Are You A Passenger?

So what is with Motorcycle Salespeople and people working Demo events assuming because I am a woman and with a man that I am a passenger? I say Salespeople because it happens to me just as much with sales staff that are woman as men. In fact I find men to be more sensitive about it than women.

I find this assumption to be very offensive. In fact it totally pisses me off. I have worked hard to learn to ride my own bike. I have my license that has the endorsement and I have a job that pays well enough for me to be in the market to purchase a bike. So Mr. or Ms. Salesperson do I want to continue the process with you when you just totally disrespected me? Why don't you ask me if I am "just" a passenger? Or tell me that I am "just" a woman. Otherwise inferring that because I am a woman I am  incapable of handling that "big bad motorcycle".

I recently was able to demo the new Indian Chieftain and this comment was the only negative in the entire experience. I was the one who went to the website and found that we could demo the new Indian at the Long Beach Motorcycle Show. I was the one who suggested we go. I had checked in and showed my license to the woman behind the counter. I had the armband that said I was a rider.
So I get the the front of the line to go get on the bike and what does the woman who checked me in ask? She ask me if I was a passenger? And she started to put her hand up to stop me because she assumed I was a passenger. I wanted to say many not nice things, however I just said "no, I am a rider". I wanted to say, What the hell lady? Are you that stupid? Why would I want to buy anything from you? (And many other assorted comments that are not appropriate to put in print.) But I did not say any of those. However Joe got an earful of my wrath and he never makes the assumption that I am a passenger, so what good did that do me or him?

Therefore I decided to put my rant in print, in the hopes that at least one Motorcycle Salesperson will see this and change his/her ways and not make the assumption that I am a passenger because I am a woman.

I demo'd the new 2012 Harley's and had the same question ask, not once but twice. I have been on sales floors at dealerships and been ask this question. This is a whole new version of discrimination. I have never heard someone walk up and ask Joe if he knows how to ride, or ask if he is a passenger. Yet they assume because I am with him and I am female, that I am a passenger.
So Mr. or Ms. Salesperson, wouldn't it make more sense for you to assume that I am a rider. Let me correct you, if I am not. To assume that I am a rider would be a whole lot less offensive. It would put me in the frame of mind that I might actually like you and therefore want to do business with you. You might even get me to buy something and give you money.
So please, from this day forward don't ask someone if they are a passenger. If you have to ask, just say "Are you a Rider"? Better yet, just don't ask at all

.