I had a tough time to make my parents understand in the initial days. But later on with my short trip to long ones, they started understanding. They dont stop me, but get bit worried when am on a tour. They do understand & let me go with some valuable words of caution. Specially, out there on my leh trip I had a battle of my life It took around 20 days to convince them. I understand, they aren't wrong on their part too. They are just doing their role - Caring for us. So takes time for them to digest the idea of 'having-fun-on-bike'. They where going crazy when I couldnt call them for 2-3 days while in Himalayas & then burst in tears on phone when I could call up. But with time, they have started to get convinced & appreciate the joy involved on bikes. Their excitement could not be measured when they saw the pix & they felt proud when an article got published in Times of India about my leh trip. Even the article had few words about them about - how they where not getting convinced & later how they understood my importance for this trip. My dad proudly showed it to relatives & neighbors. He feels very respectful when the others appreciate or get shocked to read about the journey.
But that tour was the important one & turning point in my life. Now there is no problem at all. They are sure, that I will call them up on most of the pit-stops I make. They feel safe, when they see me in safety gears. My dad insist upon getting my bike fixed ASAP, if any problem comes up. I always assure them - 'trust me & I will promise I return back in one piece with that trust'
Even I respect their worry & trust & hence try to ride safely in every possible way.
Thanks for such wonderful parents..!!

Stiff opposition from parents about biking

First off, I'm 19 years old and learning engineering in Pune. Obviously, I live with my parents and it is they who have bought me my bike and pay for fuel expenses.

Short story, my dad is completely against biking in India. Every time I tell them that I'm going for a ride, either out of Pune, or just on the highway nearby, he gets upset and starts insisting that the situation on our roads does not favor biking. Since he's been to many European countries frequently, he keeps comparing driver awareness and road quality between their nations and ours. He insists that even though I am a relatively good biker, with a lot of regard for road rules and laws, many people in India have an utter disregard for laws and end up driving recklessly on the roads (and that I can ensure my safety only on my part, not on the part of the other person who can crash into me). Dad is of the opinion that I do not understand/realize any of the risks associated with biking, nor the grievous injury or death, that can follow. I don't think that's very true. (his thinking might stem from the fact that in my 10000 km biking experience, I've never had anything more than a few falls from a stationary bike, never while in motion).

While I agree on the above points, I am also very passionate about biking. Dad has recently bought me a CBR250R against his wishes, simply because my mom was on my side. Now, mom keeps emotionally blackmailing me that since I've got my bike because of her, I cannot go outside of Pune, especially if the roads are even slightly wet. They are of the opinion that even a bike like the CBR slips very quickly on a wet road, and that I should not take the risk. In the wake of this kind of pleading by mom, I feel that I was better off using my brother's old Karizma, which despite its undependable nature, did not carry such emotional baggage.

Unfortunately, I do not have many interests outside of biking. I'm not too interested in engineering either. Which leaves me with a peculiar dilemma. I accept the risks associated with biking in India, simply because I do not want to imagine life without my biking passion. Moreover, I'm not reckless. I do not ride insanely or speed too much. I wear a good quality helmet and wear good riding gear like an Alpinestars jacket. I accept the risk of injury while biking, without wanting that injury either (or God forbid, death). However, I understand, that my parents don't want me to take any such risks. Because of my love and respect for them, I do not go on tours without describing the entire plan.

How do I convince them that I understand the risks but I do everything I can to minimize them? And that they should respect my passion for biking too. I do not want to hide my tours from them, nor do I want to go in defiance of direct instructions to not go far. Until the day I move out into a place of my own, I do not want to stop biking, but I don't want to keep fighting either. If I never take any risk in life, I might never do anything worth living for. I like to always challenge myself and extend my comfort zone.

Thread approved and merged

sunkenpirate
Now if I would have been at your place I would throw this challenge to myself. I think you do the same too. Read on...

During any week end, when the weather is fine, convice your dad to go out with you on a short trip. Ofcourse, you have to handle this very emotionally. Make sure that he too wears the maximum gears possible. If you don't have extra, borrow from your fellow XBHPians. Gather 1 or 2 more riders (not many). Take him through some scenic route. Speed should be such that your dad feels comfortable with. Be very sane while riding. I am sure he would understand. Make the trip as one of his best.

So, there was my personal opnion or challenge. Challenge as you MUST convince your dad to tag along.

@rx100.7050

The problem is that my dad is already convinced a 100% that I ride pretty well. Every time we talk about my biking, he keeps insisting that no one can control how others on the roads behave. That is right to an extent, but he's read one too many story about how riders have died on the road, despite having had full safety gear on.

His favourite argument is, "When you go by car, you have a metal cage around you to protect you in case of an accident. So, for heaven's sake, go by car." He never tells me not to go, or anything about fuel expenses, or the frivolity of wasting time this way when I should supposedly be studying. All he says is, don't go by bike.

Hai Guys
My thing is different!..
Like all parents my parents too stopped me doing long rides on bike. Later I started updating my location every time when I have a pit stop so they are ok with that. while I am on drive I use to get call every one hour. I will update them that I am safe.

The problem happened in the last trip we went to Jog Falls on 13th, 14th and 15th of august (2011). Since 14th was a sunday I went to church in hubli and my friends who came with me didnt have patience to wait till I come. So they left hubli towards Jog Falls and I was late by almost 6 Hrs by the time I reached Jog Falls they Left from there and I dont have any clue concerning their location and it was getting darker and no network to contact them so I went towards Karwar in search of network. The road was very bad. We where ten in no with one car and 3 bikes.
I was behind alone and others where ahead of me and one of the bike met with accident in Honnavar and both the rider and pillon was injured.
Rider's Brand New LS2 Helmet Saved his life.
But pillon had an injury in his hip and because of that we have to stay back and finish his treatment and return back to mumbai.
This incident some how reached my office and now we are banned from going tours on bike.
Still I learnt a lot in this trip.. Soon I will write a trip log on that.

i'm kinda lucky in this case........in early days of my biking wen i got my bike.....my dad never allowed me to ride out of the city......but when he saw me buying safety gears for me....and he saw me pampering my bike.....
he just told me one thing......that son do wat u like.....but don't forget while riding that we r waiting for u at home......so ride safe...
and not to forget that he always supported me financially......i dont know but i'm lucky to have a dad like him.........

My story is also kinda similar,guys. My dad doesn't know how to ride a bike and was skeptical about me riding a bike till I was 18. However, this resulted in growing my interest and love in biking and couldn't wait till I was 18.From the first time I learned to ride a bike(12 or 13 yrs of age) to the day I got my license was the most un-bearable period in my life! I mean, I would be going to school on my Hero jet and some motorcyclist would overtake me and I would be saying in my mind,"wait till the day I get a bike man!". My parents didn't oppose the idea of me taking rent-bikes when I was in 12th. That was how I practiced riding. But my mom knew I was restless and everything and kept on warning me about police checking. But you know what, I lost the thrill of it, after getting drivers license and owning a few motorcycles. Nowadays its all about going places that makes the parents worried about , rather than me riding a bike!
Concerns do change with age, I guess!

Complete and utter nonsense. Yes, by design, cars are safer. But for seasoned defensive bikers, the risk is far lesser. The risk is far more in our cities, than on the highways. Dig up the old stats about accidents happening within 25 miles of home, not 500 miles out.

You are far more at risk by walking in our cities for all it matters.

I cycle about 3000km every year - almost half of it before the sun comes up. That surely makes me a far high target to be killed no? I am here, yet.

Fears are endless - the very existence of life means the constant shadow of death. Its your call - demonstrate maturity and resolve that you know what you're doing and that you're extremely competent with the motorbike. Parents will relent. Or you will become financially/otherwise independent.

One way or the other, its one life to live.

Go Forth.

EDIT: Show him this thread: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ndia-pics.html every possible chance. Show him how even car guys are not infallible and that life is unpredictable.

@hitanshu-

I dare not argue with them on any point as they are insisting that if I even try to talk in favor of biking, they will confiscate my bike and I will have to go everywhere by autorickshaw... I cannot even imagine any worse calamity in my life, so I guess I'll just have to shut up and behave as they deem fit..

Parents disagree on bike needs because they are used to seeing this on streets--

street race chennai - YouTube