Across the country millions of people engage in driving every day, as it is a part of society and encompases people from all walks of life, including those who work the 9 to 5 and the leisuring free spirits. But for a select group of drivers, their experiences are quite unlike any other. With a total of 129,141,982 commuters in the United States, 147,703 of them ride motorcycles regularly.

The reasons why one might consider swapping a motorcycle in place of a car are plentiful, including the inexpensive ease of ownership and the arguably more thrilling experience. But the form of transportation continues to carry a negative stigma because the one-manned vehicle comes with an approach to driving accompanied by a list of increased risks.

“The biggest danger I face is whenever a car randomly stops because then I have to suddenly stop,” senior Denny Pham said. “I actually had to take a class on it before I got one, so I learned quite a bit. From learning that cars don’t look for you, so you have to look for the cars, to when to jump off when you need to, I was also taught how to weave and bob which was really fun.”

While on the road, it is up to the person driving the motorcycle to keep an eye on their surroundings and appropriately interact with other commuters.

“There’s just some things you’ve got to have a feel for, it’s just like driving a stick, you’ve got to have a feel for your motorcycle,” Pham said.

For parents across the country the mere thought of their children actively riding motorcycles brings about anxiety and lingering fears.

“My mom didn’t like it [and] my dad really didn’t like it,” senior Amanda Peck said. “They told me I would die on one and that there are three types of people who have bikes: people who have crashed, people who plan to crash and people who plan to crash again.”

While the motorcyclists themselves should remain cautious of their surroundings, commuters driving cars also hold a responsibility to respect other drivers on the road. Practicing safety etiquette and implementing necessary actions are useful in creating a safe atmosphere for all drivers.

“I drive a Honda Civic [and] I’ve been driving for a little over a year now,” senior Daniel Gourley said. “[While driving] you’ve got to watch out for [bikers], you always have to be aware of your surroundings which I usually am. Even bicyclists, like motorcyclists, are all the smaller one-man vehicles and I’ve got to watch and make sure where they are.”

It’s often difficult to understand the entirety of the experience motorcyclists go through while driving. However, people who drive both a car and motorcycle understand both sides of the story.

“I keep a watchful eye because I know I’ll see somebody but they might not see me and I pay attention to road conditions,” Peck said. “When I’m driving my truck I’m more cautious of other bikers on the road because I’ll see them and think ‘Oh hey, let’s give them some extra space’ because I know that if they get bumped into it’s not [that] you put a little dent in a side panel, it could be somebody’s life.”