Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Patricia lonker is one of those people who "needs no introduction" by virtue of deed or reputation. In Mrs. Zonker's case, her deed was the writing of Murdercycles: The Facts About AmerIca's Number One Blood Sport, a book which, since its release last year, has created no small amount of anger amongst motorcyclists all over the country after they had read it. The reputation that follows Murdercycles is the belief by many that the book and author advocate that people everywhere should take whatever measures necessary to discourage motorcycles, motorcyclists - or all three. In response to the former, Mrs. lonker believes her deed to be a serious, if not scholarly, volume up there with the works of Nader and at least an equal to Dr. Harry Hurt's epic federally-funded study of motorcycle accidents. The latter - the reputation - is catagorically denied; Mrs. lonker only wants people to be aware of the dangers of motorcycling, being wary to falling prey to the manufacturers' and media's "glamorization" of an otherwise tortuous, gory and, yes, bloody "sport" that has claimed lives worse than any war. (Remember, kiddies! You have been warned!) This interview - conducted in early April at Mrs. Zonker's L.A.-area office, where her husband is engaged in an "alterna te energy" business - brought with it elements of deed and reputation to Mrs. Zonker to uncover, as a result, a " grey area" of reasoning that the reader will discover. For example, if Murdercycles is supposed to be "serious and scholarly," how come it was written in a melodramatic style so as to attract the teenage set? How come accident case histories are not given thorough examination as would be demanded by work of a high caliber? Why does the book delve more into trivia than hard fact? Why do people think lonker wants motorcycles out, yet she denies it - but with only a small enough hint in her answers as to suggest that she really doesn't mean what she says? Ah yes, answers that demand even more answers; material enough for yet another book just to clear the air. Yet Patricia Zonker should have it all said in her book. But there are enough holes in her logic to know that she didn't. Why? Who knows? Like the many moto-media re views of MurdercyC#es, it would be easier said than done to have performed some very choice r ips on Patricia Zonker about her book and . the hows and whys of its writing, but that's been overlooked here for a couple of reasons: ~ 1. In the four hours of talking with Mrs. lonker (who stands an easy six feet tall), she proved to be an, uh, "interesting" interviewee, providing equally " in terestin g" an- 0 swers to my questions with an interesting sense of logic 00 that I can only term - ah - "interesting." ~ E 2. Because of that, I found that there was no need to take extraordinary steps in questioning (upon having reviewed the interview transcript), leaving it up to the reader to judge Mrs. lonker, based upon her answers. I think it would also be fair to say that Mrs. lonker's quality and methodology of answering is also the best way for the author to explain the kind of person she really is. (In truth, book aside, Patrica Zonker is a nice person to talk to.) Lastly, of all the unanswered questions that have grown from writing this interview (and there are many!) I have two favorites: If the one doctor calls the deaths that result from motorcycling " like a war, " what war can it be compared to? Civil War, which killed an easy half-million? World War II, which claimed 12 million? Viet Nam with almost 50,000 dead? If the motorcycle industry "glamorizes" motorcycles, which are supposed to be killers and destroyers of young people, what about all those war movies we've grown up with? How many times have you seen John Wayne beat the Japanese at Guadalcanal? Singled-handedly? I think the hard-sell for bombs has been far more succesful than it has been for motorcycles any day. Twice on Sunday. Towards the end of the interview, Zenker states that if her book has saved " one good life" it was worth the effort. Gee, I thought that all life was good and wortli saving. What's the difference? . But, as the author says, I'm just probably "nitpicking." Details do count, however; they eventually add up to mean something. It's important details and questions, whether through intent, accident, or failure to communicate prope rly, that both Patricia Zonker and Murdercycles fail to properly answer within a reasonable doubt. _________________ Read on, " without fu rther introduction ..." "I fee l that it was umtten somewhat unth. objectiaty - not total objectivit y, because I don 'tfeel totally objective about the subject. " Who is Patricia Zonker , and why is she saying all those bad things about motorc yclists ? Pa tricia Zonker is a writer who has tried to at least give a message. I have been in such magazines as T een, Good Housekeeping, Th e R otarian and others. H ow long have you been writing? Abou t 10 yea rs ... It was a child hood ambition which I shelved for hornemaking and motherhood. Then I was asked to join a writer 's club in Downey; that's how I got sta rt ed . Everything that I have written has had some kind of message. I have had cover stories on the racial subject (emphasizing) I'm very integration. minded ... I've been in magazines that you've heard of, O K? Have you been in Red Book? No , bu t I have been in a number of well-kn own ma gazines . . . I wou ld find it very difficult to write some of these chea p romances that people pick up today. I could do so, and make a fortune on it , bu t I find it difficult. I d on 't want to waste my time on some thing that doesn't hav e truth or something to it. W ha t inspired you to write Murde~ cycles? I was put into the hospital for 12 days ... It was a boating accident. .. It is .E really dull, OK ? .. I went down on m y knee and I was pu t into the orthoped ic ward of the hospita l. Brea k your knee ? I really sha tt ered it . .. I had a lot of tom cartilage ... After about three da ys of being bedridden, I hobbled around on my crutches and found that the place was full of motorcycle accident cases , , , It just kind of got to me . . . I was pretty taken up with the sub ject, the glamorization of it - I could see it all arou nd me happeningl On TV and radio, I cou ldn't stand those ads where they show them (motorcycles) flying - and I could n't see Evel Knieve! as a hero his toys wer e sell ing out, you know . Do you rea ll y feel that toys like Evel's really influence kids ? Definitely!!. . . No on e has been ab le to get me into a discuss ion about Eve! Kneivel. I thi nk I said two words: Zero H ero. I've not heard from him (a bout Murdercycles); I hope I don't . He goes out and says d on 't do as I do ; do as I _ tell you to do. No kid if going to listen to that. You mention in your book about a boy who la unched himself and his bicycle off a tw~foot h igh r a mp and died. How could have such a thing have happe n ed ? Well , it happened . We tried to get some pictures O f the accident ? Not that one, but there was a lot of kids inju red right after Evel Knievel's Snak e River Jump .. . Bu t that's how I got into it: I wrote an article to begin with and I did sell it. T o whom? This is really inciden tal; let's not mention it, O K? . . (It was) a lea ding Sun day supplement with 17 million circu lation; I felt that was terrific. They were very much for me editorially . . . . then , evidently - I am not sure this is why - I think it was shelved due to a ron-page ad B y a moto rcycl e company. . 25

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