Very polite post. I'll attempt to reply in kind, then we can continue any further dialogue via PM, so as to not clutter this thread. Fair?
To answer your questions:
-I have no idea where this happened. Don't care.
-I find it "objectionable" when people who drive an open-air vehicle at highway speeds are genuinely surprised when road hazards are encountered, the road hazards (coupled with their open-air vehicle) cause a disproportionately larger accident than would've been caused by an enclosed vehicle in the same scenario, that larger accident now involves many other vehicles and people, and the primary responses involve shifting the blame to someone or something else.
Motorcyclists choose to ride motorcycles. No roll cages, no "crumple-zones", seatbelts, airbags, and rarely any useful windshields. They are harder to see, quicker to accelerate, quicker to slow-down, and quicker to transit to/from a car/truck's blind-spot than a car or truck. Motorcycles on a road with cars and trucks brings more risk for both the riders and the drivers. We all "get" to share that risk, even though us "cagers" aren't riding a motorcycle.
- That dog could've been a stray. Does it really matter? The rider should've been more observant. If you can't see something like that in time, then slow down for the environment, or accept that risk. If you can't swerve or brake for something like that, then slow down, or accept the risk. Obviously the motorcyclist doesn't have the option to simply run it over, like a car or truck does. So the motorcyclist should either slow down, or accept the risk. However, they "accepted the risk" and proceeded to share it all over the highway causing the incoming truck driver to have to swerve to avoid killing one of the riders. There's that forced "shared risk" again.
The douchebag libtard logic comment was aimed at the guy who wanted to blame the animal or a fictitious owner. Whether the owner was hiding off-road and purposefully released the dog to run across the path of a pack of motorcyclists, or the dog broke out of the yard, or it was a stray: it doesn't matter. The motorcyclist was operating a vehicle less equipped to deal with that kind of road hazard, in a manner that made avoiding that hazard even less likely, and then one of his fellow rider's reactions was to stand there and shift blame like a drama queen instead of administering first aid or doing something useful.
I'm retired military. I've earned my "grumpy old(er) man" quirks. I don't like irresponsible drivers, regardless of the vehicle. I don't mind drivers using their vehicle within their skill-level, as long as it doesn't impact other folks. So to me, the "speeding" isn't an issue, unless the driver doesn't have the skills to handle it.
A long reply. Not intended to offend. Hopefully received as a polite response.
Now back to cool pictures... fellas, I appreciate the "pass" to allow me to reply to his questions.
