Buckethead!

[LunaP]

Stay classy, Richmond, stay classy.



First, I want to bitch about this. Eff you, Buckethead. that people like this are a LARGE part of the reason that the general public/the biker population does not take scooters/scooterists seriously. It is my theory that these people are a big part of the reason why so many of US, the REAL scooter people, get funny looks when we put on armor or leather jackets and go get on our scoots. Why my friends were confused when I said I needed a motorcycle license. Why so many people think scoots are toys.

Because... Buckethead.

apsiduguoqwFDSIPGoDEGF7QFW

Now, I want to have a rational discussion, that for us REAL scooter people may be akin to waxing philosophical. Here's where my guilty conscience kicks in. I don't know about you guys, but here in Richmond, like 90% of the people that do this shit- ride around in shorts and tanks (the bucket is a one-time special, caught on camera deftly by a friend of mine), riding around with no gear whatsoever on... well, 90% of the riders doing this are driving chinese POS's. The few of these people that I have met and talked to in my travels... well, basically, they aren't actually scooter people. They just bought a scooter to be cheap, and continue to be cheap by endangering themselves/acting like dumbasses. How am I supposed to feel about that? *I* feel like I am looking down on them as a group for what I feel are good reasons because every person I've ever met that scooted on two wheels, chinese or no, proved the stereotype to me. So I'm mad at the 'chinese scooterists' as a whole. But... despite the fact that I can't help being totally appalled when I see crap like this... I still feel bad that I think like that.

So I ask you, people of Modern Buddy... isn't that like... scooter racism?

Discuss! CALMLY[/u]

[JHScoot]

ha!

what luna? you don't like buckets?

[LunaP]

ha!

what luna? you don't like buckets?

I like buckets. On the beach. With sand and some water in it for building sandcastles.

Not for housing brains. May as well hand it right over to the zombies.

Edit: I am kinda curious to know if she's using the plastic handle as a chinstrap

[JHScoot]

gotta admit that is quite the sight. and the shorts!

i don't know how people feel about wearing shorts on a scoot? it just seems not the thing to do. then again i ride in short sleeves sometimes which others would consider downright taboo. so to each its own come gear time as i can't talk

but yeah. buckets? i'll take mine with chicken in it, not on my head!

its just not good for the scooterist to be associated, i know

[JHScoot]

[LunaP]

gotta admit that is quite the sight. and the shorts!

i don't know how people feel about wearing shorts on a scoot? it just seems not the thing to do. then again i ride in short sleeves sometimes which others would consider downright taboo. so to each its own come gear time as i can't talk

but yeah. buckets? i'll take mine with chicken in it, not on my head!

its just not good for the scooterist to be associated, i know

I have to admit, just a year ago I was VERY new to scooting.
(as in, I didn't know ANYTHING about it and this dude that asked me out had a scooter he called Stella and wouldn't shut up about it... I'm an auditory learner...) There were several times... okay, EVERY time, for the first couple months that I'd show up for dates or to Lokky's apartment in clothes entirely inappropriate for scooting, and end up on the back of the Stella in a combination of sandals, tees or tanks, jeans, and wearing his old helmet which was at least one size too large for me... it was until a few months in and I actually started going to Seven Hills meetings with him consistently and such that I ended up buying a leather coat for the fall, only wearing jeans, etc.

And then my car died. The rest is history.

I admit, I'm being/sound strict because of the injuries I've sustained. Really, I'm only coming down hard on the people who portray themselves as if they have done literally NOTHING to protect themselves (I am not counting the helmet, we're forced to wear helmets by law) AND not even caring enough to educate themselves about it. At least you are educated, informed, and making a conscious decision when you decide to wear a tee or shorts that one hot day.

Not sure if I'm making as much sense here.

Here's another way to put it: I feel like those people went out a bought the scoot and are just riding it around like a toy, not taking it seriously (like the rest of the population who misunderstands us), and that is part of what makes me mad. I think if they stopped to think/somebody properly educated them on safety they would realize how wrong they were. (referring to ^people like them, not you JH)

[LunaP]

DOUBLEPOST OHNOES!

OMG

WHAT is on those dude's heads in that last photo??? Hahahaha

[Lokky]

So I ask you, people of Modern Buddy... isn't that like... scooter racism?

Nono, this is scooter classism, it is perfectly acceptable.

I have to admit, just a year ago I was VERY new to scooting.
(as in, I didn't know ANYTHING about it and this dude that asked me out had a scooter he called Stella and wouldn't shut up about it... I'm an auditory learner...)

Oh that sounds like me alright.

[Raiderfn311]

Buckethead is one hell of a guitar player. Luna, I hear ya gal. You can't change this shit though. Uphill battle, both ways. I try to be content with the people I love around me. EDGUMACATE with a smile. You have a lotta love here on MB.

[michelle_7728]

DOUBLEPOST OHNOES!

OMG

WHAT is on those dude's heads in that last photo??? Hahahaha

Dunno, but it looks like the one on the right fits on to the one on the left, kinda making it a big golden ball...

[pdxrita]

No, I don't think it's scooter racism or classism (well, maybe classism) to look down on this sort of behavior. You have actual hard knowledge on this topic. You know for a very personal fact that this sort of gear can get you killed. You would probably be dead had you been wearing a literal bucket on your head when you had your accident and you certainly would be minus one leg had you been wearing shorts. I don't think you need to feel guilty for feeling judgmental towards this. I guess like anything, though, it's a matter of separating the behavior from the person. These might be perfectly lovely people in other respects, but when it comes to their scooter behavior, they are downright demonstrably stupid. That's a fact and there is no other valid side to that argument. (don't get me started on false equivalence... I'll violate the board rules for sure)

[Raiderfn311]

^^^^Well, he/she IS taking the risk. Eric makes clear the subject of gear. Wear what you are comfortable with. If you choose to let your brain be subject to this, its your choice. I know Luna, that was a stretch, but I like fertile conversation.

[pdxrita]

^^^^Well, he/she IS taking the risk. Eric makes clear the subject of gear. Wear what you are comfortable with. If you choose to let your brain be subject to this, its your choice. I know Luna, that was a stretch, but I like fertile conversation.

Yes, we all make choices when it comes to gear. Even I have ridden a couple of times without my jacket when we had a little heatwave. I did it with full knowledge of the risk I was taking. But, as I see it, putting a bucket on your head is a way of saying that you actively don't believe there's risk. So in other words, they are not doing this in full knowledge of the risk. They're doing it in willful ignorance of the risk. Go ahead and be judgmental about that.

[Raiderfn311]

^^^Darwinian. You cant save people like this. How dare you even try? This is evolution in progress. It will all come out in the wash.

Edit-I have to get a bit political. I am left leaning, due to raising and seein the shit hit the fan.

[viney266]

And even better yet? If she crashes with the bucket on...it will be counted statistically as a helmet ...So if she gets a splattered head it counts a a helmet failure!!!...more ammo for none helmet folks!

Now don't get me wrong, full face all the time guy here, but I support your right NOT to wear one if you so choose. BUT, you except what happens if you do

questions we are having (my daughter and I )

1.) with her bucket can she now carry a tune?

2) it IS called a brain bucket. maybe she is just confused

3) Is it just some new trend we don't know about.

[pdxrita]

^^^Darwinian. You cant save people like this. How dare you even try? This is evolution in progress. It will all come out in the wash.

Edit-I have to get a bit political. I am left leaning, due to raising and seein the shit hit the fan.

True that she is a definite candidate for a Darwin award if she does get killed with that bucket on her head. On the bright side, the bucket would probably retain any spilled brain matter, making the cleanup easier.

(I'll withold my political leanings, since that's very much against the rules. You could probably guess based upon where I live, but I'm not telling. )

[Lostmycage]

If you worry about teaching common sense to the senseless, the only thing you'll do is give yourself a complex. One of the things I find helps is to completely loose faith in your fellow humans.

I'm not saying that's healthy, mind you, but it's almost effortless when confronted with... Buckethead.

[JHScoot]

sry had to be done at least once itt

[theflash784]

It's not just scooter people who don't take their safety seriously. I have seen plenty of motorcyclist doing the same thing. Last summer I saw this woman riding a MC with short shorts and a halter top. She did have a helmet- they are required here in Mich. Some of the ladies I worked with went on cross country MC rides and would wear halter tops. I cringed every time they talked about it and my only two wheel experienced had been a small 80cc MC but I knew enough to wear a jacket or a long sleeved shirt.

On a some what related note- would we all be so drawn to our scooters if everyone got it, if they were main stream? Isn't part of the attraction to riding is that you are doing something different? Would scooters still be cool if they were more common place?

[scootavaran]

ok..first off *clears throat* LOLLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLLLOL really a bucket??

second, I completely agree with you lunaP. Stupid crap like that just add fuel to why people dont take scooters serious. (well serious enough anyhow)

I have to say though I often see a dumbbutt doing something stupid on a sportbike and Im sure that pisses off the decent sportbike riders too.

[Lostmycage]

It's definitely NOT just scooter riders (even the liquor cycle variety) who make poor choices.

Motorcyclists exhibit extremely poor decisions as well. I rode past a straight pipe cruiser guy decked out in full black leather (decent quality leather jacket and pants or pants with leather chaps) with an itty-bitty skullcap helmet, fingerless gloves and those individual toe sock/shoes . I've also seen fully geared (race leathers) riders on sports bikes who had every bit of proper gear riding like complete morons (crossing the double yellows, lane-splitting at full highway speed, weaving without signaling or head checking). I've of course seen the shorts, tanktop, FF helmet and flip-flop crotch-rocketeer wobbling away from every light as well; this is Richmond after all and someone has to keep it classed up.

The best thing I can do is ride like I give a f#ck. I signal my intentions, I let people merge, I own my lane so as not to cause confusion about cars being able to pass me in my own lane. I wear what gear I deem appropriate for whatever ride (or slide) I'm on. I don't ride aggressively around other vehicles (mainly because I don't know how incapable the other drivers are).

I read an article in Motorcyclist magazine a short while back which they've reproduced online. I thoroughly encourage others to read it, there's some good points in it. It makes me cringe when I see the DILLIGAF stickers or patches, but that immediately lets me know the self absorbed person who is sporting it.

IRLIGAF. I want that as a sticker. I Ride Like I Give A F#ck. I truly do.

[LunaP]

And even better yet? If she crashes with the bucket on...it will be counted statistically as a helmet ...So if she gets a splattered head it counts a a helmet failure!!!...more ammo for none helmet folks!

Now don't get me wrong, full face all the time guy here, but I support your right NOT to wear one if you so choose. BUT, you except what happens if you do

questions we are having (my daughter and I )

1.) with her bucket can she now carry a tune?

2) it IS called a brain bucket. maybe she is just confused

3) Is it just some new trend we don't know about.

I don't think I agree with the idea of being able to choose not to wear a helmet. I look at it like a scoot/moto version of a seatbelt. If you want to go kill yourself, don't do it on the road- the law requires a bare minimum of safety (helmet) and I'm totally okay with that. In fact, to that effect, I feel like the law should disqualify 'brain buckets' as effective helmets. That's just my opinion, though, nobody else has to agree.

Some of my outrage does stem from the "OMG these people could get hurt like I did they are total dumbasses!" and I have no way of knowing whether their choice to dress/gear like that is made out of pure ignorance or a choice to simply not give a buffalo's arse about their own safety. Either way, like I said, my initial and biggest problem is that they make us who take scooters seriously/are enthusiasts/consider ourselves part of the culture look bad... because to John and Jane Doe driving their cage around, we're all the same people, riding around on our 'mopeds' or 'Vespas'.

Like JH said, edjamuhcate. Le sigh.

It's not just scooter people who don't take their safety seriously. I have seen plenty of motorcyclist doing the same thing. Last summer I saw this woman riding a MC with short shorts and a halter top. She did have a helmet- they are required here in Mich. Some of the ladies I worked with went on cross country MC rides and would wear halter tops. I cringed every time they talked about it and my only two wheel experienced had been a small 80cc MC but I knew enough to wear a jacket or a long sleeved shirt.

On a some what related note- would we all be so drawn to our scooters if everyone got it, if they were main stream? Isn't part of the attraction to riding is that you are doing something different? Would scooters still be cool if they were more common place?

Yeah- when I rode with Lokky up to Baltimore last year I was in shorts and sandals. NOT proud of that. I could kick myself now.

Okay, I may have to wait until, like, I'm not really sure... next year or something to kick myself. But that's my point I guess. Sunburn on my knees was NOT enough punishment for that dumb move.

As for scooters being mainstream... I know that's why some/many scooterists are attracted to them, but that wasn't me. It was fun, and I got sucked into the culture (Lokky's fault). Not to criticize ANYBODY... but I've never understood the idea of doing something specifically because it wasn't "mainstream" *finger quotes*. It's seemed totally silly to me, ever since I was young, and my younger sisters and cousins shunned me because I wouldn't wear baggy boy pants, black t shirts, and listen to crappy metal bands with them (their way of being the opposite of mainstream). Don't get me wrong... I do/like PLENTY of stuff that isn't 'mainstream'... but because I want to, not because of its non-mainstream status. If that makes sense.

Anyways, me getting into scooter culture and consequently getting my 170i... Lokky's fault. I was going to Club meetings already and having fun riding around already, and then my car bit the dust and... well, the planets just kind of aligned and a bought a scoot.

[juls64]

Well seeing people ride without helmets is commonplace here since we do not have helmet laws in Illinois. I think I see more people without them than with them. Its pretty sad IMHO.

[charlie55]

For the most part relieved of millenia of scarce food supplies and inadequate medical care, humanity is now free to explore new horizons in diminished life expectancy.

[gr8dog]

"WHAT is on those dude's heads in that last photo??? Hahahaha

The gold version of this....

[/quote]

[jmazza]

Some of my outrage does stem from the "OMG these people could get hurt like I did they are total dumbasses!" and I have no way of knowing whether their choice to dress/gear like that is made out of pure ignorance or a choice to simply not give a buffalo's arse about their own safety. Either way, like I said, my initial and biggest problem is that they make us who take scooters seriously/are enthusiasts/consider ourselves part of the culture look bad... because to John and Jane Doe driving their cage around, we're all the same people, riding around on our 'mopeds' or 'Vespas'.

My opinion is that this feeling or outrage is often nonproductive. We see a lot of threads here talking about how this person rides like a jackass and makes us look bad, or this person parked on the sidewalk and is giving us a bad name.

Well, that's kinda life. I mean- are there forums for SUV drivers that complain about how some dude texting on his phone while driving his Hummer makes them look bad? Somehow I doubt it.

As for educating, if that's truly what any of us want to do for someone wearing a plastic sand bucket on her head, then the answer would be to pull up to her and talk to her about the risks. Not aiming this at anyone in particular, but I'm guessing not many of us would go that far. I doubt I would. And that tells me I'm less concerned that she could fall off a have her brain splattered than I am that she's making me look bad. One of those two things is definitely a much bigger deal than the other.

People make bad choices in life- buckets on scooters, eating poorly, texting while driving, etc. Many times our "outrage" (and I feel it too for sure) is a form of "I'm better than this person because I don't..." when we're probably being equally dumb in some other area.

So, I dunno. Yeah a bucket on your head is about the stupidest thing in the world. I guess it doesn't help the image of scooter riders. But is it really that big a deal to us as some kind of community? Personally, I don't believe it is.

[Lokky]

Well, that's kinda life. I mean- are there forums for SUV drivers that complain about how some dude texting on his phone while driving his Hummer makes them look bad? Somehow I doubt it.

Sometimes I wish there were. Especially after last night, when an SUV changed lanes without signaling as I was about to pass them, almost killing me. I pulled next to them at the light and saw they were on the phone. I wave at them and gently remind them to focus on the road rather than their phone (which is illegal to be on to begin with) and all I got were insults and slurs thrown at me for calling them out.

[scubadoobie]

Some of my outrage does stem from the "OMG these people could get hurt like I did they are total dumbasses!" and I have no way of knowing whether their choice to dress/gear like that is made out of pure ignorance or a choice to simply not give a buffalo's arse about their own safety. Either way, like I said, my initial and biggest problem is that they make us who take scooters seriously/are enthusiasts/consider ourselves part of the culture look bad... because to John and Jane Doe driving their cage around, we're all the same people, riding around on our 'mopeds' or 'Vespas'.

Luna, you have a unique perspective and I completely agree. Ignorance can be bliss or it can be fatal.

My perspective is, thankfully, not first hand knowledge of a bad accident like yours, but I do have some close up and personal knowledge of the consequences of ignoring safety. My first job out of college was as a lab tech working in a lab cross-matching donors and recipients for kidney transplants. A significant number of our donors were motorcycle accident victims with traumatic head injuries leading to brain death. That's not to say that ALL of those victims were riding without some protection, but we frequently heard "no helmet" as part of the accident description. It took me a very long time to get past the concept of motorcycle rider=organ donor and finally get a scooter.

On my way home late last night (in my cage) I saw a young woman on a scooter with zero protection. Shorts, tank-top, flip-flops. It was on a dark urban street and the ONLY thing that caught my eye when getting ready to pull out was a glimpse of what I thought was a moving single light. Was looking toward a much busier street with a lot of lights and her headlight light sort of blended in to all the "backlighting" of that other street. Glad I hesitated because it would have been a nasty accident. I pulled out and drove behind her for several blocks....no reflectors just her tail light. My very first thought was, "I hope she makes it home ok." Followed closely by, "what an idiot!" Who knows if she knew the risk and took it anyway, or was just blissfully unaware? I fully believe in everyone's right to choose whether to gear up or not, but my opinion is (just that...an opinion) riding literally invisible at night is a death wish.

That little episode just further reinforced my commitment to safety....will add additional reflective tape to the iScoot this weekend! Knowing that I am doing whatever I can to ride safely is what allows me to love...love...love riding it so much!

[jmazza]

Well, that's kinda life. I mean- are there forums for SUV drivers that complain about how some dude texting on his phone while driving his Hummer makes them look bad? Somehow I doubt it.

Sometimes I wish there were. Especially after last night, when an SUV changed lanes without signaling as I was about to pass them, almost killing me. I pulled next to them at the light and saw they were on the phone. I wave at them and gently remind them to focus on the road rather than their phone (which is illegal to be on to begin with) and all I got were insults and slurs thrown at me for calling them out.

Haha, I've been there a few times. I'm sure we all have! But my point is that a forum of SUV drivers complaining about the person who almost ran you off the road last night wouldn't help the problem. I think what you did was good, despite the reaction you received. After the insults maybe the driver will actually think about what it would have been like if (s)he'd run you over and killed you. And maybe that will help change the behavior. But a bunch of other SUV'ers complaining on the Internet about it most certainly won't do much practical good!

[AWinn6889]

People are dumb. The end.

Well, not the end. People do make incredibly poor decisions for their health, sometimes it's because they just don't give a dingo's patoot, sometimes because they are unaware of the risks. Whatever the reason, I just see it as Darwinism in motion, while it would suck to see those two as humancakes on the side of a road with their brains strewn about, it was their decision to not wear proper gear in the first place. Yes, they give scooter people a bad rep, and yes, most people remember the crazy a-holes more than the responsible and cautious riders like most of us here, but that's not going to change. That's never going to change.

But seriously, A BUCKET?! What can you do though? You can pull up and say something to them, but what's going to happen? With the way society is today, the horrible lack of respect, courtesy and common sense is ridiculous. I'd guess that you'd be yelled and swore at, told to mind your own business and f#ck off.
Unfortunate, but true. Some people just cannot be helped.

[skully93]

I too have given up. when I see people in full gear sans helmet, I smile and say "nice helmet!" and leave it at that.

However, while being a passenger in my wife's truck, I WILL tell people to stop texting/driving (Illegal here in CO, but we don't have helmet laws). I'll roll that window right down and say 'HEY! TEXT WHEN YOU GET THERE!"

I've been rear-ended twice by someone texting. fortunately it was in my car and no injury was sustained, but that would likely be different on Yoda.

But, I am an aging punk-rocker, and also an a**hole.

[AWinn6889]

I've been rear-ended twice by someone texting. fortunately it was in my car and no injury was sustained

Me too!
There was actually a study done in the last year that showed that cell phone use (primarily texting, facebooking, twittering, etc) and driving has become the leading cause of fatal vehicle accidents among teenagers. I'm pretty sure it was in both instances, someone in the teenager's car dies and/or the person they hit dies. I know I saw it on my local news' facebook page fairly recently, but I don't remember exactly when, so I can't find it without doing some serious digging.

Actually, we recently had a local highschool girl post a facebook status that said "Facebooking and driving is dangerous, HA!" ...which only made the news because she was dead 6 minutes later, after drifting into an oncoming tractor trailer, mid-text message. It's definitely sad, and extremely unfortunate, but hopefully at least her friends and family will learn to think twice before picking up their phones while driving from now on.

I admit, I still yell "GET OFF THE PHONE!" from my car and my scooter, just to make myself feel better I think, because I know most people are never going to learn until something bad happens.

...Like the guy that totaled my Sentra, with his BRAND NEW SUV that he was just bringing home from the dealership! Talk about upside-down on a car loan, the front end of that huge sucker was GONE minutes after he signed the papers for it! Oopsie-poopsies!

[skully93]

A friend of mine just reminded me of the fact that I should just let people do whatever stupid crap they want to, and it tends to be a self-solving issue.

Plus, mouthing off (as I am wont to do) sooner or later I'll just run into someone willing to push the issue farther than necessary.

Remember to think it INSIDE .

[LunaP]

I too have given up. when I see people in full gear sans helmet, I smile and say "nice helmet!" and leave it at that.

However, while being a passenger in my wife's truck, I WILL tell people to stop texting/driving (Illegal here in CO, but we don't have helmet laws). I'll roll that window right down and say 'HEY! TEXT WHEN YOU GET THERE!"

I've been rear-ended twice by someone texting. fortunately it was in my car and no injury was sustained, but that would likely be different on Yoda.

But, I am an aging punk-rocker, and also an a**hole.

I don't think you're an a-hole for doing that. And it sounds to me like it means you haven't given up totally, either. Scary to me your state has no helmet law but has banned cels... I love legislators/politics... (jk)

Well, that's kinda life. I mean- are there forums for SUV drivers that complain about how some dude texting on his phone while driving his Hummer makes them look bad? Somehow I doubt it.

Sometimes I wish there were. Especially after last night, when an SUV changed lanes without signaling as I was about to pass them, almost killing me. I pulled next to them at the light and saw they were on the phone. I wave at them and gently remind them to focus on the road rather than their phone (which is illegal to be on to begin with) and all I got were insults and slurs thrown at me for calling them out.

Haha, I've been there a few times. I'm sure we all have! But my point is that a forum of SUV drivers complaining about the person who almost ran you off the road last night wouldn't help the problem. I think what you did was good, despite the reaction you received. After the insults maybe the driver will actually think about what it would have been like if (s)he'd run you over and killed you. And maybe that will help change the behavior. But a bunch of other SUV'ers complaining on the Internet about it most certainly won't do much practical good!

I agree, I'm glad you did that, Lokky. And I am sure you are right, Jmazza. Most people are NOT apologetic when they get called out like that on the road- the road is just as anonymous as the internet, so a lot of people feel no remorse about expressing their frustration or total embarrassment at getting put on front street for doing something dumb and dangerous by reacting like assholes. It's like venting. That's why half the time if you lay on your horn at somebody they'll honk back, even though any logical person would know they were wrong... they're just honking to honk.

[skully93]

eh, I am kind of a jerk. I don't mean to be, but a good friend has always called me on this:

I do nice things expecting people to follow suit, and then I give myself a stroke going off about why.

Really I need to do nice things for the sake of doing it, and not care if others are thankful.

it really does bother me when I see people with no helmet, or in just a tank top and a small lid with sandals. Why? because I don't want to see them hurt. I would love to ride in only shorts otherwise .

One of my coworkers was put in permanent debilitating pain a couple of months ago by a woman who rear-ended her, while texting. This is her 2nd offense of doing so. that, my accident, and Luna's...prolly have me fired up.

/rant: I really want people to be pretty free and open, but I realize not everyone makes intelligent decisions (don't we all do dumb things sometimes?). Laws can help, but are mostly ignored./rant.