Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/08/07/sound-of-motorcycle-backfiring.html
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Because it’s 2019 and we live in the USA and it’s entirely plausible for a shooter to open fire in Times Square.
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Jesus christ, America. Scared much? Yep, absolutely. You’re fucking terrified. How’s the presidential promotion of hatred and bigotry across the canvas of the highest rate of gun ownership in the world working out for you? Yeah, you know, because freedom.
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Terrorism is effective. No one can pretend anymore that we really don’t stand a chance of being shot. I for one know I’m going to call my mom and tell her I loved her when I go to vote because I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a morbid lottery.
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But of course ammosexuals will continue to tell us that Americans don’t have constant, low-level anxiety over being caught up in a random mass-shooting due to the widespread availability of firearms in this country.
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This all the constant stoking of stochastic terrorists by the right-wing that keeps tacking to the right.
Still, we can’t do anything to stop this as that would just be destroying the freedom of good American stock holders.
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You know what would have stopped that motorcycle? More guns.
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Actually…no joke…If a backfiring motorcycle harmed even one hair on some poor rich white kid’s head, there would be congressional action the very next day to research why motorcycle engines backfire and enact a nation wide fix to prevent such a thing happening again. They’d even ban motorcycles if need be.
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Like they did with lawn darts back in the day, after that one little girl got killed?
Of course, the Lawn Dart Industry™ isn’t a lobbying powerhouse of blood money and disinformation, either… so that might have had something to do with it.
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I mean, gun control is much more important, absolutely, but would I be crazy to say *checks OP, not Jason…* that I would be totally fine with that? There’s no reason I can think of why a vehicle should legally be allowed to make more noise than it absolutely has to, especially if that sound is so loud and obnoxious that can be mistaken for gunfire.
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Just another day for you and me in paradise.
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Where the hell is everyone running to? Presumably, the first person to run, is running in the “opposite direction” of the backfire. How many people there have been in Times Square before??? I have toured many a visiting family member in Times Square (even at that time of night) and if a siren from a emergency vehicle goes off at random, you don’t have a clear idea of where the sound is initially coming form, especially the part of Times Square where the stampede began. I understand running away from danger, but not running blindly. You could potentially be running right toward danger. So inevitably someone is gong to ask what would I have done with myself and my people? Keep your head down, get away from the crowd, keep very, very aware of what is going on around you. I unfortunately, have been in a situation like this in another big city. F**king sucks no matter what.
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I’ve never heard a motorcycle backfire in my entire life. Roaring loudly, yes. But backfire? I’d run like hell.
With some Harleys (in particular) the backfire is a feature, not a bug 
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Are we great again yet? Have we got there? Is this it?
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I always dread when I’m sitting at a light on my bicycle and I hear a loud motorcycle rumbling as it comes to a stop in the next lane over. I just know as soon as the light turns green I’ll be getting just a little bit more permanent hearing damage…
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In December of 1989 a man here went to kill women engineering students, he targetted them. I was with a five year old, the daughter of a friend, and I spent lots of time with her to welcome her in the world, and help give her a foundation to be bold in the world.
Two days later we got off a bus, and the ice on the sidewalk crunched. The woman ahead of us jumped at the noise, and turned around. There was fear, I think the only time I noticed.
I think she was calmed by me being with a five year old. I don’t care that she might have otherwise thought me a potential threat, I.am glad I had little Mira with me to show the woman it wasn’t a worry.
People get jumpy after these things. It’s real.
When someone shot some professors at a local university three years later, he still claims it was necessary, I was Mira again, I think that’s the day we found a bunch of Apple 2 equipment in the garbage.
And around 2004, another local large killing, someone shooting at a college. Only one died. But Mira had been going there till the year or two before, anorher time and she’d have been with the students trying to get away from the shooting.
She turned 35 last month, I can’t believe she is now the age of her mother when Mira was born. She was so small when she was born, and I think all turned out well for her.
These things happen, too often. But we as much as anything need to find a way to stop them. Somewhere people went from hurting themselves, though maybe causing some emotional damage to others, to wanting so badly to physically hurt others.
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So… you’re motorcycle is one of those noisy fuckers and you feel sorry four yourself?
My pushbike doesn’t make any noise. I keep the chain well-lubricated.
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I had a panicked moment in Vegas last summer. A bad storm caused hail (!) and blew out a window, which I briefly perceived as a gunshot 
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