Freewheeling Down the Road of Life

By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz, The Observant Jew

Sometimes we say that a person took a turn so fast he did it on two wheels. It’s an exaggeration but it means that he was going at such a high rate of speed that when he turned the corner the car flipped upwards and the two outside tires weren’t touching the ground.

While it most likely isn’t really happening when that expression is used, there are other cases in which drivers actually do make turns on two wheels. In fact, they are on two wheels when they go straight as well. I’m referring, of course, to motorcyclists.

After WWII, many soldiers returning from war sought the adrenaline rush they’d experienced in combat and motorcycling gave it to them. That’s when the era of riding motorcycles truly began in the United States and the 50’s and 60’s were the coming of age for biker culture. While there are many who enjoy the sense of freedom and connection to the outdoors by riding a motorcycle, there are others who take that freedom a step or two too far. They have come to be known as outlaw bikers who often fight, terrorize others, and break the rules.

However, even bikers who are not part of these unruly gangs may appreciate the adrenaline rush of speed mixed with danger that riding a motorcycle can afford them. The mystique of racing down the road with little protection from the elements and less from the pavement can be intoxicating. Some riders even refuse to wear helmets. I saw one of those at the side of the road one day.

He had not spun out and he was not lying on the ground. He was standing next to his parked motorcycle, head hung low, as the rotating lights of a Police cruiser flashed his disgrace for all to see. He had obviously done something illegal and the cop pulled him over.

While moments before he was probably speeding down the road without a care in the world and the wind rushing through his helmetless hair, now he had something to worry about.

Noticing the scene, I realized that the biker bravado was gone and replaced with regret and shame. While not wearing a helmet and speeding, often weaving in and out of traffic and riding between lanes (a practice called “white-lining” because of the white lines between the driving lanes) frequently means that one is unconcerned with the law, and essentially chooses a “freewheeling” lifestyle, once he was pulled over, those thoughts seem to change.

To the Police Officer he is respectful. He doesn’t try to seem threatening or intimidating. In this case, the expression on his face seemed to me like he almost felt foolish for having been careless. The indifferent biker demeanor had been cracked and now he was going to pay for his attitude.

I wonder how many of us resemble that cyclist, speeding through life taking chances and blowing off authority. As long as we’re doing our own thing and having a good time, we don’t mind being reckless badboys. It’s cool, empowering, and socially admired. But one day, that’s going to come to an end.

One day we’ll be standing next to our bikes, with an officer reading the long list of offenses and infractions we’ve committed on our joyride. We will have to ask ourselves if we were properly protected from spills and injury not to our physical bodies but to our immortal souls.

When we stand before the Judge on that day, we’ll have to explain why we thought we were justified in speeding down the highways and byways of life while sometimes cutting corners and taking chances. We’ll have to convince the court that we’re law-abiding citizens who deserve to maybe just get off with a warning.

It behooves us to go through life not “on two wheels,” looking for the rush and excitement alone. We should make sure we’re well-grounded and aware of not only where we’re headed, but how we’re getting there. We should be thoughtful of how we are making our way through life and how it affects others as we do. We should consider the potential consequences of our actions and slow down.

Riding a motorcycle is thrilling because of the danger, but life itself is just as dangerous. It can also be as much fun, but we need to do it intelligently.

We need to protect ourselves and navigate carefully to ensure our safety and avoid mishaps. We do that by remembering that maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but somewhere down the road we’re going to be stopped and asked to explain.

Let’s hope our expressions will be happier than the one on the face of the biker I saw that day.

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