Solitude/Isolation vs. People/Cagers?

[JeffOlson]

Which do you prefer?

As I age, I find that I am less and less tolerant of people and that I much prefer the company of my Labrador Retrievers to all but a few humans. I find this is especially true when I ride my Norge (MG content) or Vespa (cousin of MG) around other people (cagers) on, well, public roads. I do love my wife, children, parents, and other family members as well as one or two other people, but...

Today, I met my wife and my mother at Chez José for lunch. I parked my Norge in the center of a lined parking spot. The first bothersome cager pulled up next to my Norge in his pickup truck, straddling the line, half-way into my space and very close to the Norge's right pannier. The second bothersome cager replaced him with a battered minivan inches away from the Norge's right pannier. I don't know how he or she got out of the minivan without slamming the driver's door into my bike, but I saw no marks on it when I came out of the restaurant, geared up, and left.

Then, of course, I had to ride a few miles back to work, dodging more idiot cagers.

Bah! Humbug!

Is is just me? Is it just my age? I am looking forward to being back on the farm tonight, where the nearest neighbor is far away...

[canuguzzi]

I find myself cherishing those close to me more and others much less. I'd rather spend a day on the Norge or figuring out a farkle for it (I have a box full now) in peace and quiet than being anywhere near a store, crowds or those who look at you and start with that "excuse me..." knowing what comes next is some story for a handout.

The longer you are alive the less time you have for nonessentials including things you don't care about.

True about the dogs, mine are cats but not owned by me, free spirits that come around when they care to but earn their keep managing rodents. Vocal about their food but once getting that, are happy to go on patrol.

Spent too many years dealing with the worst of society who take from others and think everyone else ought to roll over and take it  to bother with any resemblance now.

[willowstreetguzziguy]

People get upset with other people primarily because they expect good behavior and/or respect. As I get older, I expect people to behave badly. I expect the driver to pull into my lane. I expect the driver not to stop at the stop sign. I expect people to not see me when I ride!!! And I respond accordingly.

 I also gave up on trying to teach drivers a lesson... As in yelling at them, cutting them off because they cut me off. Spit into the wind if you think someone is going to change just because you yelled at them.

Expect the worst and you'll never be fooled. Vengeance is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

[JeffOlson]

Expect the worst and you'll never be fooled. Vengeance is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

Yep!

[willowstreetguzziguy]

For example, this just happened about an hour ago. I was expecting some paints shipped to my door and because of the extremely cold weather I put a sign on my front storm door saying "please ring doorbell when delivered ". Yesterday as I looked out front the UPS driver was actually putting the boxes on my front porch and jokingly rang the doorbell because he saw my note. I took the Note away and today I was expecting another shipment of paint and it's just as cold outside today. I looked outside once again and the boxes of paint were delivered but no doorbell was rung. Was I surprised or upset? No because I expected that to happen!!!

[centauro]

People get upset with other people primarily because they expect good behavior and/or respect. As I get older, I expect people to behave badly. I expect the driver to pull into my lane. I expect the driver not to stop at the stop sign. I expect people to not see me when I ride!!! And I respond accordingly.

 I also gave up on trying to teach drivers a lesson... As in yelling at them, cutting them off because they cut me off. Spit into the wind if you think someone is going to change just because you yelled at them.

Expect the worst and you'll never be fooled. Vengeance is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

Yours are truly pearls of wisdom, my friend!
I am almost your same age, and, by now, nothing, and I mean NOTHING that other people say or do bother me anymore.... As the old saying from the Good Book tells us, "there is nothing new under the sun"....
May we all live long and ride!

VB

[lucian]

Dogs rule. What person in the world would you let lick your face after they just licked their 

[canuguzzi]

I expect the best, plan for the worst and if delivery is not up to expectations have no problem explaining it to the other side of things. After all, if I do not value my own time, efforts or whatever there is, why would anyone else?

[Arizona Wayne]

Sorry, but I'm not as depressed as you guys are. Maybe it's because we live 15 miles from town and it's not a metropolis.  In town most everyone is friendly.  Yeah, there are a few A-holes you run into but I don't get that upset about their presents and I'm 73.   Most the drivers around here are more defensive than I prefer, but that's my only gripe.

But it's true, if my neighbors or whoever isn't a MC enthusiast, I have better things to do.  But I've never been 1 to be real social and prefer solo riding anyway.  It's just that if someone and I don't really have much in common, I'm not interested in carrying on a conversation for long.  I'm sure this world internet has something to do with my attitude now.    I don't see it as a negative, tho.  It's normal for a person to prefer to be with their own kind.

[Rough Edge racing]

 I live in a rural area and most people/drivers seem to be are courteous as they need to be... Dogs? too many dogs that bark constantly while their owners ignore them.

[Sasquatch Jim]

  If you have no expectations, you will receive no disappointments.  As for those who crowd your parking space,
 Just key them and get on with life. Eventually they will begin parking in their own space out of self defense.
 If the offending vehicle is a ratty scratched up old thing, just drop a caltrop and toe it under their tire on the side away from the driver.

[rocker59]

Last week, a 30-something co-worker mentioned he'd really like to go to Times Square for New Year's Eve sometime.

I told him that was the exact opposite of what I'd like to do for New Year's Eve, which is to be in a cabin in the mountains in New Mexico.

People suck.  The less time I can spend around big groups of them, the better I feel.

[swordds]

Come guys, you sound like a bunch of old cromudgeons (spelling?). I have no friends and only very few but distant relatives, but still I try to tell myself "lighten-up" and cut others some slack. Remember how to play the glad game and what Lincoln said "If you look for the bad in others, expecting to find it, you shurley will" (from Pollyanna).

[rocker59]

  Lincoln said "If you look for the bad in others, expecting to find it, you shurley will" (from Pollyanna).

and you'll never be disappointed !!!   

[Scud]

Come guys, you sound like a bunch of old cromudgeons (spelling?).

I like this mash-up of Cro-Magnon and Curmudgeon.

[blackcat]

Last week, a 30-something co-worker mentioned he'd really like to go to Times Square for New Year's Eve sometime.

I lived in NYC most of my life and it was the last place I wanted to be on NYEve.

[lucydad]

Jeff,

I hear you man, I really do.  Perhaps you are simply a natural introvert?  Crowds drain you and alone time necessary for mental health? 
Since retirement I interact with fewer people.  The ones I do socialize with, mostly it is by choice.  I relish alone time with the poodles, on my motorcycle or bicycle, or just reading.  When we lived in Tunis, Tunisia; the crowded city, and incessant social and business contacts about drove me wacko.  My wife, by comparison, is a flaming extravert. So is my oldest daughter.  My youngest daughter is more like myself.  Both live in NYC. 

However, I believe socialization is very healthy, especially for men.  I culture a select group of real, face to face friends here in the Houston area. Another great friend will be in town next Monday, flying from Anchorage, AK for a doctor appointment.  Tonight Ms. LD and I are having dinner with other old friends dating back nearly 40 years. 

Hey, ride to Sugar Land.  Plenty of room to park your bike in the new house third garage (inspection today, close in a week).  I will fire up the new outdoor kitchen grill and mix a Tiki Bar drink, or your favorite scotch or beer.  We can debate the merits of the Triumph chain drive versus the Guzzi shaft. 

Oooh, sun just peeked out.  Have to get to hardware store this morning, take the poodles for a walk, and generally do the retired gentleman-wonk duty. 

[ponti_33609]

Interesting commentary.

We live in down-town Tampa.  Not a large city at all, maybe a dozen or so 20-40 story buildings (we both worked in down-town Boston for years and lived just outside which to us was a medium sized city in comparison)  We are both introverted but actually like all the noise traffic and day-to-day commotion.  Sirens and helicopters at night is an acquired taste and when we travel we often have trouble sleeping if it is too quiet.

This being said we do not like to socialize with strangers on the street but do like the fact that they are there.  Everyone is different and enjoy reading all the different views.

[MGPilot]

But, note there is a fundamental personality difference in that some people are energized by crowds, others are drained.

If you guys were energized by crowds, you'd be on a site where you're planning your next group/club ride....not planning your next solo ride.

I think a lot of people only marginally cope with society. They're a whole lot more suited for a different life. Even a lot of "bad" behavior on the freeway is just someone who can't cope and not only didn't plan for the upcoming exit but is in terror if they miss it (omg omg omg omg omg omg)--so they dive across multiple lanes.

I just assume I'm invisible and try not to let them take me with them.

[JeffOlson]

Jeff,

I hear you man, I really do.  Perhaps you are simply a natural introvert?  Crowds drain you and alone time necessary for mental health? 
Since retirement I interact with fewer people.  The ones I do socialize with, mostly it is by choice.  I relish alone time with the poodles, on my motorcycle or bicycle, or just reading.  When we lived in Tunis, Tunisia; the crowded city, and incessant social and business contacts about drove me wacko.  My wife, by comparison, is a flaming extravert. So is my oldest daughter.  My youngest daughter is more like myself.  Both live in NYC. 

However, I believe socialization is very healthy, especially for men.  I culture a select group of real, face to face friends here in the Houston area. Another great friend will be in town next Monday, flying from Anchorage, AK for a doctor appointment.  Tonight Ms. LD and I are having dinner with other old friends dating back nearly 40 years. 

Hey, ride to Sugar Land.  Plenty of room to park your bike in the new house third garage (inspection today, close in a week).  I will fire up the new outdoor kitchen grill and mix a Tiki Bar drink, or your favorite scotch or beer.  We can debate the merits of the Triumph chain drive versus the Guzzi shaft. 

Oooh, sun just peeked out.  Have to get to hardware store this morning, take the poodles for a walk, and generally do the retired gentleman-wonk duty.

That is kind invitation. I may take you up on it in the future. My wife is from the Republic of Texas; she still has mucho family there. We will surely be down there again this year or next!

[oldbike54]

 So none of you guys ever attend a camp out or Guzzi breakfast ?

  Dusty

[ponti_33609]

So none of you guys ever attend a camp out or Guzzi breakfast ?

  Dusty

Hmm....once or twice.  Not really my thing although I did enjoy meeting several I chat with here.  I feel like I am an outsider to most here despite having been a Guzzi owner (2 bikes) for about the past 12 years.  Prob not the typical Guzzi owner and have odd/varied interest (8K's, Tennis, Golf, Tandem Bicycling, Mountain Bicycling and because I am still working we try and squeeze these in every weekend......so you see many get left out on any given weekend but typically get 3 fitted in). 

[oldbike54]

Hmm....once or twice.  Not really my thing although I did enjoy meeting several I chat with here.  I feel like I am an outsider to most here despite having been a Guzzi owner (2 bikes) for about the past 12 years.  Prob not the typical Guzzi owner and have odd/varied interest (8K's, Tennis, Golf, Tandem Bicycling, Mountain Bicycling and because I am still working we try and squeeze these in every weekend......so you see many get left out on any given weekend but typically get 3 fitted in).

 I get that . My point is this . There is a difference between not liking crowds , and not liking people . Many of us have varied interests , airplanes , music , literature . Heck , paleontology fascinates me , as does physics , although the math eludes me in the latter 

  Dusty

[56Pan]

Hmm....once or twice.  Not really my thing although I did enjoy meeting several I chat with here.  I feel like I am an outsider to most here despite having been a Guzzi owner (2 bikes) for about the past 12 years.  Prob not the typical Guzzi owner and have odd/varied interest (8K's, Tennis, Golf, Tandem Bicycling, Mountain Bicycling and because I am still working we try and squeeze these in every weekend......so you see many get left out on any given weekend but typically get 3 fitted in).

What are 8K's?

[Nic in Western NYS]

Heavy topic.  As I (hopefully) continue aging, I want to seek out new people and experiences more not less.

At a young age, I was an old entitled white guy.  Now I'm old and quite white, and very blessed, but more understanding of just how entitled I have felt and how outrageous that sense of entitlement has been.  I am owed nothing, owe much, and am indebted to those who came before me, including those who dug the canals, picked the cotton, harvested the vegetables, and died young for the privilege. 

My motorcycling used to be long solo trips, it's now finding a way to have the motorcycle get me somewhere I was going anyway. I don't want to be away from my wife and kids unless i have to.  As I said, very blessed.  No judgments intended, YMMV, my experiences don't pertain to anyone else.  Nic

[Guzzistajohn]

I hear you man,


If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.
 - Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar


Read below 

[dlapierre]

I'm with Nic.

[ponti_33609]

What are 8K's?

running...... ~5-mile races

[Arizona Wayne]

So none of you guys ever attend a camp out or Guzzi breakfast ?

  Dusty

Not so, Dusty.   If the breakfast is within my riding range, I'll be there.  I attend at least 2 MGNOC rallies every year.  This year it will be the National and New Mexico rallies.  I love to mingle with  other bikers of same brand rides, but we are somewhat isolated in our location too.  I've met Guzzisti from all over the US and some other countries over the years.  In fact I've put on biker breakfasts and rallies in the past. 

[Shorty]

I like people individually. Get em in a pack, a crowd, a tribe, I begin to see stereotypes I don't care for. Then I'm outta there. Sturgis?  N.F'n.W. At rallies or events, I seek out those I know. I might compliment a stranger on his or her bike. After visiting, I'm off to the edge of the mob, then outta there.