Triumphrat

Anchorbend · 11-26-2005, 06:38 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051126/.../boomer_bikers

AcidKat · 11-26-2005, 06:49 PM

if its just harley riders taking themselves out....well whats the problem?
ohhhh jeez that was a low shoot.
ya its the start of a slippery slope.

vol245 · 11-26-2005, 07:29 PM

This is the same ***** I have heard for the past 5 years. More older riders and more of them dying. It's risky and we know that. Just what is the purpose of the article? Fear?

CarlS · 11-26-2005, 09:09 PM

Quote:

On 2005-11-26 17:29, vol245 wrote:
This is the same ***** I have heard for the past 5 years. More older riders and more of them dying. It's risky and we know that. Just what is the purpose of the article? Fear?

Sensationalism for the many non-risk takers in society who want government to be supermom and protect us from ourselves.

ChuckofTahoe · 11-26-2005, 09:46 PM

Scre* the Government. They can't even wipe their as* if their life depended on it.

Quote:

On 2005-11-26 19:09, CarlS wrote:

Quote:

On 2005-11-26 17:29, vol245 wrote:
This is the same ***** I have heard for the past 5 years. More older riders and more of them dying. It's risky and we know that. Just what is the purpose of the article? Fear?

Sensationalism for the many non-risk takers in society who want government to be supermom and protect us from ourselves.

[ This message was edited by: ChuckofTahoe on 2005-11-26 20:06 ]

Ridge · 11-26-2005, 10:34 PM

Well the good news is that at 38, I still have at least two more years to live! :-D

There are a lot of flaws with that story.

The article didn't mention how many of those older riders were first timers. You can't tell me the record number of older first time riders that have never swung a leg over a bike until age 40 doesn't account for a large portion of those fatalities.

The story sounds as though they are making decisions with half the information. Furthermore, the it leads you to believe that the deaths are rider error. I'm sure there are a fair amount of rider error fatalities but come on. We all know there are far more that are caused buy those on 4 wheels.

And let's not forget, along with neat record motorcycle sales and deaths are a record number of oversized vehicles piloted by drivers how have NEVER BEEN TRAINED TO DRIVE THEM!

I think if the Government decides to implement a policy of more stringent requirements for motorcyclists, I'll be all for it as long as SUV drivers are required to get a 'C' class license. You can't tell me some bimbo on a cell phone and a gaggle of screaming kids can handle a 9000 pound SUV. She's probably the one causing the majority of accidents and motorcycle deaths in the first place.

That having been said, I'm taking an advanced class this spring to make sure I'm as good as I can be. I wanna make it to at least 41! :-D

~Ridge

tba-golfer · 11-26-2005, 10:55 PM

Need we mention the number of cagers of all ages who have a cell phone attached to their ear, in the same way wee babes rely on a pacifier?
I'm a first timer at age 53. I took the MSF class. I have taken my first year very, very carefully, and intend doing so. I'm riding to learn, have fun, grow, and experience new things. My locale of greatest concern is my own immediate neighborhood, where SUV's are seemingly mandated by law, as is in-car cell phone usage, and make up application for the ladies on the way to work in the A.M.
And don't get me started about the correlation between the price and size of the vehicle and the inability to use turn signals!

Be smart and safe and sober out there.

ChuckofTahoe · 11-26-2005, 11:13 PM

Cagers kill a lot of bikers but a lot of bikers kill themselves as well by running off the road at high speed.

And a lot of the bikers crashing into the sides of left turning cars are also going 20 or more miles over the speed limit and could not stop in time or at least reduce the impact speed to a point where they might survive.

A lot of the motorcyclists I have seen drive like maniacs on city streets. Basically exceeding the speed limits in urban jungles by twenty miles per hour or more. The cager gets blamed but if you are going fifty five miles an hour in a thirty five zone on city streets you don't have a lot to complain about as regards the cager killing you. When you are going this excessively fast on city streets, it becomes even harder for cagers to see you.

I like to speed too but do it selectively on roads that do not have cross traffic. On city routes I assume that every alley or intersection is going to offer up a crazy cager on a cell phone or with a couple of whining kids in the back seat who is will turn into my path. Basically I reduce speed and cover the brakes in these situations.

Quote:

On 2005-11-26 20:55, tba-golfer wrote:
Need we mention the number of cagers of all ages who have a cell phone attached to their ear, in the same way wee babes rely on a pacifier?
I'm a first timer at age 53. I took the MSF class. I have taken my first year very, very carefully, and intend doing so. I'm riding to learn, have fun, grow, and experience new things. My locale of greatest concern is my own immediate neighborhood, where SUV's are seemingly mandated by law, as is in-car cell phone usage, and make up application for the ladies on the way to work in the A.M.
And don't get me started about the correlation between the price and size of the vehicle and the inability to use turn signals!

Be smart and safe and sober out there.

Ridge · 11-26-2005, 11:20 PM

Amen, TBA!

I hope you didn't think I was taking a swipe at first time motorcyclists. I know there are several guys on here that learned later in life. I commend you for your decision to pursue your passion and for doing it the right way!

I'm thinking that for every responsible new rider like yourself there have to be some that aren't safe. I'm wondering why those stats weren't represented in that report.

As far as cell phones in use by drivers....BAN EM. I already had my first close call on my Bonnie by, yes, you guessed it, an oblivious bimbo on a cell in an SUV. This is a case where people just can't be trusted to do the smart thing.BAN EM!

~Ridge

50yrDream · 11-27-2005, 12:06 AM

Here in Reno-Tahoe-Virginia City areas of Nevada we have a lot of mountain curves! They can fool you! I know of some recent bike purchasers that didn't survive the above curves. Don't know how many were new riders! There was one prison warden, an experienced H-D rider, got on someones else's superfast crotch rocket & ended it on above road!
We all just have to try & be safe! Especially our group here--nice folks that we are!!!