From: ellert@v32.uh.cwru.edu ()
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles
Subject: Re: Dear Abby sez "Don't let kids get on motorcycles"
Date: 28 Dec 1992 23:34:19 GMT
Organization: Image Analysis Center, Univ. Hospitals of Cleveland
Distribution: na
Reply-To: ellert@v32.uh.cwru.edu ()
NNTP-Posting-Host: nu2.uh.cwru.edu


In article <ramage.725575588@tesla>, ramage@ece.scarolina.edu (Dan Ramage) writes:
>
>>Abby's reply:
>>Dear Barbara,
>>I presume you have insurance in the event that a child (or an adult) is
>>injured on- or falling off- your vehicle. A motorcycle is legally termed
>>"an attractive nuisance. Owning a motorcycles is an awesome responsibility."

Too bad having kids isn't considered an awesome responsibility :^o
Maybe Barbara should have consulted Miss Manners instead.

>
>I remember taking out the policy on my bike and saying "Oh please make
>sure and include coverage which will insure me against someone sitting
>on my bike and injuring themselves without my knowledge."  I think
>NOT!  The attitude of Abby's response runs similar to that of the idea
>of pool owners having to surround their pool with fences so children
>or adults cannot TRESPASS onto the owners property and perhaps
>drown or sustain some other injury in the pool.  It seems as if it
>is always our responsibility for others stupidity. 
>I have never even heard of any requirement for motorcycle owners
>to carry such insurance as it probably does not exist.  
>

Abby's response is the pervading attitude with regards to most insurance
related problems: better be sufficiently insured in case that 8-year old
who just got hurt, by something you own, is going to require life-long
medical care.  No mention of responsibilities because, except for a few
unlucky saps, the insurance companies wind up paying ( we do, really! ).
I wouldn't be too surprised if parents let their kids play on motorcycles
in hopes of making some quick money at their kids' expense, so to speak.
What's more, most people know there's lots of money out there to be had:
I knew this guy in college who would actively search for people in nice
cars, talking on cellular phones, so he could get in front of them and
try to get them to rear-end him.  Before cheering, consider the motivation:
he was after money, not just a new car, but the type of money a neck
injury might provide.  A little test: if you were injured in an accident,
say a truck kicked-up a good-sized rock which caused you to crash, how
much responsibility would you take?  Would you go after the "deep-pockets"?
How honest would you be?  On one hand there are the ethical issues, but
on the other is the perception of what everyone else is getting away with.

I am certainly not condoning Abby's response, but it is a symptom of a
greater problem.  I offer a couple of ideas for handling the situations
described by Barbara: 1) a cheap alarm might not stop theft but it could
embarass people messing with your bikes.  2)  call the police and tell
them someone is trying to steal your motorcycle...this is a little unfair
to the police but it gives them a chance to meet ordinary people.  3) use
a camcorder and then explain that you are planning to press charges; a bit
of fear is healthy.

Okay, okay.  So this isn't the most practical advice...so sue me :^)  or
let's put our collective heads together and come up with some solutions to
these problems: 1) people climbing, or letting their kids climb on other
people's bikes, and 2) this litigious attitude we, as a country, insist on
nurturing.

Ed
DoD #1110
"Let's all flame Dear Abby...too bad she's not on the net."
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles