Do I have to be sorry?

Hello cruel world. I am a biker, that means I use motorbikes not only as a transport but also as a way of life. I love bikes and I am very passionate about them. Do I have to be sorry?

I ride a cruiser with a classic look which is actually quite old. Bikers normally adequate their costumes not only by terms of security but also to show their personalities and likes in riding, and so do I. The leather, apart from giving a great isolation and protection against the asphalt, looks great and suits perfect for a rocker... but some people think that a person dressed in leather is a warrior that wants to kill them. Do I have to be sorry?

Once on the road, I can hardly think of a weaker vehicle than a motorbike -maybe a bicycle-, but far from getting the respect of the others, we are most of the times ignored and treated as a plague, specially when we ride alone. If we have a problem we can only ask for help to another biker, the guys from the cars would ran out from you as ignorance means fear. Do I have to be sorry for that as well?

Speed is a drug that we fear and respect, and we perfectly know that we are weak if we fall so we won't be risking our lives but enjoying an activity the safest, even though we are sometimes confused with those that own a brand new bike but don't take this as a culture or a way of life and they ignore all the respect when riding. Do I have to be sorry because of them?

The answer is no. We can only respect what we know, and so it should be. For those who treat us like shit I can only think of the following: May life give you a close friend, or a son, or a daughter or any beloved be a biker... and when you cannot blame him or her, then think again what we are.