Is Paramotoring Selfish?

Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:38 Upcoming Giveaway
2:28 The Launch
3:57 The Flight
11:22 The Landing

[mikeolson]

I'm a 75 year old father of four. I parked my motorcycle when our youngest was born. That was in 86 shortly after I took a couple rides on a paramotor trike. The kids were all out of the house nineteen years ago. I now have a 95 Goldwing. I'm not exactly a risk taker. I'm content cruising the back roads. I enjoy your videos. It gives me the experience without the risk or expense. I'm a Vietnam Veteran. I was Army Airborne. We did static line jumps. Jumps always were over too soon. Paramotors are ideal in that you have more than two to three minutes to enjoy the ride. Keep the videos coming and stay safe.

[joshmedina]

I’ve always just been a flat and level flyer. Wing overs and acro have never interested me. Just being up in the air has always been good enough for me. 😋🤘

[petervaughan]

Tomorrow is promised to Noone. We don't paramotor to die we do it to live.

[smokingspitfire]

My viewpoint is that you need to decide for yourself what is the risk and as long as you ensure as close as possible to zero risk for anyone else, you can take that risk. You cannot live life and never do anything, sometimes you gotta do things for yourself.

That being said, as soon as you have kids at home who need you. A partner who needs you, you have to understand the risk is no longer just yours. If stopping completely isn’t in the question, you should at least take a few steps back from the limit and do things as safely as possible.

I’m a light aircraft pilot and get to fly historic fast jets and other high-risk machinery, but I carefully choose what risks i take. If I’m flying low-level, I do it at slow speeds in slower aircraft. If I’m flying a fast jet, I don’t get stupidly low or push the limits in maneuvers.

Effectively, what I’m saying is you can’t never do anything you love because of risk, but you can minimise it, and there’s no reason to push the limits unless you have nothing to lose and noone else is at risk.

[orion_]

I had a sudden illness that took my ability to walk away in 2008. It wasn't until 2012 that I managed to get my legs back enough to achieve my dream of riding motorcycles again. At that time my kids were 9 and 7. I rode until 2018 when my legs just couldn't hold up to it anymore. I'm glad I got those few years in again and to appreciate them for what they were.

[briencrotty]

My awesome Mom used to HATE that I rode motorcycles. For her 62nd birthday, though, she asked to go on a ride with me. I took her about 7 hours away, and it rained cats and dogs the entire time. I was positive she'd had a miserable time, and would never do it again. To the contrary, the next year, I took her on a long ride around the whole continental United States. My tiny Mom, on the back of my Harley. Over 9, 000 miles. Best vacation in my entire life, hands down. Risk is relative. Now that my Mom is gone, I think about that trip every day. I could have taken no risk, sat on the couch, and never had that trip. Instead, I have the best memories a son could ever have.

[MikeSparamotor]

Anything can hurt or kill you. For me, flying a paramotor is what keeps me feeling alive. Do it safely and it's the best therapy money can buy

[grub]

It's not selfish in a sense that deep inside, you find what you do interesting and enjoyable! The problems start when ego takes over and you start to do maneuvers that pose too much risk, where the consequences for "Showing off" can be deadly. Tucker... you have a ton of skill and are possibly caught in the YouTube content trap. It would be a shame to hear that something malfunctioned or poor judgement occured and you are now part of the Geology of Arizona. Please remember to stay humble, fly within your limits and continue to make the world a better place for a long time to come ! All the best. Fly Safe.

[daveketelsen]

I fly my paramotor like its a big old Honda Goldwing motorcyle. Nice and easy and take very little risks. Because of this I don't look at my paramotoring experience as being selfish. My wife and kids see how much happiness I get from this activity and have never voiced concern, which I am grateful for. I would also have no problem with any of my family members going up for a tandem ride to see why I love being in the air. ( My wife's family however has asked if I have an updated insurance policy which is a little weird) Love your videos Tucker. Remember, tomorrow isn't a promise, its more of a gift.

[johntyson]

In the spirit of risk mitigation, I sold my motorcycle and quit doing risky stuff when I decided to have kids. Life is actually pretty long and I’ll have decades to do risky stuff again when they aren’t so dependent on me. Edit this by adding, to me, being with my kids and watching them grow up is way better than any skydive or motorcycle ride. I’d hate to miss it.

[markbrown-usxe]

I think that's why they invited tandems,
We can share.
Seeing the smile on family when returning home from a fly day is pretty rewarding.
We all win.
Nice choice for a giveaway !!!
New camera has better colors.
Gertrude seems happy as well.
Thanks.

[payton]

You said it perfectly. Its not selfish as long as you're trying your best to be safe. Its definitely selfish to go out there and try the most ridiculous things and purposely put yourself into danger, just as its definitely selfish for the people that care about you to stone wall your avenue of enjoyment or purpose based only on their feelings about the activities. Taking away all of someone's activities is equivalent to taking their life in a way. Everyone dies, but not everyone lives.

[dshall]

I gave up motorcycling when we started our family... got back into it after my youngest turned 5. The giggles of a young kid on the back of a motorcycle tootling around the neighborhood makes it worth it. Don't worry, it's an Ultra Classic, so they can't really fall off without trying...

[fellowtraveler]

Motorcycling and base jumping are definitely much riskier than paramotoring and PEVs. Please stay safe out there, man 🤘

[cgbach]

Keep doing whatever you want to brother. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise

[stefanastley]

What a question. My perspective on this has changed significantly since becoming a father in May - and I know that puts me with the majority of fathers. The risk was always the same, before and after that though and it's been refreshing to have the benefit of hindsight in advance. When I was young I took risks due to inexperience (again that probably puts me in a majority), and before even thinking of a family self preservation and a sense of mortality does grow in us with age. It shows in even your early videos that you're very balanced in thinking that way already. You covered all of the points of the argument here wonderfully. The only addition I would make is for those of us that continue to pursue our risky passions, *have the conversation with your loved ones now that you can't have if one day it takes you*. I get great comfort in knowing that nobody I am close to should be left wanting for that discussion and that I continued to do it whilst mindful of how my departure, if it ever happens, would affect them.

[patrickgreen]

Hey Tucker, I’m 51 and got myself a 2015 KTM Superduke 1290r for my 43rd birthday, because I decided to quit drinking. Let me tell you my girlfriend and her two kids that I’ve raised for 12 years far prefer me on the bike, than drinking. The only other fun thing I do anymore is ride my electric unicycle, which is bonkers fun since it’s the nimble KS16X, so the bike makes me happier overall and I think that’s also very important. So to your point, I simply stopped doing “stupid shit” on the beast, and that’s the compromise.
Many guys who give up riding for the kids become miserable. It’s all perspective. Thanks for your videos, yours is the one channel I watch when I’m down. It’s my long term goal to enroll down in lake wales, now that parkour has left the building.
Fly safe, keep the videos coming!

[DirtmopAZ]

Supes are finally open again. That fire devastated the whole backside of the mountain. Going out there this weekend. I’ll keep my eyes to the sky! Hope to see you out there haha

[Brad_Whitley]

Of course it's selfish, but to be able to share your ability with others who can't do that is phenomenal. Thanks for sharing, Tucker. I've watched all your videos from beginning to now. I can't do it, but I live it through you.

[barkin-brit]

Flown PG's for 35+ years. Then I crashed and got lucky. Way after the bones healed, my mind had not. I stumbled on you Tucker and PPG all on the same day. Long story short, I bought a PPG, did a class and some flights then finally found my PG grove again. All air-sports are risky. It's the rewards they bring that makes them worth the price we pay. Thanks Tucker, you got me back into free-flight!