Indeed. I think "the wave" has at least something to do with it. I think it keeps you in a friendly frame of mind towards other bikers. Some of the guys I occasionally ride with in the PGR would probably scare off most folks, but they tend to be some of the most generous, and genuinely kind folks I've ever met. The turn outs we get for 'toy runs' and similar charities in this area are astounding.
Too true.
I’m as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs in “normal people crowds” but totally comfortable amongst thousands of bikers on a run.
One summer, a *huge* clubber I didn’t even know noticed that I was getting heat exhaustion whilst sitting in the infield of the local dirt track races and he stayed where I was sitting, making shade for me with his gigantic body.
He must’ve stood motionless for two hours until hubby came back.
You can’t get kindness like that anywhere else.
That’s just a one story out of dozens I could tell, where “scary bad guys” kept me safe, even though they didn’t know me.
Have you heard of BACA, yet?
God bless them all.