Steven's rebuttal to The Rude One

[Jack Hays <rude@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

	Steven, I took no malice in your response. Maybe what I said came
across as negative to you and your SUV. It wasn't meant to single out
SUV's but to add them to "Jack's list of things to be very leery of". 
	I've been riding since 1964. The years of witnessing others actions
have given me some survival feelings that may be wrong. But they are
there because of history. I grew up in a funeral home where my
grandfather ran the county ambulance service. I attended way more
accidents than I wanted to. In most cases we talked to the survivors. If
there was a case of an eighteen wheeler making a decision in a split
second to hit another eighteen wheeler or a car they chose the car. Why?
Survival instinct. We all want to survive and in that instant we react
to live and make an subconscious decision to hit the least destruction
returning item. 
	The main problem that I have seen with SUV's is that in general the
average SUV just doesn't stop as quick as the average car. Way too many
times when the traffic comes to that unexpected stop the heavier truck,
pickup, or SUV quickly changes lanes to avoid rear ending the car,
truck, or SUV stopped in front of it. Cars do to I just see it more
often with the heavier vehicles. On the other hand if that particular
SUV driver was in a car he/she might do exactly the same thing. Hey, I
drive a Chevy extended cab pickup myself. There's no way it stops nearly
as quick as our car. No question. To avoid a car in front I will be more
inclined to change lanes. Add that to the blind spot that every vehicle
has and I think we have more chance of an unwanted collision. My opinion
only.
	I'm not trying to anger or degrade anybody here. It's just some things
I pass on to new riders regardless if they drive a sports car, sedan,
SUV, or truck.
	So, fully expecting to offend almost everybody of any sex that's ever
sit behind the wheel of almost every vehicle made here's my "Jack's list
of things to be very leery of". It doesn't mean that I hate them or
think that their all bad. I just give a little extra room when
encountering them.
	1. Volkswagens. This has really lost number one as they have faded away
so has the incidents I witnessed. They were so under powered they pushed
hard to get up to speed and often rolled through stops. I often drove a
bug.
	2. Woman in a Cadillac. Boy, I'll get it on both side on this one. And
yes, I know there's plenty of fine women out there driving Cadillacs!
Just ask ZZ Top. But something about this combination in small towns.
	3. Young men in a car with the windows open. Equal time for the sexes.
If you can hear the radio be very very very leery. Don't know what the
open windows have to do with it unless they are more in a party mode.
BTDT! But, great folks to talk to at a light and then their your friend.
Heck, they'd probably throw their car in front of an approaching train
to protect you!
	4. Any man driving and smoking a cigar. Don't ask me why but I can't
tell you how many times I've been almost'd by these guys. Yes, I also
like a cigar every once in a while. Maybe the cigar hides me? I'm so
small!
	5. Meeting any pickup. I don't have enough fingers to count the number
of times I've meet a pickup and had anything from a trash can, pipe,
rope, fan, siding, or a dog blow out of the back and land in front of or
go over me.
	6. Cement trucks. No stopping performance and like to roll through stop
signs. And yes, my brother in law drives a cement truck and we're good
friends. Had one overturn almost on top of me on a two lane country road
a year ago. He started swerving left and right with high center of
gravity and lost it. One instant headlights almost on me and no shoulder
so I braked and then here she came over. Saw the big round mixer in the
dark right above my head and the jarring and sound made me jump and
almost fall off of the bike. Sparks everywhere. I didn't ride after that
for a while. Would have been Jack pancake on a hot road. Even better my
wife was five minutes behind me in the truck. Nice present for her on
the way to work! All she asked me was "Did you see that cement truck
turned over across our lane?"
	6. SUV's of any type. No slamming meant but I've had too many close
calls with these in the short time they've been out for them not to make
my list.
	Again, there is on offense meant toward all of the drivers in all of
these vehicles. I've owned or driven most myself. Just survival
instincts.
	And yes, responsibility resides with the operator of anything,
motorcycles included.

Jack "Rude Dog" Hays
"I'll see you on the dark side of the moon"

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