Passing the buck to motorcyclist

[XRavenX]

Ok I am a political science graduate so I keep up with Real News (Not talking heads). But I have been reading and hearing an alarming amount of criticism being thrown our collective way about motorcycles being dangerous. Talk of blaming Roethlisberger (Steeler's QB) for HIS CRASH!!!! What The .... Also i have been hearing about how dangerous it is to ride a motorcycle and how stupid people are for riding them.

Ok, Roth, should have been wearing a helmet. Absolutely no arguement from me on that one. BUT the idiot in the Cager crossed HIS PATH!!! Why aren't people talking about the stupidity of the average driver? Why aren't people talking about motorcyclist rights? Why are people misplacing the blame to the motorcyclist?

I would strongly encourage people to write an op-ed piece to your local paper and get the word out. Most Motorcyclists are safe and obey the law. The real danger comes not from the nature of motorcycle riding but from Cagers who are too busy talking on their cell phone, putting on make-up, reading the mail, cooking hot pockets, reading the newspaper, and recieving faxes in their cars.

[bbbsleeper]

Ok I am a political science graduate so I keep up with Real News (Not talking heads). But I have been reading and hearing an alarming amount of criticism being thrown our collective way about motorcycles being dangerous. Talk of blaming Roethlisberger  (Steeler's QB) for  HIS CRASH!!!! What The .... Also i have been hearing about how dangerous it is to ride a motorcycle and how stupid people are for riding them.

Ok, Roth, should have been wearing a helmet. Absolutely no arguement from me on that one. BUT the idiot in the Cager crossed HIS PATH!!! Why aren't people talking about the stupidity of the average driver? Why aren't people talking about motorcyclist rights? Why are people misplacing the blame to the motorcyclist?

I would strongly encourage people to write an op-ed piece to your local paper and get the word out. Most Motorcyclists are safe and obey the law. The real danger comes not from the nature of motorcycle riding but from Cagers who are too busy talking on their cell phone, putting on make-up, reading the mail, cooking hot pockets, reading the newspaper, and recieving faxes in their cars.

Bravo, I agree though I actually do break the law often in places where it doesn't matter I'm SAFE as possible other than spd.  I couldn't tell you how many times when I'm doing the speed limit I could touch the bumper of some moron that pulled out in front of me.  Whats worse is the fact I'm already deep in my brakes because I knew he was going to be an idiot.  And people still look at our bikes as the problem. Sigh, the fact is very few people can't pass the license tests.  You have people in there 80's driving wagons that could survive a missle attack on the road, but I bet if they had to take the tests again they wouldn't pass.  My wife wants a bike but I'm really to worried about other people's driving and her getting caught in a bad situation to let her get one.  Its just sad that it has to be that way.



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[Projekt]

Agreed, however we ought to have more back up from the Dept. of Transportation, Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the Insurance Institute for highway safety in the form of Public Service Announcements during peak riding times to get people concious of the fact that they need to watch out for us.



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[CorrodedAlien]

+++ Anyone a good writer? I'll place an add in my local rag if someone can come up with a not to hateful article.

[05 Busa LE]

It's no secret in Pittsburgh (and its Post-Gazette) that the woman is being charged with failure to yield, which caused the accident. And people are talking about Ben because he's the Superbowl Champion quarterback, that's why. Regardless of the hype, remember that PA did repeal the helmet law (at least in part) a few years ago. So someone out there is speaking for motorcyclists (I guess).



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[XRavenX]

Why true that "someone is speaking for motorcyclists" it isn't exactly what WE need. Safe riding by motorcyclist is only 1/3 of the problem. Another 1/3 is the condition of the roads. Not having large metal plates in curves, not having grated roadways, etc. The other 1/3 is other drivers. Having knowledge of other people on the road. We have the best resources available to learn to ride. Now we just need the other 2/3.

[jaschil69]

Don't know how true it is , but I heard on the radio this morning that Roth didn't have a valid motorcycle license and he was fined 3XX.00 dollars and the lady in the car was fined only 1XX.00 dollars even though it was her that was at fault. Anyone else hear this? I ride with my eyes wide open because the cagers never seem to see me. I had a lady pull out of a parking lot in front of me. She seen me and panicked so she never even tried to get out of the way. I hit the side of her Explorer at about 30mph on my old Katana 600. Got the bike fixed and a small settlement, but what would have happened if I would have broken my neck? She would have gone right on living while I would have been paying for the rest of my life. Safe riding to y'all.

[BUTTER2BOY]

Ok I am a political science graduate so I keep up with Real News (Not talking heads). But I have been reading and hearing an alarming amount of criticism being thrown our collective way about motorcycles being dangerous. Talk of blaming Roethlisberger  (Steeler's QB) for  HIS CRASH!!!! What The .... Also i have been hearing about how dangerous it is to ride a motorcycle and how stupid people are for riding them.

Ok, Roth, should have been wearing a helmet. Absolutely no arguement from me on that one. BUT the idiot in the Cager crossed HIS PATH!!! Why aren't people talking about the stupidity of the average driver? Why aren't people talking about motorcyclist rights? Why are people misplacing the blame to the motorcyclist?

I would strongly encourage people to write an op-ed piece to your local paper and get the word out. Most Motorcyclists are safe and obey the law. The real danger comes not from the nature of motorcycle riding but from Cagers who are too busy talking on their cell phone, putting on make-up, reading the mail, cooking hot pockets, reading the newspaper, and recieving faxes in their cars.

Bravo, I agree though I actually do break the law often in places where it doesn't matter I'm SAFE as possible other than spd.  I couldn't tell you how many times when I'm doing the speed limit I could touch the bumper of some moron that pulled out in front of me.  Whats worse is the fact I'm already deep in my brakes because I knew he was going to be an idiot.  And people still look at our bikes as the problem. Sigh, the fact is very few people can't pass the license tests.  You have people in there 80's driving wagons that could survive a missle attack on the road, but I bet if they had to take the tests again they wouldn't pass.  My wife wants a bike but I'm really to worried about other people's driving and her getting caught in a bad situation to let her get one.  Its just sad that it has to be that way.

+1

[TheAtomicAss]

Why don't we organize a group ride to D.C. and tell the politicians who they should be listening to...

[Rhythm]

AMA (Americam Motorcycle Assoc)is my motorcycle rep !

[eynlai]

AMA (Americam Motorcycle Assoc)is my motorcycle rep !  

they don't do anything for us except collect membership fees, or solicit members for $$$ (in my case).

I said it before and I'm saying it again: We are being DISCRIMINATED against, by cagers and the law. This is regardless of the color of our skin under the gear and helmet, or our gender, or our religion, or sexual preference/orientation. Make no mistake about it. Think about it. What gives any particular group of color, religion, etc... a right to claim that they're being discriminated against? That group of people that have commonality (given the majority of the time, or as a standard) is treated unfairly and unjustly by society and the law.

The Big Ben situation is a recent example. Months ago, I remember reading a news article where some cagers got into a accident with another cage, and the local cops out there were looking for some bikers. Not because anyone of the bikers were INVOLVED in the accident, but because the kid driving the SUV said some bikers were stunting on the freeway and THEY distracted his attention, which caused him to hit another cage. So in this case and example, even when a biker is not physically involved in a accident, he is to blame because he caused a distraction.

How do you like that?

And how about that case about that biker in FL that got like Manslaughter conviction and will spend the next 10 years of his life in prison because some State Trooper BEGAN to take off to chase the biker but the cop's tire blew out EVEN before the chase commenced (cherry lights weren't on) and the cop lost control, crashed and died? And they blamed it, and convicted the biker for causing it because he was "racing a porche" that caused the cop to initiate a chase. But did they ever find and convict the driver of the Porche? I don't recall reading about that. But they sure as hell threw that book at the biker even though he didn't even know that he was ABOUT to be chased. Where was the AMA (American Motorcycle Association) on that one???

With the fame and $$$ that Big Ben has, if I was him, I would file a suit against the PA state government for DISCRIMATION, and violation of civil rights in the Federal courts. Don't matter he doesn't have a motorcycle license, he was a bike, he owns the bike... THAT makes him a biker... Part of a group.

[mrninja9]

Today is as everyday has been during this summer. Usually hot little humidity but as I stumbled around the Internet I keep seeing articles about motorcyclists getting injured. In my perils I have seen these types of wrecks. So I kept an open mind about them and started to read. For example the Roethslinberger wreck. He should have been wearing his helmet gloves coat and all the other safety related items. Of course he wasn’t but the car also crossed him. With this they are saying it was his fault. Since I am an average rider I am shocked. When a car crosses you it is their fault not his. Everyday you see another motorcycle rear ended, or even ran off the road. It is time that people who drive with four wheels or more should put there cell phones down, and their newspapers away. Motorcyclists can be reckless but in a manner away from others. The people that are rear-ending them are also being reckless. How many motorcycles do we have to wreck a year to prove that we also have the same rights as everyone else on the road? Just cause we don’t take up the whole lane doesn’t mean that we have to share it cause you barely have enough room to pass on a two-lane highway. I guess that all I want is for people to pay more attention to the two wheelers out there. Every year the population of us are growing.
Thanks
PERDUE

[sccrvettel82]

Well Ben is getting fined because he only had a Permit and in PA if you have just a permit then you must wear a helmet. So he was breaking the law for not wearing a helmet and for having an expired permit.

[eynlai]

Well Ben is getting fined because he only had a Permit and in PA if you have just a permit then you must wear a helmet.  So he was breaking the law for not wearing a helmet and for having an expired permit.

I know it's the LAW... but logically, if Big Ben was riding straight, not going 150mph, and he had the green light... It's screwed up that they cite him for being more at fault than the cager that left turned in front of him.

His violation was all circumstantial ( not wearing a helmet, not having a license, etc... the cager's violation is due to her ACTIONS.

[sccrvettel82]

True, but he got cited for more violations than the lady so his fines were more. She failed to yeild and disobeyed a traffic device. Ben was riding without a license and without a helmet. I guess his two infractions carry a heavier fine than hers. Dumb, but that is just the way stupid laws are written.