This article and thread have so much inaccurate information about motorcycle fatalities & safety that it should be on a liberal website - not FR. Plus 1,000 tons of bias by attitudes against motorcycles and riders.
The fatality numbers don’t even include that motorcyle riders have increased far more than the fatalities, so the actual percentages have gone down, not up.
Here is a real fact: In 2008 there were 5,312 motorcycle related fatalities nationwide. In 2011 there were 4,612. In 2008, the number of motorcycle related fatalities per 100,000 registered motorcycles was 68.93. By 2011 that number had steadily declined to 56.44. It would appear that motorcyclists are moving the numbers in the right direction.”
A local law firm specializing on motorcycle matters has done tons of research disproving most NSTA and CDC statements. Their research is incredible.
http://motorcyclelawgroup.com/
If you remove the drinkers, insane young crotch-rocket riders who think they are immortal, and the mid-life-crisis crowd who gets their first bike at 50, the actual stats on motorcycles are a fraction of what are used in most reports.
A good friend who has ridden all his life is a nurse-anesthetist in a major ER and rides to work almost every day regardless of winter weather....except not on snow or ice. He is ultra safe. His ER mates would point out, “Look! A motorcycle accident!” every time an injured rider came in. He shut them up quickly by saying, “Look! A CAR accident!” every time someone came in from an auto accident, as the numbers were 30 times or more those of bikes.
The biggest factor proven to decrease bike accidents is training - safety courses. Far more than helmet usage.
Last point: I’ve been riding 50 years this year, and by the grace of God have never been in a road accident. Plenty of scars from off-road. I have 5 bikes, 3 classic restored old Triumph’s, one old Harley. I ride 25k miles or more a year. I pray every time I ride for God’s protection.
And I heartily welcome the new safety features coming on today’s bikes. My ‘09 Harley CVO Road Glide has ABS brakes, and I know that more than once they have saved me from going down. I’ll be glad for all the new ones that come out.
You said it!
Right from the start this thread was immediately hit by the anti bike nazi swarm that has invaded FR.
Well I tell them this, ever seen 500 or more liberal bikers on a parade touting socialism, LGBT, obamacare or pro abortion?
I love riding, it refreshes my soul, I can actually feel these hateful envious vibes from people at times when I go riding.
Its a shame they decided to roost at FR.
January 2012, I got hit by not one but two cars on the highway and sent flying down the road. The second hit was to the back of my head (well, helmet) at 60mph.
Obviously I’m still here; this isn’t my first too-close encounter either. I walked out of the hospital 7 hours later as they didn’t find any damage serious enough to keep me overnight. They were absolutely astonished that nothing was broken and actually sent me through scans multiple times because they could not believe it. Modern safety gear such as personal armor, helmet, gloves and the rest of the lot saved me; I would not consider even a short trip without the full suite. The difference between modern gear’s comfort and protection is literally light-years beyond what it was when I started riding; in itself, that early gear was well beyond the ‘leather cap and jacket’ some people stuck in the 50s-70s seem to think is still state of the art.
Meanwhile, a friend of mine was in a car that was sideswiped on a surface street and sent into a concrete barrier. He still has headaches and neckaches from the accident. He may never get rid of them.
Some of you ‘donorcycle, donorcycle’ yappers want to comment on this?