Some interesting and disturbing figures

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Hers what I get out of it:

Of the total fatalities:

28% not licensed
42% single-vehicle accident
38% no helmet
32% over 1400cc
43% on interstate or freeway
30% DUI (43% of single-vehicle were DUI)
55% nighttime fatalities were DUI

Simple message here. Get your endorsement, wear a helmet, don't drink and ride.

That's the simple. Those numbers are complex.

Distilling this to a fatalistic philosophy makes good copy but bad advice. Jack London's words are nonetheless true, but Mr. London was anything but fatalistic; his credo, as expressed in "The Sea Wolf" and elsewhere, was "Will it work? Would I trust my life to it?"* He prefaced this with the statement, "The fact, man, the irrefragable fact!"

So here are some facts as gleaned by Longranger; what to be done about them is the question.

28% not licensed

Yes, get your license. But don't stop there. Continue training. Yes, the track is scary, but how can it be more frightening than the freeway? As Anthony Robbins puts it, strive for "Constant Never-Ending Improvement" (CANI).

42% single-vehicle accident

Nearly half of all motorcycle accidents seem to be loss of control with no other vehicle involved. That's a result of poor training, inattention, lack of focus, perhaps alcohol or other impairment. Removing impaired riding from the calculus, we are left with training. Train, train, and train some more. Don't just ride the same piece of road over and over again.

38% no helmet

Self-explanatory.

32% over 1400cc

Nearly all of those bikes are cruisers. This correlates with the alcohol consumption. The largest supersport I know of is the ZX-14, not included here. But over 40% are still in the sub-1000cc range, and many of those are going to be high-performance bikes. The lesson herre is not to go out and get more motorcycle than you can handle. The problem is human nature presses many of us to believe we CAN handle it. Been there, done that.

43% on interstate or freeway

High-traffic conditions, usually on the way to, or way home from, a destination. Situational awareness and a proper ability to keep the motorcycle out of harm's way - meaning excellent control of hard braking, maneuvering, and acceleration, often combined - are critical. Not many riders have those skills.

30% DUI (43% of single-vehicle were DUI)

Riding impaired is illegal and stupid.

55% nighttime fatalities were DUI

More impaired drivers and riders are out in the nighttime and early morning hours. Stay off the road during those times. In fact any kind of night riding is more dangerous because of poor visibility, disorientation, and fatigue. Pick another time to travel.

Also make darn sure your bike is well-maintained; tire pressure and condition, chain adjustment, suspension, brakes and so on need to be in good shape.

And don't buy a large, heavy bike over 1000cc as a first bike. You will probably not be "fine."

*David Starr Jordan, Founding President of Stanford University, and friend of Jack London