James Dean’s first acting gig was in a Pepsi commercial.
March 12th, 2009
Yep. The rebel was once a spokesman for a sugar-sweetened soft drink. The actor scored a whopping $30 for his first acting gig.
Um… You ride a motorcycle?
It’s spring. And this spring is happening during a downturn in the economy.
What’s that mean?
Wildlife. Of the most dangerous kind.
While what is written from here on out could also be attached to those who drive cage’s (automobiles for those who don’t do motorcycles), this is primarily for the two (and three) wheeled rider.
It’s spring. Animal’s of the four-footed kind are on the move, crisscrossing our highways and byways. Of course, this is nothing new and motorcycle people know all about being on the lookout for a large, or small, furry forest friend. In most cases we are very watchful, because meeting one of the larger road hazards head on could result in a painful process of recovery. Heck, even encountering a small hazard could result in road rash.
But the other kind of animal… the human animal… could quite possibly be a bit more dangerous today than it was yesterday. Remember, it’s a down economy. The care and feeding of the cage (see the description above) is not the same as it was during good times. This means that upkeep, service and systems work may not have been done. Or, that some of the service was done by those not quite qualified to get things right with parts not quite up to specs.
Case in point: The other day, as I pulled into my favorite coffee shop, a 2000 something Buick pulled into the stall next to me. The grating, rhythmic thumping and scraping coming from the front brake area of the car told me the brake pads were gone and the calipers were shot. And Mrs. Gotrocks was still driving this excuse for a cruise missile.
So what do you do? Do you say something? I did. I mentioned to Mrs. Gotrocks that the brakes on her very fine car (insert finger in mouth and make gagging sounds) seems to have a front brake problem. She should get it looked at is all I said. Her response was, “Well, if I get a job, I will be able to pay for the brakes to be fixed, you know? So until I get a job, ummm, they’ll just have to do the job”.
Surprised? Not me. It’s happening more than you care to think about. Backyard mechanics who haven’t swung a wrench in a couple of decades are right now twiddling and fiddling with parts to fix a current rolling road hazard. Who are they? They are people who have gotten caught up in this downturn in the economy. And haven’t the funds to either fix the car, or have it done right.
But it doesn’t end there. People are funny creatures. Once they get behind the wheel of that big ol’ POS on four wheels, their thoughts could turn to other things. Things that to them that are more important than driving their car. Their behaviour becomes an act of what is called an “unconscious motor function”. The mind knows what to do, but the thought behind the mind is not focused on the task at hand. So serious things can happen, like turning left in front of you, not signaling intentions or missing your brake lights and plowing into you from behind.
It’s human nature. It’s happening today.
So what does a motorcycle enthusiast do?
It’s very simple and easily achieved. Expect troubled from all four quadrants, plan your outs and keep a sharp eye on the unexpected. Only now you have to double your attentiveness and heighten your awareness of the problems that could come at you from anywhere.
As motorcycle people, it’s up to us to look out for ourselves. Asking the other drivers to look out for us is a huge mistake. Mrs. Mommy Van on the cell-phone, isn’t looking out for you. The college football hero with his arm around the head cheerleader isn’t looking out for you. The “way to late” secretary putting on her makeup in the car isn’t looking out for you.
This kind of thing happens… it happens all to often.
“In the early afternoon hours of September 30, 1955, James Dean would head out with Porsche factory mechanic, Rolph Weutherich to an auto rally in Salinas, California. Dean and the “Little Bastard” (Dean’s 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder) were pulled over for speeding by a Bakersfield police officer, who issued a citation for doing 65 in a 55 and cautioned Dean to slow down and be careful. Dean and Rolph would continue their journey to a Salinas auto rally and headed out on Highway 466 towards Cholame, California, unaware of their fate that lie before them.
Meanwhile, near Paso Robles, 23 year-old Cal Poly student, Donald Turnupseed was heading home in his 1950 Ford Tutor. He made a left turn at the intersection of Highways 41 onto 466 unaware of the Spyder approaching. As James Dean yelled to his friend seated next to him “He’s Got to See Us.” (Some sources cite the quote as, “That guy’s gotta stop… He’ll see us.”)
“Little Bastard” plowed into the broad side of the Ford Tutor. “Little Bastard” and its occupants would come to rest near a telephone pole fifteen feet off the road.”
We know the outcome of this infamous accident… Don’t let inattention, yours or the other guys, become your epitaph.
