Looking at today's Ride of Remembrance through Woolwich for Lee Rigby it strikes me that on the whole, bikers appear to be more vocal and visible in their support of our Armed Services than the population at large. Am I right? Is it just appearances or is it actually the case? Why do you think it is?
I get the impression that the proportion of armed forces or former armed forces personnel among bikers may be higher than in the general population. There certainly seem to be quite a few on this forum with military connections. Maybe it's that bikers either are/were/know forces types and support the military because of a personal connection.
I think all of the above is true. In my experience bike riders and members of the armed forces share a similar code of ethics and morals - both of which are sadly lacking in a large section of the general population. They have similar views on what is right and the fact that you should always try to have the moral courage to do the right thing. From personal experience I know that the percentage of bike riders in the armed forces is much higher than the general population and therefore there is a stronger, more immediate connection. Conversely, it's also probably true that servicemen make up a high percentage of bike riders than many other professions. I also think bike riders have a much better understanding of respect - and I mean the dictionary definition, not the yoof-speak "rispeck, innit" version.
All this stuff about 'moral courage' and 'respect' is hogwash. The sort of people who join the armed forces are not timid, home-loving, disabled, risk-averse pacifists; they are characters who are attracted when young to an active life of travel and risk. Much the same sort of people who are attracted to bikes. The correlation is easily explicable.
Never had the courage to serve and I have the highest respect for anybody who has or indeed continues to serve in the armed forces. If they ride a bike too, all the better
I don't think that is the full explanation. Many of the people I know in the forces joined at a young age because they were attracted by the structure, the discipline, and the potential sense of belonging which they were lacking in their family lives. You might say that bikers clubs and associations offer the same kind of things - particularly the patch clubs and custom/cruiser/chrome groups who seem to be particularly visible in their support.
@Pete1950 and finm... Sorry, I didn't realise that my three decades of experience counted for so little, my apologies. Pete, when you've served 32 years feel free to call it "hogwash" but until then... Why people join up, and what they learn after that point are two completely differnt things. Fin, by suggesting that sort of thing, you do belittle it.
?? This post seems wholly unconnected with previous posts in this thread. For the record, no-one has ever suggested that your experience "counted for so little", least of all me. Nor have I ever "belittled" anyone's service in the armed forces. So what the fuck are you talking about?
rubbish! chill out. i am from army stock and have a wee understanding o what is going on. would i join in if there was a run out yes. would i jump on a train travel 100mlas. no. read between the lines.
If you sign up to a life which has a large physical quotient, is potentially risky and is lived often outdoors, it is not that surprising that your hobby might be physical, risky and outdoors. I am pretty sure that people who ride motorcycles are less risk adverse than the rest of the population in general. I also bet that there are proportionally more smokers among motorcyclists than in the general population. Bikers do have a sort of "devil may care" attitude towards life. Not all of them obviously, but I bet they over-index strongly in this area. If you wanted a quiet, risk-free, comfortable life, you probably wouldn't join the services. A part of your reason might be challenge and pushing your personal boundaries. I think that biking also offers challenge and boundary-pushing, maybe not to quite the same extent as dealing with incoming ordnance, but all the same.
Most of my school mates joined the navy because they wanted a nice, easy going custhy life travelling the world where their biggest risk was giving the Mrs herpes. It hasn't changed.
I'm sure the people who stood with me in the military cemetary at San Carlos two days ago for the Landing Day Memorial Service, reading the names of their friends engraved on the wall, would disagree.
"All this stuff about 'moral courage' and 'respect' is hogwash..." That is the connection - your reply to my post - and that is what I'm talking about. I think the length of time that I have actually been in the forces gives me a better understanding of this subject. I would also say that your assesment that my opinion is "hogwash" would suggest that you think it doesn't count for much. You obviously disagree...
all this reminds me of another post on another forum, bitching about who donated the most towards a particular charity, its bollox.. we all care by the way.
Interesting. I would say that when some of my classmates joined up in 77 or 79 they probably did think that it was a cushy life cruising the world (in the Navy). It was certainly how it was sold.i always suspected that for many it was a way of continuing school with orders and a regimented life. Little did they know that the Falklands War was about to come out of the blue although for those in the Army a tour of NI was always on the cards though that wasn't exactly the same thing.
I signed up to do manly work and not end up stuck in an office becoming stressed over empty toner cartridges and tie patterns. All the lumber jack jobs were taken,
Exactly as glidd says. Live and brought up in a navy town, with some army until mid 80's but not many. The recruitment wasn't 'your country needs you' or 'think not what your country can do for you..' It was very much bed, board, travel, excitement, career, pension etc. in the 80's the risk of war actually seemed far less likely to happen, except nuclear which wasn't likely, and another Falklands didn't look likely. Then E Europe broke up, the middle east kicked off, and what was a very slim chance of frontline action became a real chance. If you join up today, I think the expectation is very different to if you joined up then.
