30th Nov 2005, 09:02

I don't know where you live, but here in NY it is about 99% of the motorcycle riders that speed excessively, cut everyone off, weave in and out of stopped traffic and fly down the shoulder of the highways around traffic. I think they should be outlawed! And all the riders do is cry boo-hoo when they get hit by a car that didn't see them coming up at 90 mph behind them. Give me a break! I feel sorry for the very few that actually ride them like humans but it is getting old driving with these idiots...

30th Nov 2005, 18:02

As this is a H2 review, I should say that although I don't own one, I'm not bitter over them. I'm single and make $80,000/year, so maybe I could manage to buy one if I wanted or maybe they are out of my league, but I'm an old-vehicle kind of person, anyway. As such, I also take abuse from the "do-gooders" who want to "educate" me on the evils of driving an old car and truck. I will say that while 4x4-ing in the Colorado Rockies, on narrow, slippery, steep, rocky, bermed-off old mine roads way up in the mountains in lightning-strike country, the vehicles that I saw were '70s/'80s Dodge Ramchargers, late '70s Toyota Landcruisers, and early '70s Ford F-150s. I didn't see any Hummers or Jeeps, for whatever reason. Surely Hummers have their niche, but some of those roads are just too small for anything other than a Wrangler. I even had to make 3-point turns to get around some of the tight switchbacks in my Ramcharger, and an H-1 or Suburban wouldn't have fit. When you come out of the mountains and drive across rough, open spaces without the tight confines, then maybe the Hummer really shines. But I would also say that I have never seen anybody take a Hummer (civilian model) actually off the pavement since I was in the Army. It leads me to believe that people are buying H2s and H3s for reasons other than off-road use.

As for my 2-cents on motorcycles: Similarly to car owners, it seems that motorcycle styles are driven by owner personality. The +35-age people riding Harleys and other street bikes seem to be safer and more defensive-oriented drivers from being older and wiser. However, the guys riding crotch rockets are just about all A-holes! This is one of the few generalizations that I feel confident in making. Too much power in the hands of a self-centered, inexperienced jerk-off. The crotch rocket rider's favorite move is to ride your rear driver's side bumper, in your blind spot, and then at the earliest opportunity scream by a foot from your door, not even bothering to cross fully into the passing lane. They are too close to see your turn signal, and are going so fast that in a relatively slower, heavier, car, there is no way you can have time to react to their stupidity and drive defensively even if you wanted to. These guys (because you have to put the responsibility on the person rather than the machine) are a menace on the road. And I agree with the previous guy--when their stupidity gets them into a dangerous driving situation, somehow it is your fault, never theirs. I don't care if they get themselves killed as it would only be the deserved fruits of their labors, but unfortunately that kind of irresponsible moron causes an accident that gets the innocent bystander killed while he obliviously rides away.