.

F 'em, who cares. Bikes, alternative looks (tattoos, crazy hair, shaved heads, piercings, leather) are social filters to separate oneself from the norm, so enjoy it, you obviously set it up to be that way. I know I did.
;-)

WooHoo

I always remember being a biker, never been anything else. I bought my first motorcycle in the 60s and been ridding ever since. Never tried to be anything else. Even when I sold off my bikes in late 70s, some how I managed to end up with a free Triumph Cub some one gave me when I moved up into the sierra mountains. So I started ridding again with in one year. Ya I guess I set me self up as a biker when I was a kid.

Thanks Mongo and WooHoo, F- the whole bunch.

Rapido

right on dude. (ride on dude?) me too, i've been a biker since i was 16 and bought a moped 'cause my mom wouldn't let me have a car. LOL. i was bad to the bone on that thing. anyway, i think we
(everyone on bikerforums.org) should all decend on your workplace and meet you for lunch. that'll fix 'em.
;-)

I think this is a great post. I don't know that people so much have a problem with the way you look, or how you dress, I think it's more the intimidation factor. Of course, it depends on the look on their face, or their mannerisms, but where I'm from, it's pretty relaxed. I feel it's more based on the stereotype. Like all Sportbikes are "crotchrockets", and all they do is ride like idiots and wheelie, and try to get killed. All BMW riders are rich yuppies who couldn't pass a Safety Course if they walked it, and all twin riders are thugs that beat people up for money, steal, and deal drugs.

I can only speak about where I am from, and I don't have long hair (or any for that matter), I have a goatee not a beard, and I weigh around 250. I'm big, bigger than a lot of people, and that intimidates them. I look like a "Harley Guy". My own sister stereotyped me one day before she knew it was me on the bike. With my "wife beater" on, and tattoo's. Mongo's last paragraph says it all! Like I said, great post, and RR, F! 'em man, you're always welcome at my house!