Motorcycle Awareness Could Improve Safety

Re “Mom, Can I Have a Hog?” editorial, May 13:

Judging from the botched attempt to describe the appealing aspects of motorcycles to potential buyers, it is clear the author of your latest anti-motorcycle editorial knows next to nothing about motorcycles or the people who ride them. Rather than waste everyone’s time trying to dissuade people from purchasing motorcycles, why not advocate better training for new riders and higher licensing standards at the Department of Motor Vehicles? How about advocating more motorcycle-awareness education for car and truck drivers, since the vast majority of two-vehicle collisions involving motorcycles are the fault of the other driver?

People will continue to purchase and ride motorcycles, no matter how many editorials you print. Why not write something to make motorcycle riding a safer and more positive experience?

David S. Patterson

Culver City

As a motorcyclist since 1967, I have seen the events leading up to the statistics quoted in your editorial. It used to be that one first became proficient on a smaller motorcycle and then advanced to larger ones as skills and savings improved.

Lately, the Harley has become more than a motorcycle. It has become a fad and a status symbol. People go straight to the larger bikes before they can handle them properly. Sometimes they go on rides with experienced people who can handle the curves and situations that they can’t. I expect the stats to return to where they used to be when the fad fades.

Paul D. Blumstein

Rancho Palos Verdes