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I might get flamed for this, but being a new rider, safety is my hugest concern. I know many motorcyclists end up in accidents, some small, some large, some fatal. in 2014, we had 90k+ injuries reported, and 4k fatal.
almost 100,000 accidents in one year. Cars now have 6 million accidents a year; of course, more cars in the road.
It makes me wonder though, for those motorcycle riders who were injured, if they would have been drivinng the speed limit, wear high vis gear, wear armor, slow down on ever dangerous intersection where cars make left, and be an owl for cars and act as NON will see you and ACT as cars will make a left turn in front of you, maybe even drive with LED spot lights in the front and high beams.
how much less of a number would that be? maybe even fatalities. there is no doubts motorcycles are attracted to the youth, and many of them do drive pretty crazy
This is what makes me wonder what is the true safety of a motorcycle? I was reading forums where pople crashed in cars many times but never in a motorcycle for 20+ years. I do know for sure I am able to see everything, but I do act as if every car on the road is going to pull out on me as if they dont see me, so I slow down at every intersection or potentially where cars can pull in front of me
2 types of riders: those who have fallen and those that are going to!
What do they call motorcyclists in the ER?........Organ Donors....
Forget the statistics, motorcycles are dangerous. To me, I don't fear wrecking on my own but distracted drivers/texting is too rampant with very little penalty to them.
Well, first off Google the aptly-named Hurt Report.
Long story short, training is your friend. Not just the MSF course, but if you can get into a "Ride like a Cop" type class, I did one and it did wonders for me. Gear is your friend too, and obviously it only works if you wear it.
A bike does present some risks that a car does not. A guy who wrote a "Stayin' Safe" column for Rider magazine for years, and taught a safety course, was killed when he hit a deer somewhere on a coast-to-coast ride. If he was driving a car, he probably would not have been seriously injured.
I think you are on the right track with your attitude. Most people have the greatest risk of crashing in the first year of riding on the street.
I, personally, won't ride in an urban area, and I don't ride Interstates much, particularly not at night. This is about the other drivers on the road, not about my own abilities.
You forgot another factor which significantly increases your chance at being involved in a motorcycle accident, alcohol consumption. Unfortunately too many people drink and then ride. Alot of the people who do this are Harley riders who also don’t wear a helmet.....this is a fatal combination.
I might get flamed for this, but being a new rider, safety is my hugest concern. I know many motorcyclists end up in accidents, some small, some large, some fatal. in 2014, we had 90k+ injuries reported, and 4k fatal.
almost 100,000 accidents in one year. Cars now have 6 million accidents a year; of course, more cars in the road.
It makes me wonder though, for those motorcycle riders who were injured, if they would have been drivinng the speed limit, wear high vis gear, wear armor, slow down on ever dangerous intersection where cars make left, and be an owl for cars and act as NON will see you and ACT as cars will make a left turn in front of you, maybe even drive with LED spot lights in the front and high beams.
how much less of a number would that be? maybe even fatalities. there is no doubts motorcycles are attracted to the youth, and many of them do drive pretty crazy
This is what makes me wonder what is the true safety of a motorcycle? I was reading forums where pople crashed in cars many times but never in a motorcycle for 20+ years. I do know for sure I am able to see everything, but I do act as if every car on the road is going to pull out on me as if they dont see me, so I slow down at every intersection or potentially where cars can pull in front of me
If you want safety go for a diesel Excursion.......on bikes you better consider it like street combat if you want to survive. Go slow around town, go fast on the freeway always getting where you have good visibility. Out here in SoCal do the speed limit on a freeway and you'll be dead in a week. Expect no one to see you, or care if they do.
I might get flamed for this, but being a new rider, safety is my hugest concern. I know many motorcyclists end up in accidents, some small, some large, some fatal. in 2014, we had 90k+ injuries reported, and 4k fatal.
almost 100,000 accidents in one year. Cars now have 6 million accidents a year; of course, more cars in the road.
It makes me wonder though, for those motorcycle riders who were injured, if they would have been drivinng the speed limit, wear high vis gear, wear armor, slow down on ever dangerous intersection where cars make left, and be an owl for cars and act as NON will see you and ACT as cars will make a left turn in front of you, maybe even drive with LED spot lights in the front and high beams.
how much less of a number would that be? maybe even fatalities. there is no doubts motorcycles are attracted to the youth, and many of them do drive pretty crazy
This is what makes me wonder what is the true safety of a motorcycle? I was reading forums where pople crashed in cars many times but never in a motorcycle for 20+ years. I do know for sure I am able to see everything, but I do act as if every car on the road is going to pull out on me as if they dont see me, so I slow down at every intersection or potentially where cars can pull in front of me
Look up "The Hurt Study" (1981) and a more recent study done by the NHSTA on motorcycle safety:
Not much has changed in 35 years. Most accidents involved riders under the influence, lack of experience, operating an unfamiliar motorcycle, etc. If you're a sober, alert, and careful rider, your chances of getting injured/killed are pretty small.
I've been riding on the street since 1984. The vast majority of my riding has been on high-powered liter class sport bikes (currently a 2016 Yamaha R1M) commuting to/from work. I've had a couple of close calls, but have never crashed. Yes, there are things beyond your control as a rider, but the bottom line is that most "accidents" aren't accidents at all and are easily preventable. As my Dad used to say "The most dangerous part of a car is the nut behind the wheel".
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