How To Convince Family To Allow Me To Get A Motorcycle?

[Ham]

I am looking to buy a 125-250cc street legal dirtbike. The family is scared of the danger of motorcycles in regard to not being seen by other vehicles. I have already showed the Hurt Report which says that 92% of crashes are with people with no formal training and I plan on taking formal training courses. I have already explained that dirtbikes are more conspicuous and louder than mopeds, etc., and that 30% of crashes include motorcyclists under the influence.My original plan was to use this bike to commute approximately 12 miles, but now the plan is to use it to travel around my suburban community and trail ride. They are not concerned about trail riding.The laws for this type of vehicle are very clear and not of concern.Any ideas?ThanksBradley

[kuhlbert34]

Always were a helmet.Limit your speed to legal limits,accelerate or brake when necessary to avoid accidents.Is family okay with you taking formal motorcycle training?If so,not only "plan on" training,go ahead and take the formal training.(Whether you have a bike or not).Show responsibility:- personal protective equipment(helmet, jacket, pants, ...)- insurance?- budget for gasoline and maintenance- figure out when the safest times to ride areWhat is your family okay with?- scooter- bicycle- mo-ped- dirt bikePersonally,I would recommend AGAINST the motorbike unless you really NEED it for your commute.

[MacAlpin]

1) Make sure they understand that you will purchase and WEAR a full-face helmet. Head trauma is the leading cause of death in motorcycle accidents. My friends in CMA(Christian Motorcycle Association) see deaths constantly caused by no helmet or an insufficient helmet. One friend of mine who was knoocked off his bike by an SUV that didn't see him keeps the remains of his helmet around to remind everyone of what can happen to your head if you don't have a good helmet.2) Make sure they understand that you will purchase and WEAR protective clothing. It doesn't have to be evil biker black leather and studs, but the long sleeved jacket and pants or chaps will cut down road rash and other injuries in case you are in an accident. Some are quite fashionable and can even match your vehicle.3) Prove to your family that you are aware of visibility problems and take a page out of the military's book - get a bright day-glo orange traffic vest and WEAR it to increase your visibility to other drivers. Several friends have had their knees permanently fused as a result of being clipped by a car that did not see them.4) Prove to them that you have learned to drive ultra-ultra-defensively. You must always assume the worst of any other vehicle, plus you must watch for potential bad road conditions. A friend was killed when he hit a patch of sand on a curve on the access road to the freeway.5) I don't know how old you are or where you live, but you also need to make sure that you can afford the insurance on a motorcycle. It is expensive, and it is especially expensive for certain groups of people(males under age 25). If you are young, then show them how well and safely you drive a four-wheeled vehicle. That may ease their minds.6) The article appended below lists the most common causes of motorcycle accidents. I suggest you prepare a detailed plan on how you plan to minimize your exposure to each scenario.------------------------------------------Motorcycle accidents are sometimes caused by poor maintenance?because a motorcycle only has two wheels, it is inherently more unstable than cars or trucks, and requires more careful maintenance to ensure safety out on the road. A slightly misaligned tire can result in a fatal crash, as can an engine or brake failure, so always make sure your motorcycle is in top shape. Also, check the tires themselves. If you leave your tires too long without getting them replaced, the treads can wear away. These bald tires can lead to fatal motorcycle accidents, especially in snowy conditions or on wet roads where bald tires are more likely to hydroplane. Have your mechanic check your tires and make sure they?re still good to ride on. Bad roads can lead to fatal motorcycle accidents as well. The government can only repair so many roads at a time, and some roads go for years without ever seeing the attention of a road crew. These roads can be treacherous enough to normal cars and trucks, with loose gravel and big potholes that can swallow a tire whole. If you?re on a motorcycle, that pothole can flip your motorcycle over and throw you onto the street, so you have to be a lot more careful. On bad roads, slow down and keep your eyes open, and avoid otherwise very painful motorcycle accidents. There are plenty of other conditions which may lead to bad motorcycle accidents. Watch out for debris on the road ? a nail in the tire at sixty miles and hour could lead to a potentially fatal blow-out. Also, sometimes things get spilled on the road ? say a truck has an oil leak and is spilling oil onto the road as it drives. Oil isn?t the most friction conducive material it?s possible to put on a road, and driving over a patch could lead to a slide out and loss of control over your motorcycle. Watch for dark patches on the road that indicate spilled oil. Then there?s ice(and water, and sand, and gravel). Ice is fairly common whenever it gets cold, and when it?s present you have to be especially careful. In a car, a spinout could lead to ending up in a ditch. In a motorcycle, loss of control usually leads to a motorcycle accident ? at the best, bruises or broken bones, at the worst, death. The human body isn?t made to slam into asphalt at sixty miles an hour, and won?t react well if it does. If there is ice on the road, drive slowly and very carefully, and you?ll come through all right. Alcohol and drugs, of course, are an obvious problem. They impair judgment and turn otherwise good drivers into dangerous ones ? the only good part of driving a motorcycle drunk is that when you crash you probably won?t take anyone else with you. The bad news is, you?ll still be just as dead. Sleep deprivation is nearly as bad, so make sure you?re always well rested before driving. Remember, because of the small size and low profile of motorcycles, drivers of cars will have a harder time seeing you. The responsibility of safety is up to you, so take it seriously.

[Abramo]

Tell them it is the bike or joining the Army.

[Manny]

Tell them they can have your kidneys when you die...show them that you've signed the organ donor card, they'll be relieved :)

[Diggory]

67alecto said: 2 Tell them they can have your kidneys when you die...show them that you've signed the organ donor card, they'll be relieved :) 80 months ago

[Gearald]

Prepare your case to cover all contingencies and prove you understand what you are getting into. 1) Make sure they understand that you will purchase and WEAR a full-face helmet. Head trauma is the leading cause of death in motorcycle accidents. My friends in CMA(Christian Motorcycle Association) see deaths constantly caused by no helmet or an insufficient helmet. One friend of mine who was knoocked off his bike by an SUV that didn't see him keeps the remains of his helmet around to remind everyone of what can happen to your head if you don't have a good helmet.2) Make sure they understand that you will purchase and WEAR protective clothing. It doesn't have to be evil biker black leather and studs, but the long sleeved jacket and pants or chaps will cut down road rash and other injuries in case you are in an accident. Some are quite fashionable and can even match your vehicle.3) Prove to your family that you are aware of visibility problems and take a page out of the military's book - get a bright day-glo orange traffic vest and WEAR it to increase your visibility to other drivers. Several friends have had their knees permanently fused as a result of being clipped by a car that did not see them.4) Prove to them that you have learned to drive ultra-ultra-defensively. You must always assume the worst of any other vehicle, plus you must watch for potential bad road conditions. A friend was killed when he hit a patch of sand on a curve on the access road to the freeway.5) I don't know how old you are or where you live, but you also need to make sure that you can afford the insurance on a motorcycle. It is expensive, and it is especially expensive for certain groups of people(males under age 25). If you are young, then show them how well and safely you drive a four-wheeled vehicle. That may ease their minds.6) The article appended below lists the most common causes of motorcycle accidents. I suggest you prepare a detailed plan on how you plan to minimize your exposure to each scenario.------------------------------------------Motorcycle accidents are sometimes caused by poor maintenance?because a motorcycle only has two wheels, it is inherently more unstable than cars or trucks, and requires more careful maintenance to ensure safety out on the road. A slightly misaligned tire can result in a fatal crash, as can an engine or brake failure, so always make sure your motorcycle is in top shape. Also, check the tires themselves. If you leave your tires too long without getting them replaced, the treads can wear away. These bald tires can lead to fatal motorcycle accidents, especially in snowy conditions or on wet roads where bald tires are more likely to hydroplane. Have your mechanic check your tires and make sure they?re still good to ride on. Bad roads can lead to fatal motorcycle accidents as well. The government can only repair so many roads at a time, and some roads go for years without ever seeing the attention of a road crew. These roads can be treacherous enough to normal cars and trucks, with loose gravel and big potholes that can swallow a tire whole. If you?re on a motorcycle, that pothole can flip your motorcycle over and throw you onto the street, so you have to be a lot more careful. On bad roads, slow down and keep your eyes open, and avoid otherwise very painful motorcycle accidents. There are plenty of other conditions which may lead to bad motorcycle accidents. Watch out for debris on the road ? a nail in the tire at sixty miles and hour could lead to a potentially fatal blow-out. Also, sometimes things get spilled on the road ? say a truck has an oil leak and is spilling oil onto the road as it drives. Oil isn?t the most friction conducive material it?s possible to put on a road, and driving over a patch could lead to a slide out and loss of control over your motorcycle. Watch for dark patches on the road that indicate spilled oil. Then there?s ice(and water, and sand, and gravel). Ice is fairly common whenever it gets cold, and when it?s present you have to be especially careful. In a car, a spinout could lead to ending up in a ditch. In a motorcycle, loss of control usually leads to a motorcycle accident ? at the best, bruises or broken bones, at the worst, death. The human body isn?t made to slam into asphalt at sixty miles an hour, and won?t react well if it does. If there is ice on the road, drive slowly and very carefully, and you?ll come through all right. Alcohol and drugs, of course, are an obvious problem. They impair judgment and turn otherwise good drivers into dangerous ones ? the only good part of driving a motorcycle drunk is that when you crash you probably won?t take anyone else with you. The bad news is, you?ll still be just as dead. Sleep deprivation is nearly as bad, so make sure you?re always well rested before driving. Remember, because of the small size and low profile of motorcycles, drivers of cars will have a harder time seeing you. The responsibility of safety is up to you, so take it seriously. Sources: http://www.accidentconsult.com/articles/showarticles/RTAAccident/1/MotorcycleAccidentsTypicalCauses.html AND My Experiences darwin? 80 months ago Please sign in to give a compliment. Please verify your account to give a compliment. Please sign in to send a message. Please verify your account to send a message.

[Atherton]

Be responsible, get training, take care of details, see: Always were a helmet.Limit your speed to legal limits,accelerate or brake when necessary to avoid accidents.Is family okay with you taking formal motorcycle training?If so,not only "plan on" training,go ahead and take the formal training.(Whether you have a bike or not).Show responsibility:- personal protective equipment(helmet, jacket, pants, ...)- insurance?- budget for gasoline and maintenance- figure out when the safest times to ride areWhat is your family okay with?- scooter- bicycle- mo-ped- dirt bikePersonally,I would recommend AGAINST the motorbike unless you really NEED it for your commute. Sources: My personal opinion and professional experience LeheckaG 80 months ago Please sign in to give a compliment. Please verify your account to give a compliment. Please sign in to send a message. Please verify your account to send a message.

[leland]

Sign up for the training before you get the bike, buy a highly visible helmet before you get the bike, demonstrate that you are mature enough and responsible enough to be safe while riding the bike. This means being mature in every area of your life, not just regarding bike safety.I think you're off to a good start already. By doing all the research that you've clearly already done and presenting it to your family, you're showing that you're not just making a spur of the moment decision without knowing what you're getting into. Motorcycles of any kind are dangerous, so I can understand your family being very hesitant about letting you get one. But by proving to your family that you're taking the dangers seriously and that you are going to be cautious and well prepared, I think they'll eventually submit. Communicating with them is key, too. Make sure they know how much you want one(I'm sure they do, but it never hurts to repeat it), make sure they know you're going to be responsible about it, and talk to them about why they're hesitant. Try to understand their point of view but be able to counter their objections with intelligent arguments(like I said, it sounds like you're already doing that). Remind them that everything in life has some risk. Motorcycles are riskier than most things, but they do have advantages, too. So just be really prepared, be really open, and prove yourself and I think you'll get what you want.Good luck!!

[Ramond]

Demonstrate to them that you will be responsible Sign up for the training before you get the bike, buy a highly visible helmet before you get the bike, demonstrate that you are mature enough and responsible enough to be safe while riding the bike. This means being mature in every area of your life, not just regarding bike safety.I think you're off to a good start already. By doing all the research that you've clearly already done and presenting it to your family, you're showing that you're not just making a spur of the moment decision without knowing what you're getting into. Motorcycles of any kind are dangerous, so I can understand your family being very hesitant about letting you get one. But by proving to your family that you're taking the dangers seriously and that you are going to be cautious and well prepared, I think they'll eventually submit. Communicating with them is key, too. Make sure they know how much you want one(I'm sure they do, but it never hurts to repeat it), make sure they know you're going to be responsible about it, and talk to them about why they're hesitant. Try to understand their point of view but be able to counter their objections with intelligent arguments(like I said, it sounds like you're already doing that). Remind them that everything in life has some risk. Motorcycles are riskier than most things, but they do have advantages, too. So just be really prepared, be really open, and prove yourself and I think you'll get what you want.Good luck!! Sources: My Opinion EddieNygma 80 months ago Please sign in to give a compliment. Please verify your account to give a compliment. Please sign in to send a message. Please verify your account to send a message.