itgirl
06-24-2008, 07:57 PM
my local newspaper does it again. this editorial appeared in today's paper. i bolded the finer points of the article.
Be aware of more motorcyclists
We have to be honest.
We weren't exactly shocked to hear the number of people who died in motorcycle crashes jumped in the two years that followed the state's repeal of mandatory helmet laws.
And news that motorcycle registrations have been shooting upward both locally and statewide didn't really take us by surprise either.
The increase in motorcycle traffic in recent years has been pretty noticeable (thanks to their exhaust systems, perhaps.) And with gas prices continually hitting new highs, it's understandable if more people would be looking at motorcycles, if only for the fuel-efficient rides they provide.
So with more people on motorcycles - at least some of whom are inexperienced - it's no revelation that the number of motorcycle crashes has gone up.
But no matter how obvious any of these outcomes are individually, when considered together, they are kind of shocking.
The fact that the popularity of motorcycles continues to swell, even as the act of riding them becomes increasingly more dangerous, is as remarkable as it is ironic.
And the thing that makes us feel sort of uneasy about the whole situation is that it's a phenomenon that shows no signs of slowing down.
In Adams County, motorcycle registrations have increased by more than 400 between 2006 and 2007, according to numbers provided recently by the state Department of Transportation. York County took on more than 1,500 new riders during the same period.
And in
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both counties, the numbers have continued to push forward, with Adams County taking on almost 70 additional registrations so far this year, and York County taking on nearly 20.
As we have conceded already, there are some darn good reasons for this - like trying to balance a household budget in the face of rampant inflation.
But how many new riders will crash, and how many more crashes will result in death as motorcycles take the road?
In 2004-2005, 131 motorcyclists statewide died from head injuries, which represented a 66-percent increase from the 79 who died from such injuries in 2001-2002, before the state's helmet law was repealed, according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh.
Unfortunately, those numbers have increased locally, as well.
And one can only imagine those numbers will continue to increase as the number of motorcyclists goes up.
A lot of bikers who keep their helmets on the backrests of their bikes say they do so because, if they were to crash, it might keep them alive in some vegetative state or to suffer through horrible injuries. Without a helmet, they say, at least they would rest in peace.
We understand that argument.
Given a choice, we would rather see no crashes and no injuries. But that's something we can guarantee won't happen.
So maybe the most realistic approach is for bikers to be as safe as they can.
New riders should take a safety course; several are offered each year. Helmets and other protective gear are a good idea. And we hear a lot from bikers urging drivers to share the road, but don't forget sharing is a two-part relationship, and the more bikers can do to make themselves visible to drivers, the better chances they have of making it home.
It's dangerous out there on the road, and the more we're all conscious of that, the better off we'll all be.
.................................................. .................................................. ..........................
i am all for new riders (and veterans) taking safety courses and wearing all their gear, but they make it sound like motorcycle safety is solely the responsibility of the bikers. like riding defensively and wearing neon colors will keep cages from hitting us. it sounds like they want us to do all the work so that cagers can be lazy and continue to not look for us.
i got news for them, a full suit of armor and all the classes in the world can't prevent us from stupid drivers. where is the accountability for the motorists?
anyone else get this? or am i just reading in to it too much?
Be aware of more motorcyclists
We have to be honest.
We weren't exactly shocked to hear the number of people who died in motorcycle crashes jumped in the two years that followed the state's repeal of mandatory helmet laws.
And news that motorcycle registrations have been shooting upward both locally and statewide didn't really take us by surprise either.
The increase in motorcycle traffic in recent years has been pretty noticeable (thanks to their exhaust systems, perhaps.) And with gas prices continually hitting new highs, it's understandable if more people would be looking at motorcycles, if only for the fuel-efficient rides they provide.
So with more people on motorcycles - at least some of whom are inexperienced - it's no revelation that the number of motorcycle crashes has gone up.
But no matter how obvious any of these outcomes are individually, when considered together, they are kind of shocking.
The fact that the popularity of motorcycles continues to swell, even as the act of riding them becomes increasingly more dangerous, is as remarkable as it is ironic.
And the thing that makes us feel sort of uneasy about the whole situation is that it's a phenomenon that shows no signs of slowing down.
In Adams County, motorcycle registrations have increased by more than 400 between 2006 and 2007, according to numbers provided recently by the state Department of Transportation. York County took on more than 1,500 new riders during the same period.
And in
Advertisement
both counties, the numbers have continued to push forward, with Adams County taking on almost 70 additional registrations so far this year, and York County taking on nearly 20.
As we have conceded already, there are some darn good reasons for this - like trying to balance a household budget in the face of rampant inflation.
But how many new riders will crash, and how many more crashes will result in death as motorcycles take the road?
In 2004-2005, 131 motorcyclists statewide died from head injuries, which represented a 66-percent increase from the 79 who died from such injuries in 2001-2002, before the state's helmet law was repealed, according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh.
Unfortunately, those numbers have increased locally, as well.
And one can only imagine those numbers will continue to increase as the number of motorcyclists goes up.
A lot of bikers who keep their helmets on the backrests of their bikes say they do so because, if they were to crash, it might keep them alive in some vegetative state or to suffer through horrible injuries. Without a helmet, they say, at least they would rest in peace.
We understand that argument.
Given a choice, we would rather see no crashes and no injuries. But that's something we can guarantee won't happen.
So maybe the most realistic approach is for bikers to be as safe as they can.
New riders should take a safety course; several are offered each year. Helmets and other protective gear are a good idea. And we hear a lot from bikers urging drivers to share the road, but don't forget sharing is a two-part relationship, and the more bikers can do to make themselves visible to drivers, the better chances they have of making it home.
It's dangerous out there on the road, and the more we're all conscious of that, the better off we'll all be.
.................................................. .................................................. ..........................
i am all for new riders (and veterans) taking safety courses and wearing all their gear, but they make it sound like motorcycle safety is solely the responsibility of the bikers. like riding defensively and wearing neon colors will keep cages from hitting us. it sounds like they want us to do all the work so that cagers can be lazy and continue to not look for us.
i got news for them, a full suit of armor and all the classes in the world can't prevent us from stupid drivers. where is the accountability for the motorists?
anyone else get this? or am i just reading in to it too much?