Bandit Alley
GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FORUMS => GENERAL MOTORCYCLE => Topic started by: tacoman on June 12, 2006, 03:22:19 PM
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Ouch Steeler fans! Looks like Big Ben went down on his bike. The paper quoted, "the 24 year old likes to ride without a helmet." Very sad, he was warned after Cincinati's Kellon Winslow crashed on his bike. Terry Bradshaw said, "Ride when you retire." When you're 24 years old and on top of the world I suppose you have that invincible feeling. Could be a career ender.
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Just read that myself on CNNs web site.
Did you by chance notice that the time of this post seems to be a few hours off? It's about 2 p.m. here and your post time reads 6:22 p.m. and y'all are 2 hours behind us. Is that a site error? Looks to be about 5 hours off. So if the site were being hosted from the middle of the Atlantic ocean it would be spot on.
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The board time that displays is whatever you have your preferences set to. If you're on east coast time (and your settings are, too) and someone from the west coast posts, the their post time will show as your time.
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The Steelers website said that a vehicle coming in the opposite direction turned left in front of him. Roethlisberger was unable to stop and hit the passenger side door of the vehicle. I bet the person who caused this gets chased out of town.
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Big Ben was riding an '05 Busa. http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/pgStory?contentId=5688350. Riding a Busa and not wearing a helmet. Most injuries were to his face and head, figure that. The article is saying he was riding Suzuki's fastest street legal motorcycle. I hope they don't start blaming the bike.
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They'll only blame the bike at first. Eventually, it will be Bush's fault.
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A Busa without a helmet. he must be mad in the head.
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A Busa without a helmet. he must be mad in the head.
Hey, maybe one of us can get his rear shock for cheap! Another 'Busa down and a score! for a Bandit rider! Woo hoo!
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A Busa without a helmet. he must be mad in the head.
Hey, maybe one of us can get his rear shock for cheap! Another 'Busa down and a score! for a Bandit rider! Woo hoo!
Nah... first thing he did when he bought the 'busa was dump the crappy stock shock for an Ohlins. :wink:
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They'll only blame the bike at first. Eventually, it will be Bush's fault.
:monkeymoon: Thats what everyone else does.....but I cant remember is PA is a red or blue state
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Hey, maybe one of us can get his rear shock for cheap! Another 'Busa down and a score! for a Bandit rider! Woo hoo!
Nah... first thing he did when he bought the 'busa was dump the crappy stock shock for an Ohlins. :wink:
Crappy shock!! Busa Down !! And i thought of you all as buds! Was i wrong or what! They still look awsome even after a wreck! B.T.W. not fault of the bike or a helmet being in the mess! another dumb ass cager!
(http://msn.foxsports.com/id/5688078_7_2.jpg)
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Being from Erie,we have alot of Steeler fans.Also Cleveland and Buffalo fans. My bet,it was probably a terorist from Cleveland!
I got the call at work, "Ben is down" I'll have my terrible towel flying @ 1/2 mast untill he recovers. Until then,We'll rely on Charlie Batch.
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Some of you may know that I taught motorcycle safety for years in Virginia. I wanted to make that clear before I started this rant.
:soapbox:
He wasn’t wearing a helmet was the news story. How about this for a tag line. Moron driver almost kills superbowl quarterback. Did you know that the number one killer of motorcycle riders today is still idiot drivers turning left in front of motorcycles? Even with helmets we are dying at an alarming rate because the public doesn’t see us or is to busy on their cell phones to pay attention to what they are supposed to be doing. And it’s only going to get worse with everyone buying motorcycles to try and beat the cost of gas.
Now I always wear a helmet, even in states where it is optional. But unless he was wearing a full-face helmet he still would have received facial injuries. But what has the media gone off on??? He wasn’t wearing a helmet. How about doing us motorcycle riders and state the cause of the accident.
A 62-year old women not paying attention to what she was doing turns left in front of motorcycle.
:gatlin :gatlin :gatlin
I hate the media and their slanted views on everyting !!!!!
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First of all, as most of you know, I'm a HUGE Steelers fan. So, I've been soaking up as much on this as I can - streaming news reports from local P'burgh stations and so forth. I can't take it anymore!!! Was he stupid for not wearing a helmet? IMO, yes. Do I give two shits what some news reader's opinion is on helmet laws? Noooooo! Do I want to hear some anti-helmet-law-activist-retard's opinion on how he may have been hurt worse wearing a helmet? Nooooo!
:stfu:
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Oh... heal quick, Ben!
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He wasn’t wearing a helmet was the news story. How about this for a tag line. Moron driver almost kills superbowl quarterback. Did you know that the number one killer of motorcycle riders today is still idiot drivers turning left in front of motorcycles? Even with helmets we are dying at an alarming rate because the public doesn’t see us or is to busy on their cell phones to pay attention to what they are supposed to be doing.
This is the most meaningful statement in this thread. Regardless of whether you are pro-helmet or anit-Bush, the breathless news coverage at CNN, and even on the local MEMPHIS news was that ths celebrity athlete wasn't wearing a helmet...not that he was nearly killed by a bad driver.
Not to offend any fans of...uh, what team does he play for again?....but I wonder what the news coverage would have been if he HAD been wearing a helmet and HAD been killed? Probably about how dangerous MCs are, not about how drivers are getting worse and more distracted as they comb their hair, put on make-up, fiddle with the baby in the back seat, read the paper, drink Starbucks, eat McMuffins, tune their XM radios, talk on their cell phones, scan their DVDs, or
BAM! What the f*ck was THAT?! Sh!t, I think I hit something....
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Scooter Trash is my new hero -- GREAT point. I'm an every-ride-every-time helmet user also, but you're right on the money. His lack of helmet wouldn't have been an issue if the cager hadn't had her head up... well, someplace.
Nicely said, man!
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I don't think cell phones, radios, etc., are the problem. I think, and of course I can't know, it's just risk takers. You know, you come to an intersection, you DO see oncoming cars and bikes, but you go ahead and floor it because you can't be expected to wait your turn until the way is clear. You just HAVE to get through the intersection FIRST!
You don't think you're gonna cause an accident. You don't plan to cause one. You THINK you can make it. But, your judgement is inadequate to the task. You misjudge the speed of the oncoming vehicles.
You F^CK UP and hurt somebody. You're panicked and distraught and what pops out of your stupid mouth is, "Oh my God! I didn't see him!"
BULLSH!T! You saw him/her. You just thought you could BEAT 'em.
And you floored it!
IMHO.
And sure, sometimes the motorcyclist is going too fast, maybe, or not being cautious enough, but you know...just WHO has the right of way?
Careful out there guys and gals!
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By Jill King Greenwood and and Karen Roebuck
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, June 12, 2006
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is in serious but stable condition and in surgery this afternoon following a serious head injury this morning after his motorcycle collided with a car on Second Avenue near the 10th Street Bridge, police said.
Roethlisberger lost most of his teeth, fractured his left sinus cavity bone, suffered a nine-inch laceration to the back of his head and a broken jaw, and severely injured both of his knees when he hit the ground, police said.
A plastic surgeon has been summoned.
"He is right now in the (operating room) undergoing some surgery from injuries he received in this accident today," said Dr. Larry Jones, chief of trauma and burns at Mercy Hospital, Uptown. ... He was talking to me before he left for the OR. He's coherent. He's making sense. He knows what happened."
Roethlisberger, 24, who was not wearing a helmet, collided with a Chrysler New Yorker shortly before 11:25 a.m. and was thrown off his motorcycle, flying head-first into the car's windshield "with a pretty good force," said a veteran city police officer.
Roethlisberger was talking and moving his arms and legs after the accident. He suffered injuries to his face and lost several teeth, according to city firefighters.
The injured quarterback was taken to Mercy Hospital, said a Steelers spokesman, who declined to provide other information.
The car, which has Maine license plates, was heading west on Second Avenue and was turning left onto the 10th Street Bridge. Roethlisberger was driving east on Second Avenue riding a Suzuki Hayabusa and collided with the car at the intersection of the bridge and the Armstrong Tunnels.
Roethlisberger, who led the Steelers to a Super Bowl championship this year, slammed into the windshield, rolled over the car and landed on the pavement, striking his head again, said a woman who witnessed the accident.
The witness, who declined to give her name, asked Roethlisberger several times if he was OK. He eventually replied, "My name is Ben."
He asked: "Where am I?"
"You're at the Armstrong Tunnel," the witness said.
"What city is that in?" he said.
"Pittsburgh," the woman replied.
Roethlisberger fell silent for about a minute and then tried to stand up.
"I'm OK," he said.
"No you're not," said the woman, who instructed him to stay still.
Pittsburgh homicide detectives are investigating the accident, which is standard procedure when critical injuries are involved, said city police Lt. Kevin Kraus.
Roethlisberger's 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa, which is named after a Japanese bird of prey, was totaled. The front wheel was broken in half. The handle bars were broken. The left pedal was shattered. The 170-horsepower bike, which weighs 500 pounds fully loaded, was targeted by law enforcement agencies worldwide after its 1998 debut because it could reach a top speed of 189 mph.
Suzuki Motorcycles of North America gave Roethlisberger the bike as part of a promotional deal in exchange for him appearing at several Suzuki dealerships in the area, including Andrews Cycle in Salem, Ohio where he picked up the motorcycle last summer. Andrews' sales staff declined comment.
The motorcycle is popular among first-time buyers, said Steve Stiller, a salesman at Northgate Motorcycles in Cranberry, Butler County.
Roethlisberger has said in the past that he prefers not to wear a helmet when riding his motorcycle. He has pointed out Pennsylvania's 35-year-old state law requiring helmets to be worn was amended to make helmets optional.
In May 2005, Steelers coach Bill Cowher lectured Roethlisberger on the dangers of riding without a helmet.
"He talked about being a risktaker and I'm not really a risktaker. I'm pretty conservative and laid back, but the big thing is to just be careful," Roethlisberger said at the time. "I'll just continue to be careful. I told him we don't ever ride alone, we always ride in a group of people, and I think it makes it even more safe."
In May 2005, Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. tore knee ligaments in a motorcycle accident and was lost for the season.
Roethlisberger continued to ride after Winslow's accident and that angered Terry Bradshaw, who quarterbacked the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories during the 1970s.
Visiting the Steelers' training camp last summer, Bradshaw remarked: "Ride it when you retire."
Earlier this year, Roethlisberger led the Steelers to the NFL title, giving the team the fifth Super Bowl win they had been chasing since 1980.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The Hyabusa is popular with first time buyers? Can we say, STUPID? The fastest production motorcycle in the world for several years is the bike of choice for first-time buyers? :roll:
That should NOT be possible. You know what should be popular with first-time buyers? A Kawasaki 250. A Suzuki 500. Max.
By the way, for my very first car I wanted a Lamborghini Countach. Probably wouldn't have been a good idea, though, fresh off my driving test. :roll:
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Roethlisberger's 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa, which is named after a Japanese bird of prey, was totaled. The front wheel was broken in half. The handle bars were broken. The left pedal was shattered. The 170-horsepower bike, which weighs 500 pounds fully loaded, was targeted by law enforcement agencies worldwide after its 1998 debut because it could reach a top speed of 189 mph.
This is so like the media. They've used up the helmet line now lets go after the high speed motorcycle....
What about the F#^k'n 62 year old hazard to motorcyclist???? When are we going to address her problem????
I hate the media :gatlin :gatlin :gatlin :gatlin :gatlin :gatlin
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SVEN
BAM! What the f*ck was THAT?! Sh!t, I think I hit something....
:lol: :lol:
Sad... but true
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Yes, bad drivers suck . . . and it's totally her fault. BUT! He (as do each and every one of us) has the power to control certain factors, namely whether or not his scalp will be the first line of defense in the event that things go wrong. We can't banish the crappy drivers, but we can take a little extra protection.
Just like I use a potholder when I pull something out of the oven, I wear a helmet when I ride.
Shouldn't these primadonnas have a "mommy clause" built into their contracts? I could have SWORN that these overpaid numbskulls weren't allowed to sky dive, ride motorcycles, run with scissors, wear a kilt to a New York restroom, etc. If I were paying their way, I'd have them sign something to protect me, or I'd make them insure theirselves against career-threatening injuries. <heh>
[You know why they call it a "roach clip" dontcha? Because "pot holder" was already taken.]
[EDIT: Long time no see. How y'all been?]
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Nah... first thing he did when he bought the 'busa was dump the crappy stock shock for an Ohlins. :wink:
Ha! finally someone who knows his bikes :grin:
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I am not arguing the fact that he was stupid in not wearing a helmet. He could have been wearing a half or three quarter helmet like the state police wear and still had facial injuries. Maybe not as severe injuries, but he still would have had injuries.
Had he been wearing a helmet the news media would have jumped on the sport bike with the crappy shock angle sooner and still would not have addressed the fact that an inattentive motorist caused the accident. It would have been all about the high-speed bike.
:duh:
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D@mn dangerous motorbikes!
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He must have been going fast enough. the pictures of the bike dont look to healthy at all. He must be a right ould gobshite driving a Busa and not wearing a helmet. afraid incase the helmet messed his hair or maybe someone might not recognise him with the lid on.
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I'm all for repealing helmet laws in all 50 states. Please petition for this so we can purify the gene pool.
As for the issue of the left-turner, has anyone contacted the news agency(s) and pointed out the other side of the coin? How many bikers in this forum alone, let alone anywhere else has done so? Betcha not one.
Let's face it, not only are the left turners never going away, but this guy just begged to get phucked. I can't say I feel sorry for this guy. Definitely two wrongs that will never make a right.
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I'm all for purifying the gene pool, but I want to purify the automotive gene pool as well!
Now, how do we make that happen?
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>>Now, how do we make that happen?<<
How 'bout and oil sprayer on the back of the bike to create oil slicks around turns? Oh wait, never mind, just ride a BSA...
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I'm all for purifying the gene pool, but I want to purify the automotive gene pool as well!
Now, how do we make that happen?
I thought that was what the Honda Accord was for?!?
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Of course here he wears a helmet. :stickpoke:
(http://benroethlisberger.typepad.com/br4.jpg)
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Man, I bet he's hurtin' today! :sad:
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Just saw this...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ben-Roethlisberger-Replica-Motorcycle-Helmet_W0QQitemZ8827899546QQihZ005QQcategoryZ25211QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Ben Roethlisberger Replica Motorcycle Helmet!
(http://i10.ebayimg.com/03/i/07/6d/ff/99_1.JPG)
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As for the issue of the left-turner, has anyone contacted the news agency(s) and pointed out the other side of the coin? How many bikers in this forum alone, let alone anywhere else has done so? Betcha not one.
Posted to a forum, and emailed to a few news agencies:
While I agree that it's stupid that Ben Roethlisberger doesn't wear a helmet, and that hopefully he will learn from this,... isn't everyone missing the point?
HE didn't cause the accident that sent him to the hospital, and could very easily have ended his life. If the car had not turned in front of him, he wouldn't be down to begin with.
It should make you think... What are you doing behind the wheel? Are you paying attention?
The fact is that THE leading causes of DEATH for motorcyclists is inattentive drivers. "I didn't see him" is by far one of the most recorded responses from a car driver when the accident is investigated.
With or without helmets, we are dying at an alarming rate because because four wheeled drivers are too busy on cell phones, applying makeup, shaving, etc to pay proper attention to the 2+ tonne killing machine that they are wielding.
The -person- on that motorcycle is someone's co-worker, someone's son, someone's friend.
stormi
someone's daughter
someone's mother
someone's friend
AND a motorcyclist that avoids inattentive drivers daily.
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A couple notes on this:
the AMA magazine this month has an article the NHTS did on driving habits and how people drive. They followed 100 cars for about a year and recorded 82 crashes!! Most of them caused by distracted or sleepy drivers. They said a couple people had to be removed from the study because they kept crashing cars. It's an interesting read.
Second Greg White from 2Wheel Tuesday on speed, offered to provide Ben with a new Arai helmet assuming he decides to ride again. Interesting, but i was surprised that even in the motorcycle community the focus is on the helmet not on the cause of the accident. :stop:
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Looking @ the only positive thing I can think of... Turn over Tommy isn't waiting on deck to fill in.
Hey... if I don't have to wear my helmet...why do I have to wear my seat belt :?:
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I'm still not letting Ben off the hook for this one. A new article today says he was never fully endorsed. He had a temporary permit that expired in March. The guy was riding illegally! With proper skills, experience, and a HELMET, he more then likely would be reporting for training camp on time.
You have to wear gear, whether an accident is your fault or not, on a bike you lose. I've seen enough crashes in my time I won't leave the driveway without a helmet. Big Ben wouldn't step onto the field without a helmet, why jump on a Busa without one? I don't get it.
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Ok this is getting deep here! Thoughts that is. How far can you go with safety?? At work we are so safe that safety orange cones don't mean squat anymore! Too many of them every where. If he was endorsed, or had the best armor / helmet would it have made much of a diff? Who's to know. Its an agreed fact most car drivers say they just didn't see em. Pulsating head lights, loud pipes, Rotating B lights all help! But if you get a person that really shouldn't be driving, is having a manic minute, a medication reaction, or lack of it, heart attach, stroke or not to mention the Oh well sh*t happens time in life! and your on a no cage, go fast mode of transport unit! U loose. How fast was he going? Looks like it wasn't to break neck! If he was say @ 90 in a 45 he got what he was looking for. But if @ 45 the other person should be who the news folk are trying to get a word from as they escort them to jail! :roll:
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My only point is this. Endorsed riders with proper riding gear and not under the influence of alcohol are rarely involved in accidents. If they are, a majority walk away from the accident. Big Ben's injuries were all on his head and he got a concussion. Hmmm, would a full face helmet have helped?
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Quote:
As for the issue of the left-turner, has anyone contacted the news agency(s) and pointed out the other side of the coin? How many bikers in this forum alone, let alone anywhere else has done so? Betcha not one.
I sent 4 letters out. One to two of our three TV stations that went helmet crazy. One to ESPN. And a nice editioial to the local paper.
It didn't matter. They all stayed on the "no helmet, fast motorcycle, no license" track.
Still no one mentioned he didn't cause the accident.
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The issue is the helmet. If there would have been one on his head he would have walked away. I think Big Ben's riding days are over until retirement as whoever is signing his paychecks will demand it.
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="tacoman"]The issue is the helmet. If there would have been one on his head he would have walked away. I think Big Ben's riding days are over until retirement as whoever is signing his paychecks will demand it.
Ok odds are on the side of the experienced rider with advanced training. A helmet may have killed this guy who knows. Red Bandits are faster!! :stickpoke:
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Obviously, if he had been wearing his helmet, there would never have been an accident. Not wearing it caused less wind drag and made him go faster resulting in his inability to slow down as the car turned in front of him...GIMME A BREAK!!<pun>
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Yes, we all know it wasn't his fault.
But the undeniable fact remains that cagers just don't see motorcycles. We are invisible. We simply don't register on the radar. I personally never assume anything when I'm on the bike. There are tons of dead motorcyclists who had the right of way.
Knowledgeable and experienced riders plan on some idiot turning in front of them... ramming them from behind at a light... changing lanes into them.... etc., etc., etc. They practice 100% defensive driving and assume anyone who can hit them will hit them.
Ben was neither experienced nor knowledgeable. He didn't even have a valid m/c license. He should have at least had the sense to wear a helmet.
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Surprise, surprise, surprise !!! the VA Beach newspaper ran my editorial in this mornings paper. Shame it won’t make a difference. Women talking on her cell phone tried to take me out this morning coming to work.
Knowledgeable and experienced riders plan on some idiot turning in front of them... ramming them from behind at a light... changing lanes into them.... etc., etc., etc. They practice 100% defensive driving and assume anyone who can hit them will hit them.
:motorsmile: :motorsmile: :motorsmile: :motorsmile: :motorsmile: :motorsmile:
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Surprise, surprise, surprise !!! the VA Beach newspaper ran my editorial in this mornings paper. Shame it won’t make a difference. Women talking on her cell phone tried to take me out this morning coming to work.
Knowledgeable and experienced riders plan on some idiot turning in front of them... ramming them from behind at a light... changing lanes into them.... etc., etc., etc. They practice 100% defensive driving and assume anyone who can hit them will hit them.
:motorsmile: :motorsmile: :motorsmile: :motorsmile: :motorsmile: :motorsmile:
Post the link!
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Yeah, post the link!
Had to meet with my lawyer yesterday and this guy sees my gear so we start talking bikes. Quiet, dapper, innocuous looking fellow surprised me by saying he used to be into motorcycles when he was younger. I went on and on about how great they are for guys our age but he smiled and flatly refused to get into them again.
Seems he's represented a ton of young bikers involved in accidents and in EVERY case, the cagers were at fault.
Makes you pause and think.
jim
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I wrote the article and gave it to Susie to submit (since she writes article for the paper I figured she'd have a better chance of having it published).
Here is the article.....
Instead of concentrating on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger not wearing a helmet why not concentrate on what caused this accident. The number one killer of motorcyclists whether they are wearing a helmet or not is motorists turning left in front of motorcycles. Not speeding, not drunk riding, not reckless riding but motorist failing to yield the right a way to motorcyclists. Virginia is a mandatory helmet use state and everyday a motorcyclist is hurt or killed by some motorist not paying attention.
My son was hit by an uninsured motorist headed to the beach while on his motorcycle. The person turned in front of him going into a store parking lot to grab some beer on General Booth Blvd. a few years back. My son had a full face helmet on and was thrown into the windshield of the vehicle then thrown to the other side. He ended up with two full leg casts and a cast on his right arm. The motorist just got a slap on the hand and he was driving his friends uninsured vehicle plus he had no license.
But you won’t print this because it’s a better news story to report that a motorcyclist wasn’t wearing a helmet, he was riding a high speed motorcycle, a celebrity or riding recklessly. Why can't you help us out? Inform the public that we are also out there and they need to watch out for pedestrians other vehicles and us.
As for how I know the statistics about motorcycle deaths; my husband taught motorcycle safety for several years at Tidewater Community college and DMV in Richmond.
Thank you,
Susan Segeleon
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Here's a press release...
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/rss/s_458240.html
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There's been a lot of chat about this topic in the TN ABATE group as well. Just as here at Bandit Alley, we're all pissed that the news focused on his lack of a helmet and that he was on a "fast" motorcycle, not that he was the victim of a right-of-way violation. And then, like here at Bandit Alley, we realized that the only ones who were going to tell that story were those of who have the most to lose when a ROW violation occurs.
Also, not so much was made of the fact that the idiot did not have a valid motorcycle license, just an expired learner's permit, and the learner's permit would have required a helmet had it not been expired.
I do get very tired of the TN ABATE members who cite some ephemeral studies that show that motorcycle helmets cause "most" or "more" deaths because they break rider's necks or jaws in a collission. I agree that the ABATE orgs need to challenge bad statistics about helmets and healthcare costs that arise from MC accidents, but the way to do that is not to make up bad stats of your own.
I am basically pro "freedom of choice helmet laws", (I think the goverment should protect us from others, not from ourselves) but I choose to execise my right, to wear a helmet every time I saddle up, whether TN law requires it, or not.
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Good job! Get the word out about inexperienced/idiotic riders hurting themselves. The general public will say, "motorcycles are dangerous, something ought to be done." If we don't voice ourselves, we'll end up like gun owners, and the AMA will be like the NRA.