The Actual Odds Of Motorcycling

JustJosh

JustJosh

There is no such thing as too visible
There's a tremendous surplus of motorcycle crash videos, deaths in the news, fear mongering facts like "You're 26 times more likely to die in a motorcycle accident", a gawker article titled "You WILL DIE on a motorcycle" etc. This really just goes hand in hand with the statement "If it bleeds it leads" and acts as ammunition for parents to prevent kids from experiencing the joys of motorcycles before they move out and freaks our family/loved ones. All of which got me thinking there was a dire need for some REAL facts about motorcycling along with strategies on how to be an above average rider. So here is an article I wrote about exactly that!

http://www.motobene.org/?p=49

More to come later, but it's a start! Would love to hear your opinion and anything you'd like to add :)
 
I'm a huge fan of Hi-viz gear and just bought my first hi-viz jacket in early spring. I am always thinking about how to be seen the best with lane position and even upper body movement. If you think about the car waiting to turn left from a stop sign you begin to understand why they really don't see us. The average car has a frontal area of about 30 square feet (6ft wide by 5ft tall), but when you think of the frontal profile of a motorcyclist things get much different. a motorcyclist is roughly a triangle that is 2 ft wide at the top and 1" wide at the bottom of a 5 ft profile...that's only 5 square feet on our average profile. At 35 mph and 200 feet away, they have to really be paying attention to have their brain register that we are an object coming at them. The average biker with a black jacket, black helmet and bluejeans simply blends into the shadows or the road. Yes we have a headlight but at 7" in diameter thats 200 feet away it is less than .5% of what your eye is seeing.

Then you throw in cell phones, big macs, makeup and turning the radio station.... how do any of us live?
 
I have seen a lady getting ready to pull out in front of me and literally flapped my arms to get her attention...it worked but only because I knew what she was about to do.
 
Hi viz, low viz, doesn't matter, if the drivers aren't paying attention, or you as a rider aren't paying attention, you are gonna wreck.

hell, in my area, guys just gun it at you to see if you fall.
 
Another thing to consider is if you are mentally and physically ready to ride that day. I've had some crazy tooth/sinus issues that have my balance off and I'm a bit aggressive when I'm in pain...not a good combo for riding! So, the bike is partially disassembled for maintence and I'm driving the car this week.
 
I subscribe to the theory that noting I do will change my chance of death, as its 100% anyway.

No matter what I will die that puts my probability of death at 100%

The only thing I can do is reduce my chance of that being sooner in life rather than later.

I do this by paying attention to the things around me and so far its worked out.

If I were to crash in anyway it would be because of a lack of concentration to the surroundings either by myself of the other party.

In this country at least hi-vis is so prevalent that you almost stand out more by not wearing hi-vis.
 
MrJoel said:
Another thing to consider is if you are mentally and physically ready to ride that day. I've had some crazy tooth/sinus issues that have my balance off and I'm a bit aggressive when I'm in pain...not a good combo for riding! So, the bike is partially disassembled for maintence and I'm driving the car this week.
Click to expand...

I was sick earlier this week with stomach trouble and it's been miserably hot down here, since it's August anyway so I didn't ride this week. I never ride unless I feel 100%. Hi-viz is good, but I've never gone that route for whatever reason. I just try to keep my head on a swivel when I'm out there in Thunder Dome. I also don't drink if I'm going to be on the bike in less time than it would take for the alcohol to leave my system, so mostly I don't drink. I also don't do any other kinds of drugs, unless the doc gave them to me for a reason, in which case, I wouldn't ride anyway.
 
Motorcyclist are always at a disadvantage should anything happen (like an accident), whether it be a mistake made by us, or someone else. Therefore it is beneficial for motorcyclist to ride safely, but that's not enough, because as a motorcyclist, you have to watch out and anticipate what others might be about to do as well. That's called defensive riding, I think.

Riding is dangerous, that's a fact. What people need to know is, what are the dangers and how to avoid them, then they can enjoy riding. However, those that can't ride shouldn't ride, just like those that can't drive shouldn't drive either.

I have no proof of this, but I believe if just half of the current drivers aren't so shitty (driving like shit with/without other personal distractions like texting/etc), roads would be so much safer, and accidents, so much fewer.
 
You are more likely to be in a car crash due to more of them being on the road, but more likely to be seriously injured on a motorbike
 
I think M13 did a video a LONG time ago now about the top reasons Motorbikes are in accidents. And the #1 at that time was the motorcyclist trying to corner to fast with no other cars around. The #2 was cars turning left in front of us at intersections.
 
People miss my Grand Marquis, which is just about the biggest sedan on the road. But there is also the fact that they either miss it, or purposefully ignore the fact I am coming up on them. They still move that lane, or still pull out expecting someone to stop. People are morons. And whilst I am not denying the fact high viz can save lives, I do have to say you can't fix stupid. I noticed so many people on the phone it was sickening... I'd hate to be hit by one and still be 100% physically able. Because that phone, if ending up in my hands, will end up on the street smashed to bits.
 
Runnin1ife said:
Sad thing about phone usage while driving is its not illegal everywhere yet.
Click to expand...

Is illegal almost everywhere here, even just looking at it why driving is.

Problem is its very hard to enforce. Over here its much easier to set up a speed camera and raise revenue that way, than it is to actually have officers out and catching people on the phone.
 
Any vehicle is only as safe/ dangerous as the person operating it.

Are motorbikes more likely to be involved in accidents? Maybe, due to smaller size, lesser road presence etc. However, equally the stats are artificially inflated by the number of people who drive like mugs and end up slicing themselves in 2 at 120mph on the M1.

Motorcycles, by their very nature, attract people who are ALREADY risk-takers and daredevils, who already have a pre-disposition to behave like twats. Then when they all get into serious high-speed accidents, this makes it appear that motorbikes are intrinsically more dangerous than they actually are.
 
lupin said:
Is illegal almost everywhere here, even just looking at it why driving is.

Problem is its very hard to enforce. Over here its much easier to set up a speed camera and raise revenue that way, than it is to actually have officers out and catching people on the phone.
Click to expand...
same way here. But with how many people I catch on the phone in a 3 minute jont to the gas station, if there were officers out in force they would make quota fast as hell.
 
Well damn. Where I live the cops are far too busy on their own phones to find anyone else texting and driving. Even more the reason to be more defensive on a motorcycle as it's really the rider against the world.

Great article by the way.
 
Motojon said:
Well damn. Where I live the cops are far too busy on their own phones to find anyone else texting and driving. Even more the reason to be more defensive on a motorcycle as it's really the rider against the world.

Great article by the way.
Click to expand...
thats actually the reason I got my gopro to begin with was to cover my own ass. Then I decided to make a channel and share lol. Luckily I have needed to footage since I have not been run over, but you never know.
 
hungabustavlogs said:
I'm glad that we outlawed it years ago here in New Zealand.
Click to expand...
"we" cannot outlaw anything in the states. I can petition, but it is not my choice whether is becomes legislation then law. Here in Virginia it is illegal to text and drive, but not talk and drive. So no one really gives a damn about either, until they are getting honked at for all most running someone over.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top Posters Past 30 days

Winners Video

Website Supported by Ipswich SEO

Latest posts

Back
Top