h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have a friend who is a motorbike instructor and he says 'I only have one piece of advice about riding pillion on a motorcycle - don't.' The accident figures are horrific - even higher than for motorcycle drivers.

That's pretty hypocritical coming from a motorcycle instructor. Riding a motorcycle at all is a huge risk compared to driving a car, but you accept that you weigh up the pros and cons and make your own decision. It's true that a pillion is at more risk that the rider in case of an accident, but to say that that risk us unacceptable is a matter of opinion. The same can be said for bikers with a saftey gear fixation, I've been talked down to for wearing jeans on my daily commute by people who ride litre sportsbikes on the ragged edge on country roads. That's a risk further than I'm willing to take regardless of what gear I'm wearing, in the same way that they seemingly wouldn't commute without a race-rep one-piece leather suit, but I respect that.

Everyone takes risks every single day for the sake of conveniance, for kicks, or because they're willing to believe the risk is negligable. Just because somebody has a different comfort zone on the risk spectrum is no reason to assume that you are correct and sensible while they're a maniac with a deathwish and that their chosen risk is somehow 'unacceptable'. Even the safest car can end up wrapped round a tree, on fire, with the doors stuck shut. Remember that next time you strap yourself in.