Every day in America at least a dozen bikers die in the saddle. A truck or auto operator is usually at fault. Typically, the killer explains that he never saw or heard the biker and is fined a trivial amount for a minor offense.
The broken bodies of the victims are usually heaped with scorn. A standard line in every news account of every motorcycle fatality informs enquiring minds whether or not the biker was wearing a helmet. In the last few years it has become common to mention that Harley riders are aging so their riding skills must be deteriorating.
The most popular misconception is that bikers are usually at fault because they do not know what they are doing well enough to stay alive. So of course, the solution is more and better motorcycle “education.” Like, if bikers were all required to get an Associates degree in motorcycling from the University of Phoenix before they were licensed people would be less inclined to try to run over them.
A majority of Harley dealers and riders actually agree with this idea. Every biker who has ridden in the real, big, scary world would like to pick up an edge. Even skeptics concede that a motorcycle course can’t hurt. But a study published late last year by an insurance industry think tank called the “Highway Loss Data Institute” concluded that the effect of “rider education” on collision rates is “not statistically significant.”
How News Works
The Institute bulletin, titled “Motorcycle Collision Coverage Claims in States with Required Motorcycle Rider Training,” was published last December. But this is the time of year when reporters in most of the country are looking for a motorcycling story they can write in about three hours or less.
And, big newspapers lead. Little newspapers and television follow. Last week a New York Times automotive blogger named Cheryl Jensen ran a story about the December report. And now local news outlets have begun reporting approximately the same thing; usually with some local angle like an interview with a Harley dealer.
The Times reported this story under the headline “Motorcycle Training Does Not Reduce Crash Risk.” Television stations in Montana and Indiana have been reporting this as, “Do Motorcycle Safety Courses Actually Prevent Crashes?”
If you haven’t seen a televised version of this story yet you will. May is “Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month” and most reporters can hardly recite that headline without smirking let alone make up a story to go with it.
What The Report Actually Said
The report did not make news when it was published because it hardly discovered anything everybody did not already know. For example, the report found that, “Motorcycles are less stable and less visible than automobiles and tend to have higher power-to-weight ratios. When motorcycles crash, their riders lack the protection of an enclosed vehicle, so they are more likely to be injured or killed.”
It is a scientific report. “Regression analysis was used to quantify the effect of state level training requirements on motorcycle collision claim frequency while controlling for other covariates.” We will skip a listing of the covariates and the report’s description of its methodology.
The meat in the bulletin is the finding that people who ride “a cruiser class motorcycle,” which is to say a Harley or a Harley knockoff, were 70 percent less likely to file an insurance claim than average. Women filed claims about 26 percent less often than men. And, if you live in a Los Angeles you are about twelve percent more likely to have a motorcycle accident than if you live on a farm.
Motorcycle riders under the age of twenty-one who have taken a rider safety course are about ten percent less likely to have an accident that young riders who have not. For riders over 21, the big factor is whether you ride a cruiser class bike or something else.
Motorcycle Safety Foundation Speechless
Most motorcycle training courses are administered by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.
When asked for comment on the bulletin by the New York Times, Robert Gladden, the General Manager of the Foundation declined because his group “would have to spend quite a bit of time going through their data to either verify or validate it.”
Related posts:
April 12th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
When I go through intersections I slow down and watch cars, fully expecting them to pull in front of me, that way, if they do I’m ready. I also look both ways about 3-4 times – I learned that from living on Army bases across the U.S.; a good way to stay out of the Top’s doghouse is to avoid accidents/tickets/arrests!
troyez
P.S. Doesn’t hurt to carry a pocket full of nuts/bolts or sinkers for those over-zealous motorists who like to tailgate bikes!
April 12th, 2010 at 7:29 pm
I’ve thrown this out before.
In the age of cell phones and Neverlost, shouldn’t it be possible to put something on motorcycles that would transmit a localized warning signal over short distances to a device that would be required on all automobiles and trucks? The receiver which would be on whenever the car is on, would then emit a warning e.g. “Motorcycle left rear!” Something similar could also be used for pedestrians at night, and for bicycles.
I would require that it be absolutely free of any tracking devices,only be optional on motorcycles, but that the receivers be mandatory for other vehicles.
I know the complaint would be that in densely populated areas, the frequent alarms would interfere with people’s cell phone conversations and their beauty rest.
Am I crazy? –never mind, don’t answer that part.
SVD
April 12th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
The first base I was assigned to required that everyone who wanted to ride a motorcycle on base complete their Safety Course. Honestly, I resented it. I already knew how to ride a bike, and I had the confidence that only the young possess.
That being said, by the time I finished it, I was very grateful that I had taken the course. The old guy that taught it not only gave me some riding skills that I had not been aware that I lacked, but he also gave me a greater appreciation for the stupidity of other drivers.
The base also required bike riders to wear boots, long pants and sleeves, gloves, and a helmet. Although I occasionally skip the helmet the other gear has been a part of my riding ever since. My youngest son has an 883, and is going to be taking a rider safety course in a couple of months. I may go with him just to relearn the basics.
SVD, I have no idea how to stop it, but the ones that scare me to death are those technology obsessed people who feel they have to ‘text’ while they drive. I have had several teenage girls come close to killing me on the road, and I don’t think half of them even realize how close they came, despite my hitting the horn and using various vulgar signs to show my displeasure.
GW
April 12th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Oregon has requirements for taking courses.I recently attended an advanced rider course and actually learned a lot.There we was, a bunch of grey beards grinning and whooping it up.
Brought my insurance down,made some friends and learned something.No complaints.Back home, they peeled a kid on a NinjakatanaCBR off the rails on Skyline blvd every single weekend.18 years + 1100cc don’t mix.
Sometimes school ain’t such a bad thing.Better than OJT or die anyways.
April 12th, 2010 at 11:51 pm
GW:
Maybe my device includes some signal that disables cell phone transmission whenever the engine is on.
April 13th, 2010 at 4:23 am
They now have a device that will prevent texting in any vehicle traveling over 5 m.p.h. It will also alert you when the car gets over a certain speed and will alert you to the car’s location via gps. Kids won’t be able to get away with things like we did if the parent chooses to go “big brother” on them.
http://textsafety.com/
Informing minds want to know.
Rock
April 13th, 2010 at 7:40 am
Dear Rock:
I like the texting prevention. It will save lives of cagers, pedestrians, and bikers. Minus the tracking, it should be in every car–not just placed in cars by parents of teenagers. There are plenty of adults who feel they are above the laws of physics.
Like I’ve said, it does no good to punish people after they’ve already caused a fatal crash, and the person who texts while he or she drives is not amenable to reasonable persuasion. And those who need this in their cars will not put it in voluntarily. After all, if they thought they needed it, they wouldn’t be doing it in the first place.
Oprah, of all people, did a show in which she got people who text while driving to meet people who lost loved ones. To a person, each of the texting while driving people had always claimed that they could “multitask”. Meeting a victim’s loved ones face to face had at least a temporary effect on that idea.
Mixed feelings about the GPS bit; I can see good reasons for it, but I can also imagine lots of scenarios in which something like that gets misused.
SVD
April 13th, 2010 at 8:10 am
I know I took a riding course when I started out. Mainly since in CA you don’t have to take the riding exam at the DMV if you pass the riding course. You onlt have to take the written part which they review in the Riders course. Believe it or not I learned a few things and I usually suggest it to anyone thinking about jumping on 2 wheels. Great tips and tricks.
April 13th, 2010 at 8:18 am
Haven’t been on any kind of bike course for almost 20 years.
Thinking now that before the next one comes along I’m going to be giving it a go – have to admit, in swapping the side of the road I’ve ridden/driven on, I’d probably benefit more than most.
Once you can admit you’ve got a problem, you’re half-way to solving it.
My oldest is coming up to driving age – making lots of noises about the truck (he knows better than to even look at any bike I might get), Rock’s device sounds like a must to me.
The added bonus is, he may never grunt at me in that hormonal teenage way again, let alone talk to me!
LL&R
Jabba
SYLO
April 13th, 2010 at 8:26 am
Have just mentioned this device to the old lady, who has gone off on 15 minutes of how the kids don’t need big brother, but I pay no attention to road traffic laws on two wheels or four, how I never wear a seat belt, ignore helmet laws, think all traffic cops are c*nts and blah… blah… blahhhh…
Thanks a fucking bunch Rock.
Guess that course is a MUST now.
LL&R
Jabba
SYLO
April 13th, 2010 at 8:34 am
What causes problems is the real problem. The real problem is that cagers see no vested interest in motorcycle safety. They just don’t care about bikes.
While training bikers to stay alive in a hostile environment is probably a good idea it doesn’t address the real problem. Bikers aren’t comitting suicide on bikes, they are being killed by mindless fucktards and twittering nitts in cages. We’re not educating the right part of the population. The cagers are usually at fault in mc accidents.
Educating the fucktards and twittering nitts, and giving verry stiff penalties in injury accidents, and a lot of press coverage on those stiff penalties might be more to the point. Educate and penalize the people that are causin the problem, not the people that are feeling the effects.
A good friend did time in a Texas prison because the passenger on his bike was killed in an accident and he was judged to be at fault. But the average house wife can left turn and kill a patch holder and nothing is done.
A brother, through no fault of his own has survived 3, count em, 3
left handers in the last 25 years. That’s 3 head on collisions with unconsious cagers who didn’t see him. He now uses a modulated headlight and wears a helmet. None of the people were ever issued any citation for anything.
What causes problems is the real problem. Do something about the fucktards and twittering nitts.
OK………… Rant’s over ……….. turn the volume back up
Respects
Doc
April 13th, 2010 at 8:45 am
Greetings GoldsB,
I was that SSgt on MCB Camp Pendleton who taught that very course. We made every new motorcyclist take it and lasted a full week with 40 hours of classes including lecture and skills training on the road. It was mandatory that all leave their bikes at the main gate locked and secure until the course was complete and I signed their cards allowing the bike on the base. I was not a Provost Marshall, but rather a “Full Legger” with 1st Anglico.
The final exam consisted of laying down a specially prepared Suzuki 125 with roll bars and wheels on either side of the bike. To pass you had to go at least 25 mph, slide and lay the bike down.
When I retired from the Corps in 97′ I trained several hundred Marines. I’m not completely sure if this training helped anyone but at least they got the whole week off of duty and enjoyed themselves on the “Company Dime” so to speak.
I still get e-mails from these men who have since moved on in their life all over the country. Many are club members now and I enjoy a good relationship with them. It is not how many we trained but how many people the trained, were able to reach out to. The MSF was a joke when I went through their instructor program. I learned more at “Jump School” Ft. Benning about how to control myself during an accident than anything the MSF preaches.
Remember stay with your bike if you feel safe then wait for the time to “fly” Practice with your helmet on (in helmet states) at a trampoline. It’s about controlling your body with this added weight. This will help more than any classes you will ever take.
Liberty & Freedom,
Detroit Dutch
April 13th, 2010 at 9:00 am
I wonder if there’s a market for license plate frames with “DO NOT” on top and “TAILGATE” on bottom. Maybe even “ARMED” on top and “DRIVER” on bottom (hey, we’ve arms btw our shoulders and hands). Then again, all those brain dead cagers might have to get as close as a dog humping your leg to read ‘em.
April 13th, 2010 at 9:22 am
Detroit Dutch – WRT your last paragraph, if helmets weighted 20-lbs then I could see what you’re getting at. Maybe I misinterpreted you?
FF helmets vary from 3 lbs. 7 oz. to 4 lbs. 3-3/8 oz. while OF helmets are 2 lbs. 2-3/4 oz. to 2 lbs. 8-3/8 oz. at least here in the USA. When referring to overall helmet weight, it’s nothing like putting 2-4 lbs of dead weight on top of our noggins as that weight is evenly distributed around our heads.
Yeah, I’d definitely use my motorcycle as a surfboard while skidding across the road should I go down. BTDT. Might even try a hang 10 while yelling cowabunga should it happen again. Just kidding.
April 13th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Rebel, you summed up in one article what I’ve said all along:
a. It’s de facto legal (usually) for somebody on four or more wheels to kill somebody on two wheels, particularly if the two-wheeler is a biker rather than just a motorcyclist;
b. Cagers (like myself) and truckers are supposed to look to both sides and in front of them–the 20-year-old, still-running Camry I used to drive was totalled by some cock smoker in a ShitUrineVomit the size of an oil tanker because the driver was looking in some other direction while coming out of the CVS driveway onto Carson Street (a major street here in Hell Lay). I saw the genius looking out the side window while driving straight forward out into the street and swerved like fuck to avoid the ShitUrineVomit but he was driving out too fast. I would have been “totalled” along with my bike had I been a biker;
c. Motorcyclists are exposed and on fewer wheels than cagers and truckers, so they need a lot more space than cagers and truckers. I figured this out on my own because I rode bitch on several of my biker friends’ (generally fellow musicians) bikes when I was going to school in San Francisco. As a result, I let bikers have a lot of space when I drive a cage. This should be a big “Well, DUH!” to anyone.
d. Loud pipes (can) save lives.
YYZ Skinhead
April 13th, 2010 at 9:48 am
Training can be a great thing, but I prefer it to be voluntary.
Personal responsibility solves problems better th
April 13th, 2010 at 9:49 am
To complete my previous post:
Personal responsibility solves problems better than government mandates do.
April 13th, 2010 at 10:24 am
I’ve logged a half million miles in the last 15 years alone. My 40 year riding total is considerably higher. I have never taken a riding course and never intend to, but I suggest if for newbies. In most cases, bikers don’t kill bikers, cagers do. Sometimes bikers do manage to kill themselves by driving drunk or stupid.
What good would a riding course have done the Phoenix riders that got crushed?
I always assume that every driver on the road is out to kill me. It’s like a video game to me. When I am stopped (without someone behind me), I pulse my brake light to help alert those approaching from behind. Once someone is stopped behind me, I consider myself safe.
After Phoenix, I guess I need to reconsider that!
Rock
Rock
April 13th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
I got run off the road recently by a woman in a honking big SUV who was talking on a cell phone – my take away was that I’m old and the road is hard. Despite the week off work with some pain killers and whiskey (which wasn’t half bad) while my cracked ribs healed up, it just reaffirmed the facts for me – anyone in a car is the enemy. Regardless of who’s wrong and who’s right, the biker will always come off second best.
April 13th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
My parents insisted I did a rider skills course at 15 years old before I could ride on the road. I learned some valuable survival skills in that course and that kept me alive long enough to learn all the rest while out on the road. I think it should be mandatory that cage drivers take the same course so they are aware of motorcycles sharing the same roads….
April 13th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
After riding 10 years or so without a license or a class, I took one last summer and actually learned some things. But it should be up to every individual to decide whether or not they want to take a class, not a requirement.
In my experience, most close calls I have had is because some dipshit in a car or truck or suv isn’t paying attention to what is around them. I always ride as if I am invisible to everyone in a cage.
LL&R
Big Bry
April 13th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Rock – those are impressive odometer readings on your part. Mine are substantially less, but with me it’s the quality of the miles rather than the quantity that counts. Meaning, am out on the winding backroads most of the time, and tend to avoid the stuporslab as all that droning is mentally exasperating. OTOH, if I smoked a fatty or slammed a few cold ones then I’d be too buzzed to give a flip.
April 13th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
“Motorcycles are less stable and less visible than automobiles and tend to have higher power-to-weight ratios. When motorcycles crash, their riders lack the protection of an enclosed vehicle, so they are more likely to be injured or killed.”
No shit?? I’d have never known. There’s only a certain level of safety which can be reached on a vehicle you operate with an i.e.d. in your lap and gears grinding away under your nutsack.
I learned to ride. I didn’t pay anybody to teach me. I learned. Sometimes I learned the hard way, sometimes I learned by the grace of the Almighty. Not until I was 5 years deep in the military and almost 10 riding did somebody from the fed tell me I had to go to a MSF rider course in order to get my scooter on the base and be “allowed” to ride it. Still didn’t learn how to not get hit by an idiot car driver who can’t turn his noggin.
April 13th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
As has been previously related,I got my first sled at 16 from a member leaving a club.Got on,twisted the throttle and let out the clutch.After a 40 foot wheelstand into my brother’s panel truck across the street, I crawled out none for the worse for wear and “YEAH!”…
When I finally attended a class 37 years later, I actually learned something.
And I DO have around 500k on a sled.
So we’s all different.
But no matter what ya do, the wild card is always going to be a cage etc.that didn’t read your daily agenda.
Sometimes, looking back, I can’t see how I ever possibly survived my life but anything that contributes in a positive way is a good thing.
April 13th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
“Sometimes, looking back, I can’t see how I ever possibly survived my life but anything that contributes in a positive way is a good thing.”
Oh yeah, I can relate to that.
More than twenty years in the saddle, more than a few nasty moments flying through the air, some nastier ones when the force of gravity took over. One or two broken bones, a lot of cuts and bruises and at least one deceased concrete tortoise. Sometimes it wasn’t even down to me riding like a prick.
Two dead, very, very good friends, who died doing what they lived for and wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Taking an enforced break at the moment. Riding in a new country, I’ll be taking a course when I get back in the saddle – mostly because of this page.
But I did say two dead friends didn’t I? I wonder how many we could all put together. Just what would our own personal numbers be? And to each of us, those people are a lot more than numbers.
Never really thought about it before, maybe it’ll make me treat the road a bit less like a playground in future.
LL&R
Jabba
SYLO
April 13th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
I rode for 12 years before I took the course. At the time, I was a little surprised & embarrassed that I learned a lot during the course. Since then, I encourage everyone to take the course, including ol ladies who have no interest in riding their own bike.
“I wonder how many we could all put together. Just what would our own personal numbers be? And to each of us, those people are a lot more than numbers.”
Just one very special one for me.
April 14th, 2010 at 4:36 am
Grumbler,
You might be missing the point, a human head is disproportionate in weight to the mass of the body. What this means is the slightest twist or turn of the head the body will follow that direction “in flight.” Then add on the helmet, yes it is not that much weight but it changes the body dynamic.
As I stated above, try this on a trampoline. First without a helmet then with your helmet. You will see what I am talked about and have been lecturing for decades. I didn’t get my nick-name “The Flying Dutchman” for nothing (over 235 logged jumps with more than 200 of them Combat Dive Insertions- HALO.)
Again I am not a helmet advocate and my advice goes as much against the use of a helmet then for one. I’ve been shooting holes in the MSF data for decades and preach personal responsibility and accountability. And being from Michigan I have been active in removing the mandatory helmet legislation. Let those who ride decide!
Liberty & Freedom,
Dutch
April 14th, 2010 at 5:43 am
Self-taught rider, then had to take the MSF course in Japan to be allowed to ride on base. Had a blast in that course; great instructors with a lot of experience who made learning fun. Then, years later, had to take the course again in England for the same reasons…plus I couldn’t find my damn MSF card for proof I’d taken the course already. That one was miserable: rained the whole time and the instructors were pricks, except for one Brit who was certifying as an instructor; he was cool.
IMO, It’s good to take a course every now and then; makes me realize the bad habits I’ve picked up/slipped back into.
April 14th, 2010 at 7:41 am
Detroit Dutch,
ANGLICO (too much math),Boalt Hall,Golf Links road,HALO….
Yer an interesting guy amigo….
April 14th, 2010 at 7:54 am
Detroit Dutch – there’s too many intangibles, at least from my perspective, to determine whether the human head to body ratio analogy is plausible. Not saying that you’re wrong, but I’ve never parachuted out of a plane so have no personal in-flight experience.
Using an extreme example, we’re not built like a 4-lb sledge hammer with a 13″ handle.
The human head represents 8% of our body mass, and weights around 10-11 pounds.
It would definitely be interesting to compare a parachute jump with a motorcycle collision that sends the biker flying over a vehicle.
Am in full agreement with you on letting those who ride decide as there’s too much guvmint intrusion in our lives.
What I do advocate is eye protection and being visually aware of our surroundings.
At any rate, engaging in constructive dialogues, regardless of our respective viewpoints, is all good. Am always open to learning something new that defies logic.
Here’s hoping that there’s no in-flight episodes while we’re out on the road.
April 14th, 2010 at 11:59 am
What I find most interesting in this thread is the willingness everyone shows in taking a riders safety course, even those who have ridden for years or who have taken one before in order to learn something. But whats alrming is that I personally have never heard of anyone wanting to retake a driver ed course to possibly learn something in their car. Just look at the recent toyota fiasco. How many people freaked out and didnt know what to do when their accelerators got stuck. That tells me people arent being taught. I know when I took those classes that was one thing they made sure we understood, put it in nuetral and coast, then brake. If there were more people in cars who took driving as serious as they should and kept up on educating themselves like those who ride on 2 wheels do then perhaps there wouldnt be as many car/motorcycle accidents and excuse of “oh, I didnt see him, Im sorry I killed him, by”.
April 14th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Bud,
“What I find most interesting in this thread is the willingness everyone shows in taking a riders safety course, even those who have ridden for years or who have taken one before in order to learn something. But whats alrming is that I personally have never heard of anyone wanting to retake a driver ed course to possibly learn something in their car.”
That’s a valid point.
To clarify my position, I don’t have a problem with rider safety courses – as long as they’re not required by any government. Like many here, I learned to ride at a very early age. I got my license as soon as the state allowed, and in those days it didn’t require a riding test. Many years later, I took an MSF course. It has saved me a few bucks on my insurance, and I learned a few things. That was my time, my money, and my choice. I’ve never thought about taking a AAA cage driver course (if they even exist), but would consider it if it would cut a little off my insurance premiums. That said, I would never take a course just because some “expert” did a study that said my life depended on it. Call me a skeptic, but studies, data, and statistics don’t impress me.
My point is that we should be responsible for ourselves, and not expect anyone to kiss our boo-boos when we screw up. If you want to attend a class, attend it – just don’t expect it to make life any less dangerous.
Vacuus Cura
April 14th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
No rider safety course or drivers ed course can cure stupid. Left work Sat evening, riding my bike following an 18 wheeler, watched a woman in a cage talking on a cell phone change lanes right into one of the rear tandem tires of the trailer. Smoke flew, parts of her car came off, and I could hear the buzzing of the tire against her fender. She jerked the car back into her lane, and never, ever during the entire incident did her cell phone leave her ear!! Passed her a couple of miles up the road and she was still talking.
Respect to all that have earned it
Si vis Pacem, Parabellum.
April 15th, 2010 at 4:09 am
The effects on the road are especially serious, but I think the whole problem stems from more and more people behaving like self-absorbed assholes. This manifests in the ways people have already mentioned – but I see much the same behaviour in the grocery store – people yapping away on cell phones with their cart blocking the section of shelf I need to get at, and then glaring at me when I say (in a mild tone) “excuse me”. Epsilons* who abandon a cart in the geo-fucking-metric centre of the aisle, angled to make it impossible to get past without moving said cart – which of course gets another glare. I won’t even go into the “parents” who let small children go running through the store like little demons, completely out of their sight. If these people can’t pilot a shopping cart in a responsible fashion, what are the chances they drive well?!
Another behaviour that boggles my mind is something I’ve seen on long hauls on Interstate 5 here in California. It’s a lot busier than it was 20 years ago, and sometimes the right hand lane has a lot of big rigs in it – with most of the cars in the left-hand lane, generally doing the speed limit or a little faster… but clearly not fast enough for some jerks. So they pop into a space between a couple of rigs and try to jump a few cars ahead in the queue running in the left hand lane. This seriously pisses me off! It’s not like they’re trying to get around ONE slug-ass driver holding back traffic in the left lane; there’s a pretty solid conga-line of traffic. They’re just convinced that they’re SO much more important than everyone else, they don’t know or care that their bobbing in and out of traffic – often making dangerous lane changes – just slows down the whole procession. If they’d get over themselves and stay in queue – and only pass if it turns out there really IS one of the aforementioned slug-ass drivers creating a slow down – everyone would get where they’re going just a bit sooner. I take great pleasure in preventing such self-centred jackasses from merging back in, if I can do so safely. I remember on one trip I saw some idjit pull right, race up and get blocked and have to wait (often winding up losing ground) five times! And that’s all I saw – I’m sure it was more. With that kind of stubborn idiocy in so many so-called drivers it’s amazing any of us on two wheels are still alive.
What so many people these days seem to fail to understand is that driving is an exercise in social cooperation. If people observe courtesy and the rules of the road, EVERYONE gets where they’re going faster and more safely. If they don’t … at best, traffic’s slower and more tangled than it needs to be.
At worst – people die.
*A reference to “Epsilon Semi-Morons” from the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. It’s become my favorite way to say “imbecilic shithead” in polite company.
April 15th, 2010 at 8:59 am
DirtyBruin,
Excellent post. I especially enjoyed (and immediately recognized) the Huxley reference. Huxley and Orwell were insightful men, to say the least.
Vacuus Cura
April 15th, 2010 at 9:16 am
Try to get the paperback On Wheels (1973) by John Jakes. It’s about a future American society in which about 15 percent of the population lived on the 16 lane freeways in great, interconnected chains of vans driving all the time. They never went below 40, and they had clans much like those of North Carolina’s hill country.
April 15th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Couple thoughts. I took an MSF class later in life. Invaluable in my opinion, lots of small tips and tricks like avoiding getting in between another vehicle an an exit. Countless times I’ve witnessed the “last second swerve” of some idiot with cell phone in one hand and Big Mac in the other while watching a movie on the GPS screen.
SVB, you’re on to something. Tech is there. Maybe a blinking light on dash or something. Problem is getting all related parties to agree on the tech and implementing. Air Bags took 25 years from engineered product to implementation.
Hurt report from the 70′s showed very strong correlation of training with reduced incidence of accidents. 92% of all accidents in that report were riders with A) No formal training and B) No experience on a motorcycle. Riding a dirt bike off road at a younger age also highly correlated with reduced accident rates.
Rebel, thanks for mentioning the control of covariates….I love the nums man and you’re talking detailed regression analysis! Would like to see the R-Squareds and T-Statistics though, LOL.
Bottom line is common sense as many have said and keep an “emergency exit” available at all times (shoulder, grass, open lane, whatever). I’m most uncomfortable in the carpool lanes with the center divider right at the left lane edge…no escape route).
Best
Mikonos
April 15th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Speaking of motorcycles and cages, just spotted a Mercedes-Benz ML320 with the exact, came personal license plate that’s on my scoot. Had no idea that the DMV would issue the same personal plate to a motorcycle and cage. Thought I paid a little extra for an unique plate only to find out it’s a duplicate. Have contacted to DMV to see whether someone fucked-up or if it’s SOP.
April 15th, 2010 at 8:03 pm
Texas allows a new rider to take and pass a safety course in lieu of taking a driving test at the DMV. This is easier than trying to figure out how to get a bike to the DMV plus provide a car to drive the inspector while he follows you during your test ride.
I used the “emergency swerve” a couple of times that I learned in the course. One time it kept me from rear ending a biker. On a group ride and the woman on the bike in front of me hit the brakes hard on a fresh yellow light and everyone else was planning on going through.
The second time it saved my life. I must have been wearing my cloak of invisibility because a 16 yo with a learners permit pulled out in front of me while I was going 50 mph. Fortunately he came from my left so I had a second to swerve hard right which put my upper body clear of the impact. Got a helicopter ride out of it. Didn’t walk for a year, but fortunate to have the legs still attached.
The kid’s dad was riding in the van and told the trooper we were “doing 100 mph”. The limit was 60 but I had slowed to 50 because the intersection had spooked me. Guess what the Dad is? A lawyer. Trooper told him he was full of shit and gave the kid a ticket for failure to yeild the right of way.
April 15th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
Mikonos,
I was actually hoping someone with an engineering background might tell me that the technology required by such a device already exists. As you point out, it’s the business plan that’s lacking. I’m still halfway tempted to try to work with an engineer on a patent. Maybe the best customers would be insurance companies.
By the way, is SV”B” a common typo, or some kind of inside joke I’m not getting?
Respect,
Square Verbose Boc
April 16th, 2010 at 9:31 am
Sled,
Your first ride story is impressive, hilarious and painfully familiar. What a ride! Do you think the folks that witnessed our first rides still rememeber?
Thanks for the memory and laugh.
/R
c8652
April 16th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
SVD: I’m more in danger of mistakenly calling you RVD, since the pro wrestler of those initials resurfaced on TNA recently.
I wonder if there would be a way to employ Bluetooth technology for this application, since many cars are incorporating it already. Class 1 Bluetooth (at 100mW output) has a range of roughly 100 metres – that should be more than enough. (Class 2 – at 2.5mW – only has a range of about 10 metres – that’s a bit too close.).
Obviously on the cage side there might have to be some additional hardware to alert the driver that a bike was near – but it could just be a new standard Bluetooth “profile” for that part of the system. If the Bluetooth is already hooked in to the car’s audio system (say, for making hands-free phone calls) it probably would just require the right software. I don’t know that it could tell the driver exactly where the bike is in relation to the cage, but it could caution the driver that a motorcycle was near.
April 16th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Grumbler,
At least 3/4 of my miles were on back roads. I use the interstates only when it’s necessary to get around large cities, etc.
I agree, a good fatty and it makes no difference about the road.
Rock
April 16th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Mikonos,
The escape route you mention to me is one of the most important things to be aware of on the road. Personally I prefer the fast lane on the freeway because there is an emergency lane before the center dividerand also puts me away from the merging on/off lanes where I see alot of people seem to have difficulty doing, causing others to panic and slam on brakes or swerve lanes.
Also I pay real close attention to what I smell. Having had every possible problem you can have with every vehivle Ive ever owned, be it a bike car or truck, ive learned to recognize whats wrong by the smell, so when I smell burning oil, radiator fluid, brake pads or burning rubber,(tire rubber and clutches are distinct) Im lookin for parts layin in the road or someone possbly broken down in a bad spot.
Bud
April 16th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
SVD, my bad on the SVB, might be something Freudian around the “VD” but not intentional!
Bud, all the senses a must. One of the things I love about riding. Father in law has an old farmhouse in northern Italy and a 50 cc Vespa. i rode it in the hills of Perugia and was passed by a knockout Italian girl on a bigger scooter (100 cc?). Looping back and forth in the mountains trying to catch her, I knew I was getting closer when I could smell her perfume. Went on for 20 miles or so and every once in awhile I would get a glimpse when a corner would open up into a straight section.
She took a right on a dirt driveway and that was that, I didn’t have the gumption to stop and say bongiorno (I was married and they hunt wild pigs in them parts, didn’t want a standoff with Papa either!).
One of those great memories I’ll probably be reflecting about on my deathbed…
Mikonos
April 16th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Bud,
Many,many years ago, I was running late to a party. fumbling around in my cut pocket, I found a semi usable doob,did the obvious thing and took off.At some point along the way,I started smelling pot roast.Being a poor guy, always hungry, I enjoyed the smell blissfully thinking about a plate until it became suddenly obvious that the doobie had set my beard on fire.Pulled over frantically swatting my beard,I got it out and took off.
Arrived at said party just about the time I noted a peculiar smell which seemed strong and local.Backed to the curb,swung off and as I turned, was greeted by a large crowd running at me full tilt.I was a guest,didn’t know too many people but naturally, given my dashingly debonair good looks,I figured these good people wanted to be my new friends.I started a little wave just as they got to me.
And ran past me…
Turning, I saw a bike was on fire.
To be more specific..
MY bike was on fire.
The battery had caught the blanket I was using as a seat between swap meets.
Everyone was pulling tabs and pouring their beers all over my sled.One kind fellow was trying his best to help but at least a few beers had already been poured down himself so after getting frustrated by his inability to open another brew, he just unzipped and started to piss on the flame.Unfortunately, due to his condition, he had to lean against the bike and he caught his pants leg on fire.A couple of guys finally grabbed him and got it out.
As it was painfully obvious I was stuck, and yet another new smell or two was hitting me, that of pig roast and herbal medicinals, I settled in for the duration, my obviously distraught condition being comforted by sympathetic Santa Cruz girls.
But ya know? Smells really do take you back.
Which is why Pot roast is banned in my house.
April 16th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Mikonos:
No worries, I just didn’t want to be missing out on a good joke, even if it was at my expense. Actually I kind of like “Boc”. I’ll have to consider it. Love the story about following the perfume.
DB:
I love the bluetooth idea, and perhaps since so many hands free phones use bluetooth, an additional feature could be that the motorcyclist would have the option to signal the driver to “get off the fuckin phone and pay attention to the road”
SVD
April 16th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Sled Tramp,
That is a hilarious story, I have ofter thought, what do the people who trailer there bikes everywhere talk about? How boring would our lives have been without our adventures from the road. Sounds like you had a good time in spite of your misfortune!!
Respect to all that have earned it
Si vis Pacem, Parabellum.
April 16th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Dear Sled Tramp:
Your story gives new meaning to the terms “getting baked” and “pot roast” but I have to draw something extra special from the fact that you and your bike got baked together.
SVD
April 16th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
Sled > That’s another great story.
RVN69 > You are so right, you do the miles, you can’t help but collect the stories.
The people round here are gonna have to get together for a book. It’s just got to be done.
LL&R
Jabba
SYLO
April 16th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
I’ve known riders that just got a new learners permit every year , for 30 years. They admit that they learned a few things. But it ain’t a ‘one size fits all’ thing. I’ve been riding and racing for 35 years. I’ve held AMA , WERA and DRAGBIKE and IDBA pro licenses.
One female MSF instructor went on to say how ya have 75% more stopping power with the front brake than the rear , but ya need to be careful not to lock up the front wheel. I simply said “maybe”. I offered her a ride on my 1968 Electra-Glide and told her to grab the (cable operated drum) front brake as hard as she could and see if she could stop it and lock up the front wheel.If she could , I’d lick her asshole.
Now I do have dual discs on my ’97 Roadking and dual 4-piston PMs on my chopper.
April 16th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
pb68slab,
When I bought my first Panhead it had a HD foot clutch, jocky shift, and drumbrakes, front brake lever on the left side so you could hold the bike with the brake while you eased out the clutch and worked the throttle at the same time. First time I took it out I was so busy trying to figure out the foot clutch hand shift thing, I failed to notice I was rapidly closing in on a major 4 lane intersection against the red. Sailed thru front brake lever pulled into the grip and it didn’t even slow down!! I remember seeing one car go behind me and another just miss in front. After I got on the rear brake and stopped the bike I thought to myself, “Self you gotta lotta years familiarity with the foot shift hand clutch thing, why not switch back to that and live awhile!” Gotta love drum brakes and coker replica tires!!!
Respect to all that have earned it
Si vis Pacem, Parabellum.
April 16th, 2010 at 9:48 pm
SVD: I’m just thinking that the easier and cheaper your idea could be added to a vehicle, the more likely it would be to actually happen – and if it can be piggy-backed onto a system they’re already adding for other reasons, that’s even better.
Bluetooth devices have an ID code – maybe there would be some way for the motorcycle part to tell the car/truck how far away it is. The only way I can think of to determine where the bike is relative to the cage without using multiple antennas in the cage for triangulation is GPS, and some might object to even a low power localized Bluetooth broadcast of such data, unless there was some way to encrypt it.
It’s a nifty concept, for sure; BT may not be the answer, but I’m reasonably sure there IS one somewhere.
April 26th, 2010 at 6:43 am
pb68slab,
When I bought my first Panhead it had a HD foot clutch, jocky shift, and drumbrakes, front brake lever on the left side so you could hold the bike with the brake while you eased out the clutch and worked the throttle at the same time. First time I took it out I was so busy trying to figure out the foot clutch hand shift thing, I failed to notice I was rapidly closing in on a major 4 lane intersection against the red. Sailed thru front brake lever pulled into the grip and it didn’t even slow down!! I remember seeing one car go behind me and another just miss in front. After I got on the rear brake and stopped the bike I thought to myself, “Self you gotta lotta years familiarity with the foot shift hand clutch thing, why not switch back to that and live awhile!” Gotta love drum brakes and coker replica tires!!!
Respect to all that have earned it
Si vis Pacem, Parabellum.
April 26th, 2010 at 3:48 pm
SVD: I’m just thinking that the easier and cheaper your idea could be added to a vehicle, the more likely it would be to actually happen – and if it can be piggy-backed onto a system they’re already adding for other reasons, that’s even better.
Bluetooth devices have an ID code – maybe there would be some way for the motorcycle part to tell the car/truck how far away it is. The only way I can think of to determine where the bike is relative to the cage without using multiple antennas in the cage for triangulation is GPS, and some might object to even a low power localized Bluetooth broadcast of such data, unless there was some way to encrypt it.
It’s a nifty concept, for sure; BT may not be the answer, but I’m reasonably sure there IS one somewhere.
April 27th, 2010 at 3:40 am
Sled Tramp,
That is a hilarious story, I have ofter thought, what do the people who trailer there bikes everywhere talk about? How boring would our lives have been without our adventures from the road. Sounds like you had a good time in spite of your misfortune!!
Respect to all that have earned it
Si vis Pacem, Parabellum.
April 27th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
SVD: I’m just thinking that the easier and cheaper your idea could be added to a vehicle, the more likely it would be to actually happen – and if it can be piggy-backed onto a system they’re already adding for other reasons, that’s even better.
Bluetooth devices have an ID code – maybe there would be some way for the motorcycle part to tell the car/truck how far away it is. The only way I can think of to determine where the bike is relative to the cage without using multiple antennas in the cage for triangulation is GPS, and some might object to even a low power localized Bluetooth broadcast of such data, unless there was some way to encrypt it.
It’s a nifty concept, for sure; BT may not be the answer, but I’m reasonably sure there IS one somewhere.
April 27th, 2010 at 7:39 pm
pb68slab,
When I bought my first Panhead it had a HD foot clutch, jocky shift, and drumbrakes, front brake lever on the left side so you could hold the bike with the brake while you eased out the clutch and worked the throttle at the same time. First time I took it out I was so busy trying to figure out the foot clutch hand shift thing, I failed to notice I was rapidly closing in on a major 4 lane intersection against the red. Sailed thru front brake lever pulled into the grip and it didn’t even slow down!! I remember seeing one car go behind me and another just miss in front. After I got on the rear brake and stopped the bike I thought to myself, “Self you gotta lotta years familiarity with the foot shift hand clutch thing, why not switch back to that and live awhile!” Gotta love drum brakes and coker replica tires!!!
Respect to all that have earned it
Si vis Pacem, Parabellum.
April 27th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
Dear Sled Tramp:
Your story gives new meaning to the terms “getting baked” and “pot roast” but I have to draw something extra special from the fact that you and your bike got baked together.
SVD
April 29th, 2010 at 9:53 am
OK. Who the hell is patrick dave lee eric simon and richard and what the hell is there game??????
April 29th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Sled Tramp your story was so visual!!! I cannot stop laughing -