In response to the Wednesday article by Diana Hefley headlined “Too many wild rides:”
It seems to me the article was bit one-sided. As a motorcyclist with more than 100,000 miles logged, I have found far more times that cagers (people driving cars, trucks, SUVs) are much more aggressive toward motorcyclists, than the other way around as implied by the article. Nowhere in the article does it state the percentage of accidents and fatalities that were the fault of the driver of the car or SUV.
In so doing the implication is that all the accidents where the fault of the motorcyclist.
I would like to see more complete, accurate and less biased reporting of the issue, possibly a new story from other perspectives. Maybe take a ride for a day on the back of a motorcycle and see what it’s like from the other side?
Have you ever been intentionally run off the highway by an SUV driver, for no reason other than the fun of it? I have.
Has anyone passed you, in your lane, in a vehicle four to eight times the mass of your vehicle? I have, and this happens on a daily basis.
Has anyone pulled out right in front of you or made a left turn directly in your path, causing you to have to use evasive tactics to avoid impact? I have, and this happens two to three times a week.
By the way, this accounts for more than 30 percent of motorcycle fatalities nationally.
Inattentive and aggressive drivers are at fault no matter the vehicle choice. We as motorcyclists should not be “profiled.” I feel it is misinformation like this that fuels even more aggressive behavior on the road by all drivers toward drivers of differing vehicle choices.
Jim Wiltse
Lake Stevens
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