Well, this is a surprise: a study of motorcycle fatalities that actually does NOT blame the lack of helmet use as the governing reason why motorcycle deaths have increased. Maybe the government has finally realized that there are so many more motorcycles on the road that this may be the main reason for these new statistics. Finally getting it right with the truth and not the ususal politics
Consider this a part of the natural selection process. Helmets or no helmets, riding a cycle is an assumption of risk and dangerous under the best circumstances. The playing field will never be leveled. When a cycle and an automobile collide, bet on the automobile.
So, Iceman, do you feel the same way about auto fatalaties that involve excessive speed, inexperience, inattention, etc. just because they choose a vehicle more to your liking? With the price of gas continuing upwards, you will see more bikes on the road. Bet they need to look out for you because they assume more risk when you pull out in front of them or change lanes into them or ….. Maybe you should take the Motorcycle Safety course and become educated.
You could replace the word “motorcycle” with “vehicle” and the statement would still arguably be true. Empirically, if the number of vehicles(drivers?) the number of fatalities will increase and the reasons are “,,,excessive speed, inexperience, impairment and inattention,,,.” There are plenty of examples of a teenager wrapping a car around a tree becuase they were driving too fast to handle the curve in the road while talking on a cell phone.
Obviously, wearing a helmet alone will not elimate fatalities; however, the rate of the increase in the number of motorcycle fatalies could undeniably be reduced/slowed of riders did protect their heads. The Hurt Report best illustrated this point and the AMA has recently obtained the funding to complete a new comprehensive report on the causes of motorcycle accidents and fatalities.
My bet, the number one and tow causes of ACCIDENTS will be: single vehicle accidents where the driver was either inexperienced(driving beyond his/her ability), inattentive or impaired AND mutli-vehicle accidents where the other driver “didn’t see him” (but, if attentive the cyclists may have avoided). Either way, the biggest reason for DEATH will be fatal head and internal injuries that may have been prevented if the cyclists wore proper safety gear.
Selection?: Let me clarify. Drawing on my experience of investigating dozens of “donorcycle” claims over the past 25 years, a couple of issues have been proven. First, my “natural selection” comment was directed at those irresponsible/inexperienced cycle riders who manage to injure or kill themselves by using excessive speed or being unable to control their bike. Second, anyone who is stupid enough not to wear a helmet qualifies for the Darwin Award. They are essentially saying they don’t care. In response, I can only say they deserve what they get. It used to be called personal responsibility……a concept our society seems to have lost. Finally, they physics of car vs. cycle, regardless who is at fault, favors the car everytime.
Cycles may be economical and popular, but are no match for car or truck in a collison or lane change. Cycles afford no protection. Cars and trucks do. Ever see what hitting the pavement at 60mph and sliding across a concrete highway does to skin? Any way you choose to look at it, cycles are dangerous. The best cycle rider in the world can’t protect him/herself against other vehicles. That being said, people will continue to ride them…… and become donors.
Your natural selection comment would apply to all irresponsible/inexperienced drivers including yourself. Keeping out of situations is part of driving or riding. Riders who take the safety course are at least reducing the risk by being more aware of other vehicles on the road. Figured you would jump on the helmet bandwagon, but this article did not mention helmets at all. In your 25 years, I’m sure you have also seen many auto accidents as a result of inexperience, etc.
and you are strangely silent about them. Or is it acceptable because they were in a car?
The best driver in the world cannot protect themself against other vehicles either. Take the course & open your mind.
Actually, I have seen that. I have also seen a person driving a car that crossed the centerline and hit a tractor trailer head-on with the driver of the car literally torn in half.
Bottomline is ALL vehicles (including planes, trains and automobiles,,,,) are relatively dangerous since operating any of them does not afford 100% protection from injury or death; when they invent that one and offer at a reasonable cost, I’ll buy it. The operator of a vehicle has a big effect on a vehicles “dangerousness.” A small car driven reckless can be more dangerous(to the operator and others) than a motorcycle operated in a safe and responsible manner. There is no reason to bash motorcylist becuase of the vehicle they ride.
Being a motorcyclists myself, I chose to wear a full face helmet, calf high riding boots, two-peice riding suit with CE approved armor and drive as if everyone on the road is out to get me. By doing this I have reduced, not eliminated, my chance of an accident and I am less dangerous on the road.
OK PAY ATTENTION, BOYS
1) IT’S HARD ENOUGH TRYING TO STAY ALIVE ON THE ROAD IN A FULLY-ENCLOSED STEEL CAGE BALANCED BY A WHEEL ON ALL 4 SIDES (FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE LAST ROW, A CAR)
2)WHEN HAVE YOU EVER…- I MEAN EVER SEEN OR KNOWN OF ANYONE WITH INTELLIGENCE WHO WOULD OPERATE A MOTORCYCLE..-AND DON’T SAY OLD-MAN FORBES.LIKE BUFFETT HE WAS HALF-NUTS ANYWAY
3)SAY IT: YOU ALL THINK IT ANYWAY AND IN YOUR HEARTS YOU KNOW IT; MOTORCYCLES ARE THE PLAYTHINGS OF IDIOTS
SO WHY SHOULD THE GENERAL POPULACE BE SUBJECTED TO THESE DANGEROUS, VERY NOISY, MACHINES WITH THE MOSTLY ARROGANT JERKS WHO DRIVE THEM RECKLESSLY
LIKE CIGARETTES, THEIR USAGE SHOULD BE RESTRICTED .
Please STOP SHOUTING! Remove the caps lock from your keyboard and then remove your head from your ***.
If you live in America, you usually have freedom of choice. Well, that is unless you live in a state with a helmet law.
I have a motorcycle. A big, powerful, fast, Legally LOUD, bright red Harley. I do not wear a helmet unless I determine the circumstances or laws dictate.
Sadly, you have chosen to paint all riders including me as jerks. I would ask you to reconsider your opinion, get educated about motor vehicle safety and try to address the bigger picture. Rider Safety would be a great class for you to take but really all operators should be educated better than they are. Refresher courses might be effective too.
Get off your high horse and leave my rights alone.
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Well, this is a surprise: a study of motorcycle fatalities that actually does NOT blame the lack of helmet use as the governing reason why motorcycle deaths have increased. Maybe the government has finally realized that there are so many more motorcycles on the road that this may be the main reason for these new statistics. Finally getting it right with the truth and not the ususal politics
Consider this a part of the natural selection process. Helmets or no helmets, riding a cycle is an assumption of risk and dangerous under the best circumstances. The playing field will never be leveled. When a cycle and an automobile collide, bet on the automobile.
So, Iceman, do you feel the same way about auto fatalaties that involve excessive speed, inexperience, inattention, etc. just because they choose a vehicle more to your liking? With the price of gas continuing upwards, you will see more bikes on the road. Bet they need to look out for you because they assume more risk when you pull out in front of them or change lanes into them or ….. Maybe you should take the Motorcycle Safety course and become educated.
I hope they were all organ donors….
You could replace the word “motorcycle” with “vehicle” and the statement would still arguably be true. Empirically, if the number of vehicles(drivers?) the number of fatalities will increase and the reasons are “,,,excessive speed, inexperience, impairment and inattention,,,.” There are plenty of examples of a teenager wrapping a car around a tree becuase they were driving too fast to handle the curve in the road while talking on a cell phone.
Obviously, wearing a helmet alone will not elimate fatalities; however, the rate of the increase in the number of motorcycle fatalies could undeniably be reduced/slowed of riders did protect their heads. The Hurt Report best illustrated this point and the AMA has recently obtained the funding to complete a new comprehensive report on the causes of motorcycle accidents and fatalities.
My bet, the number one and tow causes of ACCIDENTS will be: single vehicle accidents where the driver was either inexperienced(driving beyond his/her ability), inattentive or impaired AND mutli-vehicle accidents where the other driver “didn’t see him” (but, if attentive the cyclists may have avoided). Either way, the biggest reason for DEATH will be fatal head and internal injuries that may have been prevented if the cyclists wore proper safety gear.
Selection?: Let me clarify. Drawing on my experience of investigating dozens of “donorcycle” claims over the past 25 years, a couple of issues have been proven. First, my “natural selection” comment was directed at those irresponsible/inexperienced cycle riders who manage to injure or kill themselves by using excessive speed or being unable to control their bike. Second, anyone who is stupid enough not to wear a helmet qualifies for the Darwin Award. They are essentially saying they don’t care. In response, I can only say they deserve what they get. It used to be called personal responsibility……a concept our society seems to have lost. Finally, they physics of car vs. cycle, regardless who is at fault, favors the car everytime.
Cycles may be economical and popular, but are no match for car or truck in a collison or lane change. Cycles afford no protection. Cars and trucks do. Ever see what hitting the pavement at 60mph and sliding across a concrete highway does to skin? Any way you choose to look at it, cycles are dangerous. The best cycle rider in the world can’t protect him/herself against other vehicles. That being said, people will continue to ride them…… and become donors.
Your natural selection comment would apply to all irresponsible/inexperienced drivers including yourself. Keeping out of situations is part of driving or riding. Riders who take the safety course are at least reducing the risk by being more aware of other vehicles on the road. Figured you would jump on the helmet bandwagon, but this article did not mention helmets at all. In your 25 years, I’m sure you have also seen many auto accidents as a result of inexperience, etc.
and you are strangely silent about them. Or is it acceptable because they were in a car?
The best driver in the world cannot protect themself against other vehicles either. Take the course & open your mind.
Actually, I have seen that. I have also seen a person driving a car that crossed the centerline and hit a tractor trailer head-on with the driver of the car literally torn in half.
Bottomline is ALL vehicles (including planes, trains and automobiles,,,,) are relatively dangerous since operating any of them does not afford 100% protection from injury or death; when they invent that one and offer at a reasonable cost, I’ll buy it. The operator of a vehicle has a big effect on a vehicles “dangerousness.” A small car driven reckless can be more dangerous(to the operator and others) than a motorcycle operated in a safe and responsible manner. There is no reason to bash motorcylist becuase of the vehicle they ride.
Being a motorcyclists myself, I chose to wear a full face helmet, calf high riding boots, two-peice riding suit with CE approved armor and drive as if everyone on the road is out to get me. By doing this I have reduced, not eliminated, my chance of an accident and I am less dangerous on the road.
OK PAY ATTENTION, BOYS
1) IT’S HARD ENOUGH TRYING TO STAY ALIVE ON THE ROAD IN A FULLY-ENCLOSED STEEL CAGE BALANCED BY A WHEEL ON ALL 4 SIDES (FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE LAST ROW, A CAR)
2)WHEN HAVE YOU EVER…- I MEAN EVER SEEN OR KNOWN OF ANYONE WITH INTELLIGENCE WHO WOULD OPERATE A MOTORCYCLE..-AND DON’T SAY OLD-MAN FORBES.LIKE BUFFETT HE WAS HALF-NUTS ANYWAY
3)SAY IT: YOU ALL THINK IT ANYWAY AND IN YOUR HEARTS YOU KNOW IT; MOTORCYCLES ARE THE PLAYTHINGS OF IDIOTS
SO WHY SHOULD THE GENERAL POPULACE BE SUBJECTED TO THESE DANGEROUS, VERY NOISY, MACHINES WITH THE MOSTLY ARROGANT JERKS WHO DRIVE THEM RECKLESSLY
LIKE CIGARETTES, THEIR USAGE SHOULD BE RESTRICTED .
Dear Bob,
Please STOP SHOUTING! Remove the caps lock from your keyboard and then remove your head from your ***.
If you live in America, you usually have freedom of choice. Well, that is unless you live in a state with a helmet law.
I have a motorcycle. A big, powerful, fast, Legally LOUD, bright red Harley. I do not wear a helmet unless I determine the circumstances or laws dictate.
Sadly, you have chosen to paint all riders including me as jerks. I would ask you to reconsider your opinion, get educated about motor vehicle safety and try to address the bigger picture. Rider Safety would be a great class for you to take but really all operators should be educated better than they are. Refresher courses might be effective too.
Get off your high horse and leave my rights alone.
Thanks!