Here’s how to navigate this tension-filled situation…
There’s an article from The Guardian which has been making its rounds in motorcycle enthusiasts circles lately. In it, a couple details out the struggle between the husband wanting to store his motorcycle in the house and the wife not wanting to live in a garage. Since they’re from the UK the couple uses some funny terms for things, however the conflict isn’t foreign in the least.
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After all, there’s a meme that’s been going around on social media for some time which shows the blueprints for a gearhead’s dream house, which features a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen all tucked into the corner of a humongous garage. Normies or non-gearheads probably think it’s a joke.
Now, the wife, Sandy, admits that when she met her husband, Peter, the man had three motorcycles in his “flat.” One was a Kawasaki Z1 stored in the hallway, which was difficult to squeeze past. A Gilera was stored in the living room, plus a Ducati was parked in the bedroom. She probably thought because Peter didn’t have a garage that was why the motorcycles were inside.
After the couple got married and bought a house with a nice garage, Sandy said everything was fine until a nasty storm was approaching. Concerned, the husband brought the Gilera inside. It’s worth noting he owned the Italian bike since he was 16, so it’s very dear to him. Instead of understanding that, the wife quips that “Peter loves the Gilera more than he loves me.” I can’t imagine why that might be.
Anyway, Sandy said a few months later they bought a puppy and it was chewing on everything, as puppies do. That’s when the Gilera went back to the garage, which isn’t shocking. However, after the puppy was properly trained the husband wanted to bring the vintage bike back into the house. The wife is resisting because “it creates a mess” leaving “a lot of stains on our carpets and flooring.”
Then Sandy really goes for it, complaining about how when the husband hung lights on a motorcycle to make it “look like a nice art display” he burned a hole in the carpet. She also is flabbergasted that the husband likes to put parts of his motorcycle in the dishwasher.
So you don’t think she’s unreasonable after all her ranting, Sandy puts in that she’s “not against Peter having his bikes” as if it were up to her. She adds that they’ve gone on vacations using the motorcycles, so she likes that, but she just really wants all the bikes to stay in the garage.
Peter gets to explain his side. First off, he says his vintage motorcycle works better when it’s stored somewhere dry and warm – fair point. Even more concerning is how Peter discloses that there’s a walnut tree by the garage which has been known to lose branches which crash through the garage roof. Apparently this was unknown until after they moved in and it’s a key detail the wife just left out. No wonder the guy is worried about his bikes.
Then Peter goes for the jugular, noting that Sandy has a paperweight collection proudly displayed in the house. I know what you’re thinking: what a lame hobby. Those are allowed to be inside since that’s for “nice things” and Sandy has gotten her friends to “gang up” on Peter about this. How many red flags does this woman need to throw up before Peter gets the message?
Now, Peter claims he loves Sandy more than the Gilera, despite what his wife thinks. He goes on to say if she said it was between her and the vintage Italian motorcycle, “the Gilera would be gone in an instant.” And this is where he loses me completely. Peter needs to man up and realize if Sandy loves him and she knew how he feels about his motorcycles before they got married, she needs to be a little more understanding and accommodating. The fact she doesn’t treat his concerns about the walnut tree doing damage to his babies as anything serious tells me she doesn’t truly care about his feelings. Worse, she gets her friends to dog him about his concerns.
I say Peter should take his motorcycles and ride into the sunset, then find a woman who understands or at least truly tolerates his passion. This fight will only grow worse with time, so get out now before she talks you into selling the Gilera or the other two, something you will regret when she cheats on you with a dad on your son’s soccer team.
Got a tough relationship problem surrounding your motorcycle, car, or truck? I’m available to give solid, enthusiast-oriented advice without mincing any words.
Check out the article in The Guardian here.
Images credit: YouTube
