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Thread: Biker/Motorcyclist discrimination, any stories?

  1. #1
    Senior Member jl551c's Avatar
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    Biker/Motorcyclist discrimination, any stories?

    Just curious if any of you have experienced being treated like crap because you're a motorcyclist. Any stories? Here's a couple:

    My wife and I rode to a local restaurant. We were wearing leather jackets, carrying helmets and as we walked into the restaurant the hostess gave us a dirty look, turned around and walked off. She didn't return for a few minutes so we left. In retrospect I wish I had insisted on finding a manager to talk to, but instead took the more cowardly route and gave them a scathing review on Yelp.

    Another time a buddy and I were riding thru Vermont. We decided to stop at a mom and pop small grocery store and grab a coffee, use the bathroom ect. We walked into the empty store, poured some coffee and went up to the counter to pay. No one was at the counter, so we waited and waited, still no one. Finally this older woman bounces out from behind a soda machine acting all flustered and upset telling us to just take the coffee. I asked for the bathroom key and she lied and told me the bathrooms were out of order. I knew she was lying because I actually drove by there again hours later and saw a mom and daughter exiting the bathroom carrying a key with a big long key fob on it.

    Another time I was at an outside restaurant in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate NY. A group from Canada were a couple tables away. They just wouldn't stop looking our way giving us haughty, condescending looks of disapproval. It was really strange and ugly. I responded with my best, friendliest smile I could muster up and waved back. Boy did that piss them off.

    I've had a few other occasional experiences like this, mostly at restaurants, sometimes just ugly looks from strangers, but I find that most businesses are happy to have our business and give us no problems. I'm a clean cut, well dressed person and definitely don't fit the Marlon Brando, Wild Ones stereotypical biker mold. Just curious for other's experiences and how you dealt with them.

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    Senior Member BuellyBagger's Avatar
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    Get plenty of discrimination around here for showing up at a biker bar in sportbike gear on a buell. Or even wearing gear and a helmet in iowa on the harley. But I always respond in the friendliest way I can. "Have a nice day f%@khead!" 20190206_162602.jpg

    But, generally in the midwest bikers get respect. From non bikers. Sportbike riders not as much, but still the general public is pretty kool about bikes as long as you're not hooning. Never been in a business who didn't welcome a motorcyclist in iowa Nebraska Missouri or kansas at least.
    Last edited by BuellyBagger; 02-06-2019 at 09:35 PM.

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    Senior Member wickedchop's Avatar
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    Well I had an issue many yrs ago in Elizabeth New Jersey on the turnpike. I left work on my 2001 zx9r, hit the turnpike and see this hot chic in a Volvo wagon with a flat. (If she wasn't hot I would've just ripped on passed) anyways I pull over and asks her if she needs help, she says yes. Then I see a couple of little kids in the back seat (bummer to me cause that just crushed my roadside bj dream away) spare is burried under luggage. It was about 98° degrees out so I walk back to my bike and take off my fieldsheer jacket, had a wifebeater on (Italian dinner jacket) I'm heavily tattooed, head back to help her start dragging luggage out to get to the spare and she looks at me and says...........you aren't going to rob us are you? I replied NO, AND I'M NOT GOING TO HELP YOU CHANGE YOUR TIRE EITHER! Off I went. What a cunt!

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    I was riding my sportster on HWY 85 many many years ago when I saw an old lady trying to figure out what to do about her flat tire. I pulled over to help and she ran and jumped in her car. She cracked the window when I approached and she looked really scared, so I removed my leather jacket and sunglasses and approached her again (I had a nice dress shirt on). She was still scared of me, but I proceeded to change her tire. As I jacked the car up, a CHP officer pulled up and chatted with me for a minute before approaching the driver to let her know everything was OK. The CHP officer made sure we were safe and helped finish the tire change. When we were done the lady got out of her car and thanked me and tried to give me a $20 for helping. I refused, shook her hand and went on my way.

    Another time I got harassed for being a motorcyclist was actually by a CHP officer. I was on my way to work and the car in front of me took a turnout to let me pass and a CHP officer pulled out of that turnout and came after me. I immediately pulled over and he came out of his car screaming at me and ready to draw his weapon. He was accusing me of crossing the yellow line at a high rate of speed. When I asked to see proof, he started screaming obscenities at me and told me if I opened my mouth again he would haul me off to jail. I took the ticket and went to confront him in court. When he showed up there were about a dozen other people there whom he had written tickets to. All but one of them were motorcyclists with similar stories. One by one we told our stories and the judge was getting annoyed. We all had to go back 2 times because the judge ordered the officer to bring the dash cam footage and the 2nd time he "forgot". The judge told him that he had one more chance to bring the video or he would hold him in contempt of court. The 3rd time the court room was only for those of us that fought our tickets with this guy and after about 3 hours of testimony the judge threw out all of our tickets and admonished the officer for his behavior and encouraged us to file a complaint with the CHP. Most of us did and the officer ended up getting a suspension for 6 months.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Lusiphur's Avatar
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    I get more discrimination from Harley owners than non motorcycle owners.

    If you have ever seen the Prius episode of Southpark, That's what I am talking about
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    2006 Buell XBRS LightningBolt
    http://www.buellxb.com/forum/album.php?albumid=129

  6. #6
    Senior Member BuellyBagger's Avatar
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    I get more discrimination from Harley owners than non motorcycle owners.
    In defense of us few non dickhead harley riders, I've never met bigger assholes than goldwing and bmw riders
    Last edited by BuellyBagger; 02-07-2019 at 12:14 AM.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Lusiphur's Avatar
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    Well I should add, Harley owners that don't also own a Buell. But them and Harley Dealerships are the places I've either been flat out treated badly, or just scoffed at.
    Everywhere else, no issues.

    I always find it funny how the Harley owners try to justify how their bike is different, cooler than the exact same one next to it, are covered head to toe in HD gear and can leave anything chrome free.
    They are the lemmings of the Bike World
    LOL
    Jack-O-Lantern
    2006 Buell XBRS LightningBolt
    http://www.buellxb.com/forum/album.php?albumid=129

  8. #8
    Senior Member BuellyBagger's Avatar
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    I'll agree with ya. I've never felt like part of the "club" when I'm at the dealership. I hate to tell people I've got a heritage when in there and they ask what I ride. It comes with the immediate assumption that I fall into the "harley only, harley's the best at everything, I love leather and chains and ****" mind set. There are plenty of ignorant f#@ks like that out there!
    Actually part of the motivation for buying my Harley was the fact that my salesman was an ex Ulysses owner and pretty cool guy. He was genuinely impressed with the new softail and convinced me to take a ride on one. Wish there were more people in the shop like that. Dedicated to the brand but not a brain washed leather jockey.

  9. #9
    Senior Member jl551c's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BuellyBagger View Post
    I love leather and chains and ****" mind set. There are plenty of ignorant f#@ks like that out there!
    You mean people like this?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0LA1TKbWxo

  10. #10
    Senior Member Lusiphur's Avatar
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    Hahahaha


    Jack-O-Lantern
    2006 Buell XBRS LightningBolt
    http://www.buellxb.com/forum/album.php?albumid=129

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