Ducati Monster Forum

Asking for a friend. I mean- the lighter traffic, the improving weather, the solo nature of motorcycling, the fact (he) just got (his) bike back from 7500mi service and haven't ridden it since October of last year, the weekend, the major cabin fever, etc. Would it be so wrong, to you know get out there and have some fun on the bike? Is anyone else doing it? Is it legal given the stay at home orders in place in most localities? Again asking for a friend.
 

I’m thinking about getting out for a lap myself. I didn’t really consider it to be irresponsible since, as you said, it is a solo activity. Just got back from a bike ride, can’t be any worse, no?

Ride it like you stole it!!

My primary concern is being a higher-risk activity and the potential of ending up in the hospital. As if any time is a good time to be n the hospital, right now would be the absolute worst.

It would be legal here in CO, so long as you are carrying out 'essential' duties or tasks. Joy-riding would not technically be legal, though local law enforcement said they would not be stopping anyone out and about.

And this was what I was thinking and what tells me that no, I cannot ride at this time. It would not be responsible for me to do so knowing I could go down. 1) EMS/ first responders and resources are tied up dealing with the virus 2) If I were to go down it may be a while before help arrives 3) When/if help arrives I go to the hospital/ER which is the frontline and I could easily be infected 2) It's just not right for me to take away from the first responders' first priority at this time with what could be classified as nonessential activity/selfishness.

I'm burning to ride, but committed to doing the right thing despite myself. I will ride my bicycle instead perhaps.

^^ This.

Yes... WE might fall off and hurt OURSELVES....
Yes... first response is a bit busy elsewhere and WE might be waiting a while for help.....
Yes.... when WE get to hospital WE might be at greater risk of infection.... 
But IMHO it's just not about WE right now.  It's about not doing anything that could divert necessary resources from the front line.  They're busy.  Until they're.... not... so.... busy...
.....the responsible thing is for WE to leave the moto in the garage.

It's illegal in the state of Victoria Australia to be out except for exercise or essentials, (essential service work, health, food). Two guys recently got fined 1200-00 each for being out on their bikes without good reason. A mum got a grand or two fine for taking her daughter out for a L driving lesson. They're not muckin around here.

This is interesting

Just got back from a rip today ..only thought of the self isolation part ...Good

But the other points you guys bring up are a sobering thought ...thank you for this

This is a great opportunity to be fixing all the little stuff on your bike you have been putting off as it bites into ride time.

Be safe, be responsible  [bang]

Fortunately (unfortunately?) the weekend weather has been bad enough in North Texas the last few weeks that I haven't had the opportunity to try and solve this conundrum for myself yet.

I am in an essential business  and had been riding to commute but I started working from home so even that is out now.

Mark

Riding to work as an essential worker, IMO, is fine.  For your entertainment?

good points raised as above and others above that, flip side to that ...

… from a safe isolating activity, its fine; and yes riding is perhaps a little selfish, but its also a good mental break, and a way to enjoy the outdoors; get some fresh air … be responsible; grateful that your healthy enough to ride; enjoy and wash hands with a clear mind when you get back; go enjoy and don't feel guilty about it.

That said, personal choice, Ill be holding on tabbing my bike this season due to covid19. … My 2 cents...

Well...

(https://i.postimg.cc/ZnNZ0MyM/Ride.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

 :o I caught a cold just seeing that.

Never tried a dirtbike with studs.
Always wanted to!

Have been riding a good bit, the only problem I see is that the traffic during the week on my favorite roads is a good bit heaver than usual. Some days I turn around and go home because of the increased traffic that take out the fun. Always were all my gear all the time including an air jacket. My riding style is very conservative compared to most people. For get the weekends it is like rush hour. Been riding since I was 30 and 75 now. Got their by riding safe. We will be this thing. We do social distancing at home and out although my wife says that is how I live normally. [clap]

 [laugh] [thumbsup]

I don't see a problem with it.

Where I'm at, we are not in total lockdown, and besides, I'm essential... I clean and service swimming pools, which is considered water treatment for public health reasons.  The only reason I'm not out riding on the weekends (or during the week...) is, like Mark suggests, our weather has sucked the past month or so, and because I'm in the middle of the spring run-up to swimming season... so I'm already working 7 days a week.  Yes, I'm out and about all day, every day... but I work by myself, in my truck, in my own little world.  Biggest problem is... everyone is now at home, so, hey!  There's the pool guy, let's go out and chat him up!  I would, quite literally, run into less people out on a motorcycle ride, than I would otherwise.

As far as the responsibility I have as a motorcyclist?  I don't ever leave the house with the mindset that 'Today is the Day!'  ...expecting to have a crash.  I find that concept ludicrous... unless you are all drunked up or have a death wish or something.  Accidents are accidents, they happen... but they are just as likely to happen driving an auto as riding a motorcycle.  I wear a seatbelt for the same reason I wear a motorcycle helmet... I don't expect to use it, but should an accident happen... etc, etc...

No offence... but I'm laughing my arse off at this concept of 'essential' [laugh] [laugh].  Having a swimming pool isn't exactly a life supporting..... essential IMHO....  I obviously live in a completely different world.

Totally agree  [thumbsup]

Whilst not heading out expecting to crash..... as you say, accidents happen.  And we all choose our own level of risk. 

It's just that right now those who will have to take care of us.... if we're involved in an unforeseen accident.... are already up to their eyes in some other serious health emergency.   So right now when we choose our own level of risk it's worth considering whether we're also potentially increasing load on the already stretched efforts of those who would be required to take care of us, isn't it?

You miss the point.  It's more about water treatment than a luxury.  Let 10000 swimming pools turn into turtle ponds from lack of maintenance and see what kind of public health hazard it creates.  And I'm being quite serious.


Again, you miss the point.  I'm just as likely (probably more likely) to be involved in an accident driving my pickup truck as my motorcycle.  Same-same.  Further, instead of being at work, many people around here are doing other things on their time off... household chores, home improvements (our Home Depots and Lowes are packed with people...) and other activities.  Ladders, power tools, hauling 12' lumber sticking out of a 6' pickup bed... all that stuff adds up to more risk of injury than setting in a office... and that's what everyone is doing right now.  Do you think all those people are evaluating the risk to themselves and the burden they would present at the hospital right now if they fell off the ladder or punched a nail through their hand?

I miss no points.

The question was asked by the OP "Is it legal/responsible/morally OK to ride during pandemic?"

Opinions sought.

I propose we ought consider the potential impact (moral, legal, responsible) of any of our actions and advocate limiting our activities to only that which is absolutely necessary.

You propose a different view.  Go for it mate  :-*

Couldn't agree more! 

Well, except for the pool.  We don't need back yard swamps.

I'm gonna throw this out here, and I'm not sure whether is applies to me or not, but it rings true and jives with the 400 mile jaunt I took last weekend.

I hear a lot about how people are being selfish taking the quarantine time to do things like building a new deck, mulching the gardens, painting the living room, etc. because none of those items are essential to health and safety and them going out to the home-stores is contrary to the quarantine system that is being... imposed.

That being said, you have millions of people across the world who were suddenly thrown from having a purpose and task every, single, day to having nowhere to go, no release for pent up energy/thoughts, and all the frustrations that go along with the questionable financial state of the world.

How many of those people are, for example, recovering alcoholics who manage their condition by staying busy?  What happens when a recovering alcoholic suddenly finds himself useless and broke with nothing but time on his hands?  Maybe he finds the bottom of a bottle and next thing you know, the first responders are out prying him and his victims from a wreck.

Hyperbolic? Sure. But mental health is just as essential as physical health.

Maybe, just maybe, all these "non-essential" activities are the kinds of things that are keeping people sane after their entire world was stopped?

I went out for a ride last weekend because I've been stuck in the house for a month now with absolutely nothing better to do with my life.  Getting out on the road for an easy, risk-mitigated ride was far more about mental health and stability than getting my jollies off on the road.  It involved far less risk of spreading disease than ordering food delivered to my door or running down the walking/jogging trail that is seeing a thousand times more use now than ever before.

I don't know where everyone else's mind is at in all this.  I don't presume to either.  What I see as an "essential" activity isn't the same as what someone else does, and I have no way at all of knowing how or why they came to that decision.

Meanwhile, recreational pot stores are being kept open and grubhub is delivering gourmet meals door to door as "essential".  Not to mention, in many states, liquor stores to give the depressed a bottle to fall into.

I say that going out on a safe, responsible ride to keep your mind in the right place is not irresponsible.

Just to throw more fuel onto the debate.  ;D

There are a number of studies that counter that statement. One such is a NHTSA study from 2007 that found:

"Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured."  Source: https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/810990

...and from a different NHTSA study:
"When looking at all reported accidents regardless of injuries, the accident rate for motorcycles in the US in 2016 was 6.31 per million miles driven, significantly higher than the rate of 3.28 accidents per million miles driven for cars and similar vehicles"

These statistics reportedly hold true in other countries, as well.

I always find these studies both sobering and fascinating. And while the Hurt Report is dated by now, I still encourage folks to read it in the hopes it might bolster riders' efforts in self-preservation.