"Be Careful"

[CleanSump]

Seriously?! One would have to be purposefully not wanting to understand the point. At least 3 or 4 members on this very thread, have given up riding b/c of the dangers.

OP asked why people say to "be careful." It seems to me it's been articulated. That you are unable to understand it, I have no ability to more clearly state it than has been shown in this discussion.


Would you endorse your 5 month pregnant wife to ride? If not, why?

Yes, clearly many are for MC riding. 5000 of them die annually, disproportionately 14% of fatalities, 28x higher than cars. And I have to deal with rude reckless and artificially vulnerable MC drivers. If I'm involved in an accident with a car, regardless of fault, or even if I am at fault, the other driver probably lives. If it's a bike, even if he's at fault, that's on my conscience when he dies. If I'm at fault, something a minor as a parking lot accident or low speed collision, not seeing a nearly invisible bike, could kill someone and send me to prison, whereas a car would be a fender bender.

Too often, wise people remain silent in discussions and that has lead to a lot of grief in our nation. Look around. I feel a moral sense of duty to enlighten people who - for reasons of generally youthful irrational behavior - only think 5 seconds from now, versus any long-term considerations and risk/reward. Many people have no concept of risk/reward. It then results in - pick your socio-economic items from the buffet of problems in America. It's the result of too many adults failing to share their wisdom.

So, go ride until your hearts' content or engage in a myriad of other foolishly dangerous behavior. No skin off my back (pun intended). I'll continue to attempt to have others develop critical thinking skills.

The average automobile driver will get in three to four auto accidents in their lifetime.
The National Safety Council calculates that in an American’s lifetime, the odds of dying in a car accident are 1 in 107
Can you accept that risk? Think about your wife and children!

If one doesn't get the point, one is not a sharp knife nor a bight bulb.

 

[leadcounsel]

I bet AIDS has killed as many or more folks than Motorcycles. Was it a dumb decision to continue to have sex during the last 30 years or so? It’s fun, but you really don’t have to do it. Were you doing it just to be “cool”? Did you give it up like your “image” Motorcycle?

You wore a condom? Well I wear a helmet?
You limited your partners? Well I select low traffic daylight roads and drive sober and sane (MC since 1963). I accept the risk because I enjoy it…I’m far from “cool” and I realize life can’t be risk free.

You win the internet for the day, sir!

Universally, prudent advice from wise responsible people would be to "not do it," or "be very careful."

Helmets do save some lives, but they also fail. Regardless, you can still die wearing a helmet, or otherwise be seriously injured wearing a helmet. 28x as many MC riders die as compared to car passengers in accidents. Your analogy fails on many levels, but it was a hilarious effort.

 

[ZeeOSix]

If it's a bike, even if he's at fault, that's on my conscience when he dies. If I'm at fault, something a minor as a parking lot accident or low speed collision, not seeing a nearly invisible bike, could kill someone and send me to prison, whereas a car would be a fender bender.

Motorcycles are obviously harder to see than a larger car, but a good attentive driver should see them if they pay attention to driving. All motorcycles have headlights on all the time - It's a federal law.

Have I ever trusted anyone else on the road, regardless of what they are or I am driving/riding? ... never !

 

[ZeeOSix]

I've yet to hear, in my entire life, a tangible reason for riding MCs. It boils down to "cool," and "fun."

You've obviously never ridden motorcycles. There doesn't have to be a "tangible reason" except that people want to and have the freedom to choose to ride for whatever reason they decide. Why do people do other activities that can also be dangerous, like: skydive, rock/mountain climbing, hanglide/paraglide, etc ... because they want to, and find it an enjoyable activity. That's the reason most people do most things in life.

As was pointed out earlier, the majority of cycle crashes are single vehicle (sometimes drugs/alcohol involved), which means the riders are being careless and wreckless. Same thing can also happen with careless car drivers, and many get killed because of crazy high speed crashes, and sometimes they take out other people. I see crazy car wrecks on the local TV news almost on a daily basis. Sometimes young kids not knowing their abilities, crash at high speed and kill themselves and others in the car. People that crash and take other people out when they are driving impaired or with recklessness need to automatically be charged with vehicular homicide.

 

[Jay Freddy]

If someone believes the only reason we ride is because of how it looks or social considerations, that alone tells me that he's not understanding the reason why *most* of us choose to take the risk.

Some folks would gladly legislate all the risk out of our lives, and feel justified and even self-righteous while doing so.

I ride alone most of the time. I like how it feels. I wear brightly colored armored riding gear and a full face helmet. Most of the "social bikers" are wearing black and, in my area, fewer than half of them wear helmets.

I like motorcycles, but generally I'm not very fond of bikers... Present company excepted, of course!

I feel similarly about the rule of law and lawyers...

I hope I don't incur the wrath of the original poster, but y'all be careful out there!

 

[carviewsonic]

Rented this bike yesterday in Sedona, AZ. for the day. I wore full gear, took it easy, and had fun. I have gone on a couple of Harley demo rides in the past, but never spent a full day riding a Harley before.
My wife enjoyed her day shopping and relaxing.
Traffic in Sedona made me nervous, but out on the quieter secondary roads I was vigilant but felt comfortable.
At home on my VStar I stick to quieter highways. I’m cautious and trust my own riding ability, but don’t trust other drivers to see me.

 

[Jay Freddy]

I don’t know how new riders are taught, or if they’re taught, but the way many of those bikes are ridden on public roads isn’t helping anyone.

In Texas, the current system is effectively broken. A few years ago, they passed a law that you had to pass an approved motorcycle safety course before you could even apply for a motorcycle license.

Mandatory safety training is a good idea, but during the pandemic, most of the existing motorcycle schools went bankrupt.

So now new riders are looking at a 6 to 12 month wait just to get into a class, and the fees are over $300 for one day... In a parking lot with no air conditioning along with 30 other people trying to get licensed.

Meanwhile, you can ride an electric bicycle without a license, and you can actually purchase a motorcycle without a MC endorsement, which is what most new riders are doing now.

So in their zeal to make the system safer, law makers have actually done the opposite. There are more unlicensed motorcyclists on Texas roads now than ever before.

 

[CourierDriver]

On a side note, you can buy a 30 or 40 ft motorhome and no experience necessary,,scary thought...lol

 

[KrisZ]

ETA: I will reiterate, I've owned a MC, driven it for a couple years. It was among the dumbest decision in my entire life, and the only reason I did it, and a universal one for men, is to look cool and fit in. After a couple years of extreme danger, close calls, etc. I got rid of that thing and never looked back.

I see idiots riding motorcycles and doing dangerous stuff all the time. Lots of them seem to ride angry and just look for a fight with a vehicle. Dumb as dumb can be.
From the sounds of it you were one of them.

I’ve been riding for 20 years on paved roads and I can count close calls on my one hand and they were not even close to being extreme.

You’re saving grace is that you’ve given it up, which many bad riders don’t do.

 

[kebabaluba]

Been riding for 5 years now and had two minor accidents. Both times i got away with sore knees and bruises, damaged bike. Next time i might not be that lucky so "be careful" is a thought i have all the time when i ride.

 

[alarmguy]

Seriously?! One would have to be purposefully not wanting to understand the point. At least 3 or 4 members on this very thread, have given up riding b/c of the dangers.

OP asked why people say to "be careful." It seems to me it's been articulated. That you are unable to understand it, I have no ability to more clearly state it than has been shown in this discussion.


Would you endorse your 5 month pregnant wife to ride? If not, why?

Yes, clearly many are for MC riding. 5000 of them die annually, disproportionately 14% of fatalities, 28x higher than cars. And I have to deal with rude reckless and artificially vulnerable MC drivers. If I'm involved in an accident with a car, regardless of fault, or even if I am at fault, the other driver probably lives. If it's a bike, even if he's at fault, that's on my conscience when he dies. If I'm at fault, something a minor as a parking lot accident or low speed collision, not seeing a nearly invisible bike, could kill someone and send me to prison, whereas a car would be a fender bender.

Too often, wise people remain silent in discussions and that has lead to a lot of grief in our nation. Look around. I feel a moral sense of duty to enlighten people who - for reasons of generally youthful irrational behavior - only think 5 seconds from now, versus any long-term considerations and risk/reward. Many people have no concept of risk/reward. It then results in - pick your socio-economic items from the buffet of problems in America. It's the result of too many adults failing to share their wisdom.

So, go ride until your hearts' content or engage in a myriad of other foolishly dangerous behavior. No skin off my back (pun intended). I'll continue to attempt to have others develop critical thinking skills.

You can stay in your home all day long, your choice. Who cares what people do in this forum?
You can stay out of a hospital where over 250,000 die do to medical mistakes, you can stay out of a car because its much more dangerous than staying home or taking an airplane. You can give up sports, your can give up skydiving, scuba diving, boating, swimming, mountain climbing as well as hiking. Never participate in sports and all types of motor racing.

Let me tell you the most biggest killer and HUGE drain on our health care system is. Your quest is so misguided it is laughable. Motorcycle accidents are a tiny pittance of what you consider "foolish" and there in lies the problem, you want to govern others to do as you believe. Kind of scary really.

Why not go on a quest to teach people the dangers of being overweight and eating fast and fried food? Clearly you should look up the facts which you certainly are not aware of. Then tell people how to eat and stay in their proper BMI.

This thread has gone from an innocent post to dumb and dumber.
An example, lets all just stay out of cars too, your chances of dying are 1 in 98 over your lifetime.

"The National Safety Council compiled an odds-of-dying table for 2008, which further illustrates the relative risks of flying and driving safety. It calculated the odds of dying in a motor vehicle accident to be 1 in 98 for a lifetime. For air and space transport (including air taxis and private flights), the odds were 1 in 7,178 for a lifetime, according to the table."

Source = https://traveltips.usatoday.com/air-travel-safer-car-travel-1581.html

 

[two-up]

How Many Die from Medical Mistakes in U.S. Hospitals?

An updated estimate says it could be at least 210,000 patients a year, more than twice the number in a frequently quoted Institute of Medicine report

www.scientificamerican.com

 

[two-up]

Drug Overdose Deaths in the U.S. Top 100,000 Annually

National Center for Health Statistics

www.cdc.gov

Alcohol-Related Deaths

States and communities can reduce deaths due to excessive drinking.

www.cdc.gov

 

[KrisZ]

Been riding for 5 years now and had two minor accidents. Both times i got away with sore knees and bruises, damaged bike. Next time i might not be that lucky so "be careful" is a thought i have all the time when i ride.

Well, I’m pretty sure it’s a high time to re-evaluate what you are doing wrong and where improvements can be made, or give it up.

It’s not just the thought that makes the riding safer, it’s knowing safe practices, lane positions, progressive breaking, staying well within safe riding speed and distance and practicing all of these things every time you ride. You have to have enough practice where you don’t even think about it, that’s when you will ride much safer.

I routinely go on empty parking lots to practice slow maneuvers, it helps tremendously in normal riding. Many people dismiss it because it sounds like a contradiction.

 

[two-up]

The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP)

The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP) is dedicated to remembering all law enforcement officers who have fallen in the line of duty.

www.odmp.org

 

[alarmguy]

Here is even a better one in regard to my post 4 posts up.

NIH study finds extreme obesity may shorten life expectancy up to 14 years

Results highlight the need to develop more effective interventions to combat the growing public health problem of extreme obesity.

www.nih.gov

 

[KrisZ]

Now that I think about it, what does “be careful” even mean?

Does it mean drive slower then everyone else? That’s not safe.

Does it mean second guess all of your decisions? That’s not safe either, as one has to be purposeful with their actions, especially in stressful situations, hesitancy is not your friend.

 

[two-up]

He's a rookie, just 10 days out of the police academy. Now, he's fighting for his life after rushing in to stop the Louisville bank mass shooter | CNN

A 26-year-old rookie Louisville police officer -- who graduated from the police academy just 11 days ago -- was hospitalized after being shot in the head while responding to a mass shooting Monday at a downtown bank that left five people dead and others injured, police said.

www.cnn.com

 

[alarmguy]

Been riding for 5 years now and had two minor accidents. Both times i got away with sore knees and bruises, damaged bike. Next time i might not be that lucky so "be careful" is a thought i have all the time when i ride.

Well, I’m pretty sure it’s a high time to re-evaluate what you are doing wrong and where improvements can be made, or give it up.

It’s not just the thought that makes the riding safer, it’s knowing safe practices, lane positions, progressive breaking, staying well within safe riding speed and distance and practicing all of these things every time you ride. You have to have enough practice where you don’t even think about it, that’s when you will ride much safer.

I routinely go on empty parking lots to practice slow maneuvers, it helps tremendously in normal riding. Many people dismiss it because it sounds like a contradiction.

I agree with KrisZ, he posted it first but it was my first thought when I read it too.
At the least kebabluba should maybe enroll in a safety course as a way to evaluate.

 

[two-up]