Kudos to eyesman for taking the time out to type out Mr. Sebastian’s whole article.
MY APOLOGIES AND OFFER
I know what Saiman Rushdie must have felt after Muslim religious leaders issued a fatwa that essentially made it th religious obligation of all msulims to cut off his head on sight. That was after he wrote something that was deemed blasphemous and inimical to Islam.
I’ve learned from our editor that something i wrote has caused quite a stir among motorcycle enthusiasts. And something akin to the fatwa on Rushdie was issued by a good number of people in motorcycle forums on the Internet. A friend who also was the subject of some heated emalils and threads in motorcycle forums even advised us to lay low for while.
Our editor emailed a few choice letters from those who didn’t like my piece on motorcycle riders. So i re-read what i wrote after first going to the neighborhood salon to get a makeover. You know, a new hairstyle. I’m no longer called ’sister’ at the office. I now answer to ‘blondie’. That’s so I won’t look like the “Wanted: Dead or Alive” picture uploaded on motorbike websites.
Anyway, re-reading the article made me realize what a poor excuse for a column it was.
The whole idea for Loco-in-Motion is to present the zany and crazy side of motoring with the obligatory and important asides about the need to follow traffic regulations and road safety. A dose of humor here, a touch of ranting there, a bit of understatement, lots of hyperbole, a bite of sarcasm, a scythe of satire. All aimed to make the reader smile, laugh, raise an eyebrow, and then think and do something about making motoring safer and fun.
And I am talking about all kinds of motoring from the one-wheeled to two-wheeled to four-wheeled vbehicles, including even buses, haulers, etc. etc.
What came out in the article was mostly ranting that drowned out the humor that I always try to inject into my sad excuse for essays.
Looking back at the article, I think the whole tone of the piece would have changed if I didn’t start out with the word “hate” in the lead or “menace” in the title. maybe words that convey more of a sense of annoyace than ‘hate’ would have been better/
It’s a bad habit picked up while mangling the English language in articles week in and week out. Once the lead is set, it’s cast in stone, and all sentences that come after must amplify what came first.
I thought going overboard with the hyperbole would somehow make the reader realize the writer must be joking, you know… just messing with the reader. Apparently that point didn’t really get across.
That said,let me apologize to all the bike riders out there who felt maligned about being lumped together with those who think nothing at all about breaking traffic rules and regulations and the safe riding habits espoused by motorcycle clubs and federations.
I understand from the emails from outraged Top Gear readers that irresponsible bike riders represent a tiny minority of the growing legion of two-wheel enthuisiasts. I am really happy to learn that this is so from the responsible riders out there. May your numbers multiply and may the irresponsible ones suffer erectile dysfunction that Viagra can’t cure.
For what it’s worth, i am really an easygoing guy who just loves to mess around with people and issues with my scribbles. I don’t even rate it as writing. i really take few things seriously. Live and let live is my thing.
At this point in my life as a scribbler, the only thing i really take seriously, aside from God, family and country (I’m tempted to scratch country off the list), is road safety. And I mean for everyone, starting off with pedestrians and all wheeled vehicles, motorized or non-motorized.
Hey, I detest…er, am annoyed by…drivers and riders of vehicles who take road safety for granted. Commuters and pedestrians just irk, mainly because many just don’t know any better.
As a gesture of my good intentions. Let me make this offer. The way things are going these days, with the cost of fuel rising, two-wheeled vehicles will soon outnumber cars on the road. Take advantage of your numbers.
Elections are coming. Anyone thinking party-list? I’ll volunteer to help get one or more of your truly responsible members into Congress. And work to get legislation to protect the interest of bikers and other road users. Like establishing bike lanes and more and safer parking areas for two-wheeled vehicles in malls and other establishments
let’s get hog-riders to put some congressional pork to good use.
A good writter write with his pen but a Great one uses his heart.
Never use the power of writting to cut weeds in the field of rice you might trim down the good ones.
The offer is good but your apoligies may be enough. Think before you condemn.
My you find the path to the happiness and excitement of two-wheel riding.
Mr. Sebastian, would you be kind enough to post a picture of yourself on this website both old and new? Just a thought walang pilitan. Thanks and God Bless..
natakot ang mama, naging wanted kasi ang matsing e, but looking back to his article, he really emphasize about motorcycle riders, nag palusot pa siya sa apology nya kuno na lahat daw e tinitira nya, to hell with him, i dont accept his apology, unless he really means it, from what i have read above he still trying to justify what he just did, i really dont like that guy, for me, his still an in sufferable old goat, or better yet, his better as road kill,
thats my opinion,
stupid jerk, full of excuses. ain’t buying your apology.
“As a gesture of my good intentions. Let me make this offer” = “let’s get hog-riders to put some congressional pork to good use.”
this man’s kind of humor is irritating..
he tries to be a smart ass but definitely he sounds more like a moron..
(HE COULD DEFINITELY PASS TO BE IN POLITICS!!!!)
won’t get my vote though.. );-D>
A Pen is always considered as an object without a mind. See what happens when it is used by a person without a mind? It is called a mindless point of view. hehehehehe
It will be interesting to see Mr. Sebastian on a motorized two-wheeled vehicle.
When that happened, explanations will not be needed.
why not offer something more simplier and realistic,,,let say organized a ride,,,maybe we can call it,,THE APOLOGY RIDE by Top Gear. and ohh yeah the picture of the event should be put on the front cover of your magazine. if this things happen,,maybe i’ll be subcribing ur top gear magazine…sounds fair to me.
i think hes not seious about it. he just did it for his job. his perception about bikers still lurks inside his tiny brain.
Oh my goodness….Let’s forgive him.
when a writer offers apologies for literary errors & tries to explain how things went down in his mind – - somehow the sincerity of the apology is washed down. i suppose literary license also has its limits.
anyways, the writer can always express his sincerity by his next actions.
just my two cents worth.
how insincere can you get, mr. sebastian? let me just say that right or wrong, i think your supposed apology sounds so insincere and was simply written to keep your job.
in fact, most probably your editors share your sentiments and had to come out late in the day to “apologize” when you guys started to realize your overbearing and condescending tone wss cutting into your market share.
so let me just say,
F**K YOU!!!
well, for what its worth, we all know his article held a lt of truths, but thruths half told. Yes we sometimes succumb to becoming roadhog for one reason or another, why DID you have to single out 2 wheeled riders? I own and ride more than 7 motorbikes, ranging from the littlest, 50cc 2stroker to a Behemoth V-FOUR (and everything in between). I believe in karma, and am a strong believer in forgiveness. Actions speak louder than words bro, but your words have prompted a lot of riders to action. We know how HAPPY YOU GET WHEN YOU SEE A RIDER MEET AN ACCIDENT…that will forever be etched in our memories!
uh pls…no bike lanes.
He is just a loner that wants some attention. Well, hes writing is not saleable and a non sense childish thoughts. Your words and grammar maybe good, but the concept behind it really is very immature and pathetic. Try to be normal BOZO!
When a gentleman extends his hand in apology, you clutch and shake it without a word.
That, my friends, is how you prove to be of better mettle than him.
[...] Though we wish it doesn’t exist, DISCRIMINATION still happens all around us. Abled people dscriminating against the disabled (or ‘differently-abled’, if you want to be politically correct); car drivers against motorcycle riders and vice versa. Earlier this year, there was even that article entitled “Those Menace on Two Wheels” which appeared in Top Gear Philppines which caused calls to ban the magazine among the local motorcycle community. The publisher responded to the issue and the writer eventually apologized. [...]