Topic: Rant - Lady riders not welcome

[Terry in Australia]

Well I understand what Pastor Thompson was thinking Hope. You see, girls smell, and have cooties.

Like has been said above, there are christians, and there are christians. Personally, even though I'm a christian, I'd much rather ride with motorcycle people, regardless of their religion. I couldn't give a rats ass whether I ride with Bhuddists, Hindu's, Jews or Muslims, as long as they ride because they love to ride, and don't try to shove their religion down my throat, then they're welcome.

Girls, on the other hand, have germs.............. 

[cleveland]

Girls, on the other hand, have germs.............. 

Mmmmmmmm, germs. 

[Raul CB750K1]

No bid deal Hope, you just wanted to join a "boys only" activity without knowing it. The first guys referred to the pastor so they didn't have to be the ones to put you down. The pastor asked you those questions trying to rule you out for that reason, but at the end he had to turn you down.

Now imagine the situation. Tommy is riding with the boys of the church. His wife Peggy is begging him to ride with him "I'm sorry honey, it is a guys' only activity" "But Tommy, I hate knitting" "I know, but that's the women activity programmed for today". How would Tommy feel if his wife has to stay at the church while another woman is allow to ride?


Probably they would let you ride with them in any other day.

[CrisPDuk]

Now imagine the situation. Tommy is riding with the boys of the church. His wife Peggy is begging him to ride with him "I'm sorry honey, it is a guys' only activity" "But Tommy, I hate knitting" "I know, but that's the women activity programmed for today". How would Tommy feel if his wife has to stay at the church while another woman is allow to ride?


Probably they would let you ride with them in any other day.

Look at it this way Hope, any guy with an attitude like that ain't worth riding with anyway

His wife should be home fixing dinner, not sat around gossiping all day

[333]

There could be another explanation.  And it's not so far fetched in this day and age.  The reason may be that they don't like women(nudge nudge, wink wink).  I am just guessing, of course, but it wouldn't surprise me if that's what it is.  And it wouldn't be the first time a man of the cloth prefered the company of other men.

[cafe75-550]

I'm with Hope on this one.

The good pastor could easily have explained that this particular activity was a "boy's ride," or a "men's retreat" or a "male refuge ride" or an "infantile male ego reality escape ride" or whatever, and had it make sense without being offensive, since he likely commands a decent handle on the english language.

He asked all those questions and then pointed out that the women were back at the church because he was trying to make another point, namely, he doesn't think the proper place for a woman is on a motorcycle. Otherwise, he could have pointed Hope in the direction of the ladies ride, instead of the sewing circle.

[starion88esir]

Welcome to the church

[dustyc]

Meanwhile back at the church, the ladies were having a hard time tactfully telling a young man he can't help them make their quilt.

[Raul CB750K1]

Meanwhile back at the church, the ladies were having a hard time tactfully telling a young man he can't help them make their quilt.

The mere thought of this happening made me roll on the floor with laughter!!!!!

Maybe the problem lies in the fact that women want to join our male activities, while we respectfully leave them alone in their comraderie? Then we have to blame Hope for trying to break the group's peaceful encounter by pretending them to break their foundation rules and join them.


Now in a more serious note, I have never asked any ride group to join in, nor I enjoy much group riding. It's more tense because you have to either ride beyond your ability to keep the pace, or get bored to wait for the slower ones. Sure enough, everybody will tell you to ride your own pace, not to override your ability. Then, after a few yards, it won't be a group ride anymore because there would be enough distance between riders to consider it several individual rides happening at almost the same time. For doing that I rather ride alone and meet the rest of the people somewhere along the road for a coffee.

[Hope]

I guess you could say the gist of my post is that I didn't expect it to be a big deal.  I have been asked by others to ride with them.  I have accepted offers, and I have turned down offers, depending on my mood or destination.  I am not in the habit of stopping and asking to ride along with others, but I decided to stop on a whim.  I really didn't expect the line of questioning that occurred.  If it was a men's fellowship, then that could have been stated initially when I first asked to ride.  Why question me about my name, my church attendance, or whether or not I am a Christian.  Just tell me that it's a men's fellowship and be done with it.  I personally felt that it was a little awkward and tense to be questioned as I was, then be told "no, you can't ride."

Given the same situation, with any other group of bikers, would you have answered all those questions?  Would you have felt that maybe you just stumbled upon a bike gang and that you had just worked your way into some sort of initiation if you were asked a series of questions before their determination of whether you could or could not ride?

Why the line of questioning if the answer was going to be the same?  Just for kicks?  To try to humiliate me?   To find an "out" that they could use as an excuse to tell me that I could not ride?

[DammitDan]

To find an "out" that they could use as an excuse to tell me that I could not ride?

And bingo was his name-o 

[333]

"
Why the line of questioning if the answer was going to be the same?  Just for kicks?  To try to humiliate me?   To find an "out" that they could use as an excuse to tell me that I could not ride?

Make my theory that much more plausable!

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

You could've just told him you ride with Jesus and not a chauvinistic arrogant #$%* hypocrite preacher. Key term here is hypocrite.

I don't have a problem riding with a female. I do have a problem riding with someone who's style or abilities limit my day's ride however. My wife decided to take a motorcycle course this spring simply because our female neighbor decided to. I was/am totally against it. She scares the #$%* out of me driving her car. She does not have the necessary attention to ride a scooter. We have a 10 year old daughter that needs her mother. I wouldn't want to be on a bike anywhere near her. I value MY life too and our daughter needs her father too. I almost bit it once in '92 already. She had the training bike on top of her 3 times in the parking lot during the course and still thought she should ride. She finally decided it wasn't for her this summer when she looked out her window at work and saw a car pull out in front of a bike with 2 people up and they T boned the car. She thought they both died but luckily enough that wasn't the case.    

[DammitDan]

She finally decided it wasn't for her this summer when she looked out her window at work and saw a car pull out in front of a bike with 2 people up and they T boned the car. She thought they both died but luckily enough that wasn't the case.     

Scary stuff...  Bad omen.  Thankfully she listened to it. 

I have a sister who's the same way.  She wants to learn how to ride, but she can't drive for #$%* (although she enjoys telling other people how to drive).  I conveniently "forgot" to tell her I was selling my CB650 before it was sold...  She was hoping that I would give it to her as a first bike.

"Oops, sorry Jessica!  It's already been sold! Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't even think you liked it!"   

[medic09]

I guess you could say the gist of my post is that I didn't expect it to be a big deal.  I have been asked by others to ride with them.  I have accepted offers, and I have turned down offers, depending on my mood or destination.  I am not in the habit of stopping and asking to ride along with others, but I decided to stop on a whim.  I really didn't expect the line of questioning that occurred.  If it was a men's fellowship, then that could have been stated initially when I first asked to ride.  Why question me about my name, my church attendance, or whether or not I am a Christian.  Just tell me that it's a men's fellowship and be done with it.  I personally felt that it was a little awkward and tense to be questioned as I was, then be told "no, you can't ride."

Given the same situation, with any other group of bikers, would you have answered all those questions?  Would you have felt that maybe you just stumbled upon a bike gang and that you had just worked your way into some sort of initiation if you were asked a series of questions before their determination of whether you could or could not ride?

Why the line of questioning if the answer was going to be the same?  Just for kicks?  To try to humiliate me?   To find an "out" that they could use as an excuse to tell me that I could not ride?

Okay, I glossed right over the third-degree grilling part of this the first time.  I apologize.  I can't speak to what's 'Christian behaviour', but I'll take a stab at common decency.  He could have given you a straight answer and that would have been it.  You were right on this one.

BTW, *were* you wearing that t-shirt?  I'm half-afraid my wife will see that post and want one!    She does ride her own bike...

[Hope]

No, I was not wearing that t-shirt.  Too many bugs in Louisiana to go sleeveless while riding....  yuck!  (see this post: http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=26257.0)