PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Let me stop you right there, mmmm-kay? I can tell by that little intake of breath what’s coming next. Thank you in advance, but I already know that motorcycles are “dangerous.” After nearly twenty years of riding on the streets, I am aware; telling me now will not be a revelation. It is not an insight into my lifestyle that has remained hidden from me until this, the moment of epiphany when you shine the light of outsider wisdom on my foolhardy choices.

There are ways I can minimize the risk — by riding defensively, riding sober, knowing my own and my machine’s capabilities, etc. — but I also know there are some risks that are simply beyond my control. But you know what? There a lots of risks that are within my control. We’ve become so pathologically risk-averse that for most people it is inconceivable to assume any additional risk no matter how much joy you might get back in return.

You want to know what’s truly dangerous? Not taking any risks. Hanging out with like-minded middle-of-the-roaders. Absorbing the same brain-ossifying **** from media factories every day. Jogging. Putting helmets, flotation devices, and auto-deploy epi-pens on your kids every time they leave the house. Passivity. Not paying attention to where your car, or your life, or you country is going.

If you don’t get that, that’s OK. I’m not trying to convert anybody, but here are a few tips to save us both a little aggravation:

You don’t need to tell me the horror story about your uncle’s buddy who wiped out his chopper while drag racing at some hooligan rally. That just makes me wish I were talking to your uncle’s buddy instead of you. He sounds pretty cool.

Do not — do NOT — tell me about the time you almost Sausage Creatured a biker because you “couldn’t see him” or he “came out of nowhere.” I have never known a bike to come out of nowhere, but I have seen plenty of cars pull a Crazy Ivan and turn into a lane occupied by a biker or make an impromptu unsignalled left turn in front of an oncoming me. If you’re expecting me to share your outrage at the temerity of bikers to be in the lane you want, you’re more deluded than a goldfish with a passport. I can’t make you see bikes. I can’t make you hang up your phone. They won’t let me mount a .50-caliber machine gun to my bike. So really, there’s not much I can do to change the outcome of your anecdote, so save it for your coreligionists who also have stick-figure families and giant softball stickers with the name “Tailyr” or “Flynn” or “Shyly” on their rear windows.

I do wear a helmet, as a matter of fact, along with other protective gear. But, the fact that you “certainly hope” I wear a helmet is so condescending it makes me want to ride a tricycle completely naked doing doughnuts in your front yard screaming Beastie Boys lyrics at midnight. Trust me, you do not want that. My buttocks are extremely pale and unsightly, especially in moonlight.

Please, do not complain about bikes parking in car parking spaces. Where are we supposed to park? If they let us park up on the curb like in Europe, we would totally do that, and precious few parking lots have motorcycle parking areas. Most cops already have a hard-on for bikes, so parking anywhere but in a designated spot is asking to be impounded.

Yes, I know, some bikes have very loud exhaust. Maybe it’s obnoxious, but at least you knew they were there, didn’t you? They say loud pipes save lives. I don’t know if that’s true, because there hasn’t been a serious comprehensive study of motorcycle safety since 1981, the poetically named Hurt Report. And yes, I know, at one point you probably saw some kid riding his 600cc sport bike at 100mph doing a wheelie down the freeway. He’s a squid, and he’ll either grow up or just take care of himself. Some bikers do crazy things. Anti-social things. Unsanctioned things. I don’t represent him and he doesn’t represent me — that’s the great part of being a biker. I could be a Lowbrow Weirdo or Antoine Predock or Lyle Lovett or just whatever I want to be.

If you’re really so all-fire concerned about my safety, don’t preach at me. Just do me this one favor: pay attention when you’re driving. Keep your greasy fingers off your touch-screen, put down your phone, use your turn signals and lay off the booze before you get on the road with me. You take care of your part and I’ll take care of mine.

But hang-gliding, man, that **** is crazy.



HFL Link

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

at first i thought you wrote that until i saw the tiny link. before i saw the link though i thought, no way, you're never that angry or snide!

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

He says what I think.

I had to share...

Dawa

iTrader: (5)

"sausage creatured"

1sWt2GS

iTrader: (6)

i thought you wrote it all too!

its all definitely true though! I wanna pick up a bike soon

Just gotta put a loud exhaust on and some bright HID's

GiantsFan

iTrader: (9)

lol great post

GS350Lexus

iTrader: (5)

There is actually a saying, a motorcycle is like a coffin on 2 wheels. Its plenty fun but with these drivers who do nothing to get their drivers license and start driving on our streets is crazy and dangerous. I was involved in 2 accidents one a guy ran a red light and another one was an old giy making a left turn. Thank god i was in a car and was protected. If i would of been on a motorcycle i would of most likely been dead. That is the real difference between a car and a bike. I also believe that when its meant for a person to die, they will die no matter where and how. I would love a bike, but here in nyc no way.

cino

iTrader: (1)

I still love riding no matter what people say how dangerous it is. I crashed a few times, no big deal. Most caused by stupid drivers, but they are everywhere, we can't help it. If you're out of luck, no matter what you ride or drive, you will get into an accident.

trukn1

Mannn,,youhad everybody going with this post. As I was reading, I am thinking,, uh oh, it finally hapened; he has TOTALLY lost it and on open forum too. LOL!! I don't ride, never had a love for them, but those that do I have a great respect for; except for the "organ donors". They are in a whole different class to themselves.

oohpapi44

iTrader: (1)

I've had to sell my Busa because of NYC, been riding for 30+ years. Haven't ridden now (outside of a late night race) in two years and am becoming more anti-bike than most but only for NYC riding. With the emergence of aftermarket rims and the number of potholes we have here it's like you're playing a video game (Frogger) with what you have to dodge (potholes, construction grates, car parts from previous accidents, broken down Hondas - lol, etc) on any given highway. But yet todays riders still want to white line the highway and think they have the right of way when doing so. Sadly I'm losing any sense of sympathy now when I read the daily stories (sometime multiple) of bike fatalities.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

as a counterpoint, there's plenty of BAD riders out there too, who tailgate, ride between lanes when they shouldn't, ride WAY faster than the speed limit, or just accelerate so fast, that there's no way 'grandma' can react.

also, because there's relatively so few motorcycles on the road, car drivers just don't see enough to be aware of them or consider the possibility of them being around.

it's a difficult situation, and not likely to change.

i'm all for freedom though, and your right to ride!

but others are free to think it's dangerous too.

the tone of the post you quoted is so angry and condescending in its own way that it doesn't help.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

When other people tell you (not you Phil) that it's dangerous, in a way , they "care" for you. Otherwise, those who don't give a rat's *** about you could care less.

The riders I face on the road are the trouble makers who do what Bit mentioned above.

I had one idiot while splitting lanes (of course) bent back my rear view mirror and just sped off

Regardless of who's at fault, a motorcycle rider will usually lose during an accident.
It's a free country-people can do whatever they want so no need to lecture anyone

I8ABMR

To each his own but I think these facts will shed light on where the comments come from. Like the other member said they only make comments because they care about you.

http://trafficsafety.org/safety/shar...ies-fatalities
Motorcycle Crash Facts
Motorcyclist Fatalities Increase
Motorcycles are the most dangerous type of motor vehicle to drive. These vehicles are involved in fatal crashes at a rate of 35.0 per 100 million miles of travel, compared with a rate of 1.7 per 100 million miles of travel for passenger cars.
Motorcyclists were 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash in 2006, per vehicle mile traveled, and 8 times more likely to be injured.
Although motorcycles account for only 2% of vehicles on the road, they make up more than 10% of all crashes.
Motorcycles accounted for nearly 3% of all registered motor vehicles and 0.4% of vehicle miles traveled in 2006.
Motorcycle fatalities have more than doubled in 10 years to 4,810 in 2006. Helmets saved the lives of 1,658 motorcyclists in 2006—and could have saved an additional 752 lives if all riders had worn helmets compliant with federal safety standards.
Some 104,000 motorcycles were involved in crashes in 2006, including property damage-only crashes.
Approximately 80% of motorcycle crashes injure or kill a motorcycle rider, while only 20% of passenger car crashes injure or kill a driver or passenger in their vehicle.
In 2006, 37% of all motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were speeding, compared to 23% for passenger car drivers, 19% for light-truck drivers, and 8% for large-truck drivers.
Motorcycle Sales Increase
The NADA Official Used Car Guide, which publishes used vehicle prices, reported that the number of people researching motorcycle purchases increased 48% in March 2008, compared to March 2007.
Sales of all types of motorcycles reached about 1,158,000 in 2006, a level not seen in about 30 years.
Types of Crashes Involving Motorcycles
Because motorcycles are capable of high speeds but offer minimal occupant protection, they also are the most hazardous highway vehicles. They have the highest crash costs per person-mile (Miller et al. 1999).

Two-Vehicle Crashes Facts
In 2006, 2,537 (51%) of all motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with another type of motor vehicle while in motion. In two-vehicle crashes, 79% of the motorcycles involved were impacted in the front. Only 5% were struck in the rear.
55% of all fatalities in motorcycle crashes in 2006 involved another vehicle in addition to the motorcycle in the crash.
In 2006, there were 2,226 two-vehicle fatal crashes involving a motorcycle and another type of vehicle. In 40% (883) of these crashes, the other vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle. Both vehicles were going straight in 582 crashes (26%).
93% of all two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle in which the motorcycle operator died, occurred on non-interstate roadways.
In 2006, 51% of all two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle in which the motorcycle operator died, were intersection crashes.
In two-vehicle motorcycle crashes involving a motorcycle and another type of vehicle, in 40% of the crashes the other vehicle was turning left when the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle.
Fixed Object Crash Fact
Motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object than are other vehicles. In 2006, 25% of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with fixed objects, compared to 18% for passenger cars, 12% for light trucks, and 3% for large trucks.
Type of Motorcycles Involved in Crashes
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) riders of high-performance racing motorcycles, called “supersports” have driver death rates per 10,000 registered vehicles nearly four times higher than for drivers of other types of motorcycles. Supersports have more horsepower than conventional motorcycles and can reach speeds of up to 190 mph. They are built on racing platforms and are modified for street use. The bikes are popular with riders under the age of 30.

In 2005, these bikes registered 22.5 driver deaths per 10,000 registered vehicles, compared with 10.7 deaths for other sport models. Standards, cruisers and touring bikes, with upright handlebars, had rates of 5.7 and 6.5 per 10,000 vehicles. In 2005, supersports accounted for 9 percent of registrations, and standards and cruisers made up 51 percent of registrations.

Speeding and driver error were bigger factors in supersport and sport fatal crashes. Speed was cited in 57 percent of supersport riders’ fatal crashes in 2005 and in 46 percent for sport model riders. Speed was a factor in 27 of fatal crashes of riders of cruisers and standards, and for 22 percent of riders of touring models.

Number of Deaths for Every 10,000 Registered Motorcycles in 2005, by Type of Motorcycle

Type of Motorcycle Deaths per 10,000 Registered Motorcycles
Cruise 5.7
Touring 6.5
Sport 10.7
Supersport 22.5
Crashworthiness of Motorcycles
Motorcycles are far less crashworthy than closed vehicles. They are also less visible to other drivers and pedestrians and less stable than four-wheel vehicles. Operating a motorcycle requires a different combination of physical and mental skills than those used in driving four-wheel vehicles. Motorcyclists and their passengers are more vulnerable to the hazards of weather, traffic and road conditions than drivers in closed vehicles.

Characteristics of Motorcycle Crashes
Age of Motorcycle Riders
Motorcycle riding has become more popular in recent years, appealing to a new group of enthusiasts consisting of older and more affluent riders. There has been a dramatic jump in the number of deaths among motorcycle riders age 40 and older in recent years. Older motorcycle riders, who account for an increasingly larger proportion of all motorcyclists, now account for about half of all motorcycle rider fatalities. Data show that in 2006, 47 percent of motorcycle riders killed in crashes were age 40 or over, compared with 30 percent ten years earlier. Crashes among the 50-plus age group have gone up 400 percent in the last decade.
In contrast, fatalities among young motorcycle riders have declined in the past 10 years, relative to other age groups. In 2006, fatalities in the under 30-year old group dropped to 32 percent, from 45 percent in 1996. Fatalities among motorcyclists in the 30- to 39-year old group fell to 21 percent in 2006, from 26 percent ten years earlier.

Gender
The latest Motorcycle Industry Council Owner Survey found that nearly 10 percent of motorcycle owners in America were women. And roughly one-third of the students in Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCoursessm are female.

Licensing
One out of four motorcycle operators (25%) who were involved in fatal crashes were riding without a valid license in 2006, compared with 13 percent of passenger vehicle drivers. Motorcycle operators were also 1.2 times more likely than passenger vehicle drivers to have a prior license suspension or revocation.

Driver Behaviors Contributing to Motorcycle Crashes
Alcohol Impaired Driving
Alcohol is a greater risk factor for fatal crashes involving motorcycles than other types of vehicles. One in 4 automobile driver fatalities in the United States were alcohol-related during 2005. In comparison, a higher proportion of motorcycle rider fatalities (1 in 3) were related to alcohol in the same year.
A Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report finds an increasing number of motorcyclists aged 40-44 are dying in alcohol-related crashes. According to the CDC, the rate of older adults who have died in alcohol-related motorcycle crashes increased from 1.2 per 100,000 population in 1983 to 1.9 in 2003. Previously, the highest rate of death among alcohol-impaired motorcycle drivers was among the 20-24 year age group. However, that age group has seen a decline in alcohol-related motorcycle crashes. The CDC attributes the shift to more adults in the 40-44 age group riding motorcycles. The increase in alcohol-related crashes may be a result of drivers drinking before riding a motorcycle or participating in weekend road trips that include drinking.
Motorcycle operators have high incidences of alcohol use. In 2006, 27 percent of motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes had a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) over 0.08 grams per deciliter (the national definition of drunk driving), compared with 23 percent of drivers of passenger cars, 24 percent of light truck drivers and 1 percent of large truck drivers in fatal crashes.

In 2006, 3.9 percent of the motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes had at least one previous conviction for driving while intoxicated on their driver records, compared to 2.8 percent of passenger vehicle drivers.

Of all fatally injured motorcycle operators, 27 percent had BAC levels of 0.08 or higher in 2006. Fatally injured motorcycle operators between the ages of 35 to 39 had the highest percentage of BACs 0.08 and above (41 percent), compared with 39 percent for those ages 40 to 44. Of fatally injured motorcycle operators age 45-49, 34 percent had BACs 0.08 and above.

Speeding
In 2006, 37 percent of all motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were speeding, compared with 23 percent for drivers of passenger cars, 19 percent for light truck drivers and 8 percent for large truck drivers.

Annual Motorcycle Crash Data to Download
Traffic Safety Facts 2006: Motorcycle, NHTSA
Sources for Facts About Motorcycling
Costs of Injuries Resulting fromMotorcycle Crashes:A Literature Review, NHTSA at http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/p...le/Motorcycle_ HTML/index.html
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety at www.iihs.org.
Insurance Information Institute at www.iii.org.
The Motorcycle Industry Council at www.mic.org.
U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site...d7975d55e8abbe 089ca8e410dba046a0/

GQD_GS4

Amen reverend, what a great post!

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

which post?