When bias/prejudice slaps you in the face

[WhatATreat]

Great stories!

My karate instructor always used to tell us that if we needed help and the only 2 choices were a big, scary looking biker and a clean-cut, conservative looking guy in a suit to go for the biker.

Also, there used to be a young guy who worked at our local pet store who was covered in tattoos and piercings. He was the sweetest, most polite and helpful employee that I've encountered at any store - and I told the manager so!

 

[keetmommy]

My daughter has multiple brain tumors...when she was first diagnosed a local group came to us and said they wanted to do a ride for her. This group of bikers does a ride for a local child who has a brain tumor every year because one of the guys wife died of a brain tumor years ago. It was the most amazing experience we have ever been in. Nothing like sitting in a side car with a mile of bikes following you (this year was an amazingly beautiful day and they had at least 2 miles of bikes) it was one of the most amazing days we have had in our lives. They are all wonderful people who still today stop and see Em on their bikes.

 

[snapppyd]

Wanted to bump this up, wonderful stories!

I remember going into a new shop for a haircut and the girl who was going to cut my hair was covered in tattoos and piercings. I was sure I'd be coming out with a mohawk or something

Well, she gave me the best haircut ever. She has moved to another state and I've never found anyone who is as good. You really can't judge people based on looks. It also works in reverse, my DH and I are middle-aged and no one can believe we love Green Day!

 

[PatsMom]

My step daughter and her husband own a body piercing and tattoo parlor. They both have quite a few piercings and tattoos. And they ride motorcycles. They are two of the nicest people you are ever going to meet. And great parents to my three year old grandson. Step daughter and I go out to dinner and shopping once a week. It sucks that the security at our local Target isn't even discreet about following her around the store. And it is worse when she doesn't have her son with her.

 

[sparklynails23]

As a kid in the seventies, I remember an encounter with a biker. We were at our small town gas station and a big group of Harleys pulled in. In that era, there were scary stories about Hell's Angels on the news. My sisters and I were cowering in the car, and as my mom headed back from paying in the station, one of the scary, leather clad, hairy bikers was approaching her. She looked scared for a second, then gave the guy a big hug. It was her cousin, a professional, educated guy. Funny.

 

[dngnb8]

Most bikers have an odd sense of honor and law. The image we have are 1% of the biker pop. Some even have 1% on their leathers to communicate they are the bad dudes.

Even they have a code of ethics. Its a very interesting culture. I compare it to Klingon LOL

 

[horseshowmom]

When the biker groups across the country started silently surrounding the idiot, soldier funeral protesting groups they forever earned a hero's place in my realm of thinking.

I hadn't heard about them doing this. Good for them, someone needs to be able to handle that creep and his followers.

I didn't know about this either. Kudos to them for sure!

 

[Jeniferdwn]

I have spent many weeks in the middle of bike rallies in Myrtle Beach SC. I have never felt afraid or worried. They are, usually very nice people. There is an unwritten rule around here, you don't mess with another bikers bike or his wife. My DH told me that years ago. I have different "types" of bikers at my house all the time and I've never worried about my kids safety with these guys, even if I didn't know them too well. Of course there are some that are bad like any other group of people and there are those that get "stupid" when they are drinking and partying, but that's not usually the norm. I love my big leather wearing, chain wearing, tattooed dh!

oh, and i agree with the fundraisers and such. A group in our town started a biker church on Sunday afternoons. You were asked to come just like you were, on bikes, with boots, chains, leather, tattoos, etc. They usually had a huge turnout.

 

[AustinTink]

My Father-in-law is a Purple Heart Vietnam veteran. He has a custom license plate with a purple heart on it. One day as he drove a long stretch of country road on his way to visit us, he found himself with about 8 bikers coming up fast behind him. As the bikers started to surround his car, his first instinct was to reach for his gun, since he's always packing heat.

Before he reached down, he looked around him in amazement as all 8 bikers were saluting him!! He was sincerely touched by the gesture. He saluted them back and they were on their way. Brings a tear to my eye whenever I think about it.

 

[Harley Quinn]

My Father-in-law is a Purple Heart Vietnam veteran. He has a custom license plate with a purple heart on it. One day as he drove a long stretch of country road on his way to visit us, he found himself with about 8 bikers coming up fast behind him. As they bikers started to surround his car, his first instinct was to reach for his gun, since he's always packing heat.

Before he reached down, he looked around him in amazement as all 8 bikers were saluting him!! He was sincerely touched by the gesture. He saluted them back and they were on their way. Brings a tear to my eye whenever I think about it.

Simply beautiful!

 

[MusiqChic99]

I love hearing heartwarming stories.

These threads are always my favorite!

 

[AustinTink]

Simply beautiful!

He loves to tell the story, it warmed his heart.

 

[Leajess99]

We have a huge Bike run at Christmas time every year where the Bikers bring in toys for Toys For Tots. It has gotten bigger every year and is just so awesome to see.

 

[CowboyCO]

Last year, my cousin's daughter, who was 13 and a cancer patient (sarcoma), was escorted along with a bunch of other kids fighting cancer to Camp Rainbow Gold in idaho. CRG is a camp for kids fighting cancer, where they can go and just be kids. They were escorted by over 500 bikers to the camp. My cousin had sold his Harley (not a "biker") to help pay for his daughter's medical treatments. One of the bikers found out that he had to sell his bike to pay for his kid's cancer treatments and loaned him a Harley for the ride. Big, Big Hearts.

 

[hereyago]

My Father-in-law is a Purple Heart Vietnam veteran. He has a custom license plate with a purple heart on it. One day as he drove a long stretch of country road on his way to visit us, he found himself with about 8 bikers coming up fast behind him. As the bikers started to surround his car, his first instinct was to reach for his gun, since he's always packing heat.

Before he reached down, he looked around him in amazement as all 8 bikers were saluting him!! He was sincerely touched by the gesture. He saluted them back and they were on their way. Brings a tear to my eye whenever I think about it.

Loved that story.

As for the packing heat thing: my uncle years ago was a biker and he'd come to our state and I'd ride on his bike, there is no other feeling like that to be on a bike. anyhow, he carried a gun with him as well, he said because there are crazy people. he was one of the best men I have ever known.

 

[staley7580]

My Father-in-law is a Purple Heart Vietnam veteran. He has a custom license plate with a purple heart on it. One day as he drove a long stretch of country road on his way to visit us, he found himself with about 8 bikers coming up fast behind him. As the bikers started to surround his car, his first instinct was to reach for his gun, since he's always packing heat.

Before he reached down, he looked around him in amazement as all 8 bikers were saluting him!! He was sincerely touched by the gesture. He saluted them back and they were on their way. Brings a tear to my eye whenever I think about it.

That made me cry...

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

The biker group my DH used to be involved with would go out and feed the homeless in the inner cities, bring clothing, winter clothes, etc. And they all look rough - beards, tattoos, smoking, etc. It's what they did. They also had toy drives at Christmas.

Unfortunately his arthritis no longer allows him to ride but he still remains friends with many in the group and is welcome whenever they go anywhere.

 

[pilotwife_02]

Great stories, thanks for sharing!

 

[Harley Quinn]

I've loved all these stories so much, thank you all for sharing them.

 

[Evil Genius]

I want to thank you all for sharing your good stories about bikers. Most are truly good hearted people that will do anything for a person whether they know you or not. Yes you get the looks from people and they tend to shy away. It can be hard at times.