Passenger on a motorcycle dies from wearing a novelty helmet.

The Press Enterprise - May 7, 2012. "(CHP Says) Woman’s helmet a factor in motorcycle death."

http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/hemet/hemet-headlines-index/20120507-san-jacinto-woman-killed-in-hwy-79-crash.ece

"I'm just a passenger."

If I hear this statement one more time, I'm going to cry. However, every passenger I've ever spoken to says this exact same thing.

No, you aren't just anything. You are a rider too. It doesn't matter if you're on the backseat. You are up against all the same obstacles as the driver (cars, other riders, deer, etc). Why should your level of safety be any less important?

The next time you hear someone say this, or if you are the one who says it, please think of Suzanne in the story above and GEAR UP. You need a full face helmet, gloves, a jacket, pants and boots too. And no, you don't have to spend a couple thousand dollars on full race leathers. But you do need protective gear that will save your head from serious injury. A jacket, full face helmet, gloves, boots and pants. 

If you were the driver, wouldn't you feel responsible for your passenger's injuries or worse, their death, if you were in an accident?

A passenger's choice to not wear gear is his/her own, yes. But you are the driver and you choose who gets on and who gets off. And that trumps any passenger's choice.  

Top 5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Ride Bitch

(as a woman)

1. Riding your own is more fun
2. Riding your own is more fun
3. Riding your own is more fun
4. Riding your own is more fun
5. You can ride better than he can.

Heheh. Notice a pattern? I was thinking about this today when Mr. GearChic and I had to go downtown (5 miles) to pick up his other bike (which he's supposed to be selling soon). Rather than ride bitch, ok 2up for those of you who don't like that word, on his new (to him, a 1991 Suzuki VX800)bike, or 2up on mine, I drove Buster, our Scion XB instead.

For one thing, mine is horrible for 2up. The factory seat is flat and painful over the bumps. It was not meant to carry a passenger comfortably. I feel totally helpless on my own backseat. Holding onto him is fine, but I still feel like I'm going to fall off. And, it's no fun to ride on the backseat of MY bike! We've only done this a few times, but after the last time, I vowed never to do it again. My ass was numb after a few miles and it was sooooo bloody uncomfortable. I felt like my knees were up to my chin and all I could do was watch traffic go by as I sat on the back, helpless and b*tch-like.

I don't understand how girls are able to sit on the back of an R6 or 600RR or anything more aggressive than my z750. You have to sit so high, your ass is practically higher than your head.
How is that fun?

Remember that riding up front is a completely different experience than riding on the back. If you're unsure about learning to ride, just do it. I can *almost* guarantee you'll love it and you'll never go back to riding 'bitch again.