The Cost of Having No Cabin: Innocent Moves Misunderstood
We do not have a metal shell surrounding us on a motorcycle. During a long ride or in heavy traffic, our hands might go numb, and we may simply want to take one hand off the handlebars to stretch, lean back to relieve back pain, or briefly ride one-handed to relax. However, even these highly human and innocent stretching movements can be misinterpreted by traffic police as "acrobatic maneuvers" or "dangerous driving," resulting in hefty fines. Because all our actions are fully exposed, we stand out even when we aren't breaking any rules. Meanwhile, car drivers sit behind tinted windows, scrolling on their phones, texting, eating, and driving completely distracted. They slip through inspections thanks to their "invisibility armor," while we ride in constant fear of being fined for a simple stretch.
The Never-Ending List of Bans
When we look at the list of restrictions, the situation is almost tragicomic. Mounting a camera to your helmet is banned. If your exhaust is slightly loud, or even if you change your stock mirrors, it is banned. There are no dedicated motorcycle parking spots, so if you park on the edge of a wide pavement for safety, it is banned. Lane filtering to protect ourselves from rear-end collisions is banned, yet the drivers who hit us from behind and break our bones often walk free in a few months. You attach a top case or saddlebags for a long trip, and you face more bans. Even protesting against exorbitant tax burdens or inspection fees feels like it is banned.
What About Those Who Get a Free Pass?
While we are penalized for the smallest details, there is a completely different world on the other side. Those who illegally buy their licenses, opportunistic dealerships that hoard motorcycles to sell at exorbitant prices, and unmaintained vehicles choking the roads with black smoke are somehow ignored. If we speed up just a bit to escape a reckless driver texting on their phone, we become the criminals; yet, people driving around with fake strobe lights on their car roofs roam the streets freely. If there is to be justice, the rules must apply to everyone equally. We motorcyclists do not want to break the rules; we simply want equal enforcement and fair treatment in traffic. Ride safe, everyone!