Tuesday, September 27, 2005

 

And like a nosey neighbor, State Farm is there

In our post-Katrina, post-Rita environment, there will be a lot of media attention on homeowners' insurance: stories about how the insurance company will be refusing to cover damage to homes by pointing to the insurance policy's "unfortunate occurrence" exclusion:
"Insurer is not liable for any loss or damage resulting from an unfortunate occurrence."
Or maybe the insurance agents will simply ask intrusive or inappropriate questions in taking the claim information. Here's a recent conversation between B and our homeowners' insurance agent.
B: Does a bike have to be specially listed on our policy to be covered? I just bought a new bike.
Insurance Agent: Well, that depends. Is it a crotch rocket?
A crotch rocket? Can that be anything other than the name for a very scary sex toy? Some powerful vibrator, perhaps? Either that, or the boastful pet name some guy gives to his... er... Johnson? Either way, not something I care to discuss with the insurance carrier.
B: A what???
Insurance Agent: It's a type of motor scooter.
B: Look, I just bought a bicycle, that's all.
A "crotch rocket" is a motor scooter? What kind of marketing is that? It sounds like the motor scooter that Acme, Inc. would sell to Wiley Coyote, something that would shoot out from under him, leaving him suspended in the air before he painfully plummets to the bottom of the canyon. Or worse. Ouch.

Comments:
Actually a "crotch rocket" is a superfast motocycle - think Trinity's ride in The Matrix. It moves VERY fast. Often used for racing at over 100 mph. I rode on the back of one once with a friend. I was wearing capris, and when we stopped for a rest after 40 minutes of riding, I had 50 dead bugs jammed into my shins, like I was a human windshield or something. Definitely a bit more powerful than a motor scooter :)
 
It's really not an uncommon term. A sportsbike, not moped, scooter or Harley, and you see them around Madison quite a bit.

The name is derived from the way the rider sits on the bike and the speed of the bike. A sports bike's foot pegs and shifter are located further back than conventional motorcycles; this puts the rider in a position that is more streamlined and aerodynamic and places the rider's crotch in very close contact with the seat.

A specific type of motorcycle, typically distinguished by it's aerodynamic 'hunched-over' seating position and high power to weight ratio. Often favoured by stunters, who choose the bikes because they are light and easy to perform tricks (such as wheelies and stoppies) on.

Crotch rockets are not always Japanese motorcycles, Italian companies such as Ducati manufacture quite high-quality crotch rockets as well.

Also known as 'sportbikes'.
 
Wow Oscar, this is sort of a "Let them eat cake" moment for you. Or like when George Bush Sr. went to the grocery store on national TV and was baffled by the bar code scanner. You've seriously never heard the term before?
 
I came upon a similar revelation a few years ago when I was introduced to the term "banana hammock." And then it was everywhere. The term, that is.
 
Oooh. New bicycle. What kind did B get?
 
This is funny :) Crotch rocket... I think the vibrator would be cooler.
 
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