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The federal government Friday will unveil a broad program to cut motorcycle death rates that have doubled in the past 10 years as aging baby boomers hit the open road.
The Department of Transportation's initiative includes a national training standard for beginning riders and added training for police officers who enforce traffic laws.
"Our nation's greatest traffic highway safety challenge is motorcycle fatalities," says Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, noting that biking deaths are rising while other vehicle fatalities are declining.
Seeing how Mary Peters hasn't done a DANG thing to improve highway safety when it comes to the trucking industry, (except make it LESS safe with unworkable truck driver Hours-of-Service regulations and the introduction of Mexican trucks on U.S. highways...) Heck, there currently are NO federal "behind-the-wheel" training standards for entry-level truck drivers much less motorcyclists. I'm not gonna hold my breath waiting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration long has said that helmet use is a critical safety component for motorcycle riders; 45% of motorcycle drivers killed in traffic crashes were not wearing helmets.
but they are not going to standardize helmet laws, nothing will change, education will not stop the middle aged first time biker from going to bike night and pounding beers and that is where the problem lies.
There is something in this country called personal choice. If I want to do something stupid with my life, it's my right. Mary Peters is just a political hack with likely no knowledge of transportation issues.
I'm 53 years old and have been riding MCs since I was 14 years old. Believe it or not, my first MC was a 1950 HD (weight of bike about 600 lbs). I learned to ride in times when there was not that much traffic on the road. Today, we have a major issue with people driving vehicles. I'm talking about cars, SUV's and the like (most of them are not paying attention to the road).
Sure the average MC rider today is not a skilled rider, but that rider must also put up with folks that are more focussed on talking on their cell phones than driving. There needs to be laws to combat those clueless drivers.
Back to the issue of MCs. Yes, most of yuppies have money to spend on high performance bikes without any prior riding experience. To me, start small. Buy a smaller bike and learn the basics first. To go out and but a 600 lb plus MC and think your hot sh*t is not a good idea. If someone is spending 25 to 30 grand on a bike and has no clue on how to handle that kind of MC, they have no reason to be on the bike in the first place.
Sure the death rates of MC riders have gone up. Look at the inexperinced riders on the road now.
There is something in this country called personal choice. If I want to do something stupid with my life, it's my right. Mary Peters is just a political hack with likely no knowledge of transportation issues.
You're right about the "political hack", HighPlainsDrifter73! But she actually does own a motorcycle... I'm willing to bet the majority of her knowledge about the trucking industry was gleaned reading the backs of truck trailers...
Roaddog you have some of it right but not much.Just because someone goes to a bikenite doesn't mean anything.Drinking and riding are number 1 in bike crash deaths.Nothing about bikenite.And the amount of new or riders who have started riding after a long lay off are next.Check out the AMA site for figures.Helmets you have to be nuts to ride with out one.But again check the AMA site to see the numbers on that it will surprize you.People just don't watch what they are doing when driving a car.Cell phones,being in a hurry.or just driving stupied.Or the people who think the own the road.I've been riding for 20 years I've seen a lot.I mean 15k to 20k a year.The sport bike guys get into trouble real fast on there bikes.Its very easy to ride outside your riding skill level on one of those bikes.What we need is courtesy when driving from both sides.Less cell phones.Leave earlier so you not in such a hurry.Watch what you are doing both sides.I can speak on this subject because 1 1/2 yrs ago a 16 year old driver decided to make a u-turn in my path of travel.Leaving me no room react.I t-bone him at highway speed.I will spend the rest of my life crippled.Yes I'm starting to ride again.Yes he was cited.It amazing after riding 960 miles in two days 1 1/2 from home.So any one can have it happen.The next time you set out on the road.Car,truck,bike,ect.
Roaddog you have some of it right but not much.Just because someone goes to a bikenite doesn't mean anything.Drinking and riding are number 1 in bike crash deaths.Nothing about bikenite.And the amount of new or riders who have started riding after a long lay off are next.Check out the AMA site for figures.Helmets you have to be nuts to ride with out one.But again check the AMA site to see the numbers on that it will surprize you.People just don't watch what they are doing when driving a car.Cell phones,being in a hurry.or just driving stupied.Or the people who think the own the road.I've been riding for 20 years I've seen a lot.I mean 15k to 20k a year.The sport bike guys get into trouble real fast on there bikes.Its very easy to ride outside your riding skill level on one of those bikes.What we need is courtesy when driving from both sides.Less cell phones.Leave earlier so you not in such a hurry.Watch what you are doing both sides.I can speak on this subject because 1 1/2 yrs ago a 16 year old driver decided to make a u-turn in my path of travel.Leaving me no room react.I t-bone him at highway speed.I will spend the rest of my life crippled.Yes I'm starting to ride again.Yes he was cited.It amazing after riding 960 miles in two days 1 1/2 from home.So any one can have it happen.The next time you set out on the road.Car,truck,bike,ect.
I've been riding for 35 years and have been T-boned by a car crushing my left foot, I've been rear ended and backed into, but I've been to bike nights and I see whats going on, I know a lot of guys my age that started riding and think being cool is whats up, ride to a bar and drink up then crash, theres a lot of factors in motorcycle accidents but around here the cruiser crowd is the worst with drinking and wearing improper gear.
I've been riding about 1 3/4 years. I have a Honda Rebel 250 but mostly I just ride scooters, the bike is now mostly for my dad sometimes we go riding on weekends. My favorite is my 250cc Honda Reflex, but I also ride my 125 alot.
I studied motorcycle safety a great deal when I got started and I took a safety class. I got started riding mostly because I wanted a cheap way to get around and because I'm environmentally conscious, but too lazy to ride a bicycle. However, this is a big however, there are alot of folks on motorcycles who are just not very risk conscious or concerned, nor do they have much training. They get overpowered bikes and ride way too fast with too little protection. The types that get the Suzuki GSX-R's, blow all their money on the bike and spend nothing on leathers. It can be fun but if you are a lead foot or you get into alot of accidents in a car, you shouldn't be riding a motorcycle.
In Florida, and this isn't atypical, over half the deaths on motorcycles are single vehicle. People going way too fast and they lose control. Those high strung sportbikes, because of their steering geometry, are notorious for getting a weave or wobble when you hit some uneven pavement. On the flip side, a cruiser (Harley) doesn't turn as easily, and some people don't know what counter-steering is, or how to negotiate a curve at speed.
I know for me when riding I've had to use all sorts of accident avoidance manuevers to keep safe. I'm wondering if booting down two gears and whacking the throttle open to accelerate past the danger will be taught. Also how to use driveways and sidewalks to keep from getting hit. Or such topics as how to judge approaching vehicle speeds so that you can temporarily swing out into oncoming traffic to avoid a hit from the side. I hope topics like a 20" wide sport bike will fit where a 3' wide land barge won't fit will be discussed. I hope topics like what speed is best for out running someone who is literally trying to kill you with their cage are to be taught.
Nothing I've read in the motorcycle safety books address these issues yet I've had to engage in all of them.
Ride Safe with a clear mind.
Last edited by zorst; 11-07-2007 at 11:04 PM..
Reason: tpyo
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