A scary series of warnings

This week in my town three people have suffered serious injuries, all of which could have been lessened by the use of a helmet. A man crashed after trying to pass someone on the highway and he is still in the hospital with serious injuries. No helmet.
A little girl rode right through a stop sign without looking and ran into a car. She's also still in the hospital. Again, no helmet. And an ATV passenger was seriously injured when the vehicle she was on the back of had a serious accident. The driver, who turned out to be drunk, had a helmet on, but the girl didn't. She's also in the hospital looking forward to surgeries and a long stay.
It's one of those things so often overlooked. The uncomfortable, dorky looking helmet. But when you are flying at an object, out of control, you're really going to be wishing you had one.
I've heard many people argue that if you drive safely you don't have to wear a helmet. But what about the millions of other motorists on the road? Do you think they are driving safely. It's such a roullette game to think that way. There's only one guarantee, if you get into an accident without a helmet, you could be a vegetable.
The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration recently released a report on motorcycles and crashes. Out of more than 4,000 accidents it found the following to be true:

* The majority of motorcycle crashes involved another vehicle, usually an automobile.

* A motorcyclist is 37 percent more likely to die in a crash, per mile traveled. Mostly because there is no roll cage protecting their body.

* In those fatal crashes, head injury was the leading cause of death.

* Helmets reduce the liklihood of fatality by 37 percent. So if you're 37 percent more likely to get into a crash wouldn't you like that same percentage to favor your chance of living, and not like a vegetable?

* In its evaluation of crashe, the NHTSA found that helmets are 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries. While I would love it to be 100 percent, it's still way better than the 0 percent effectiveness of not wearing a helmet.

* From 1984 to 2006, helmets saved the lives of more than 19,000 motorcyclists. The NHTSA says if all the people involved in fatal crashes in that time period had worn helmets, more than 12,000 people would have been saved.

* The NHTSA also found that in states where only minors were required to wear helmets when riding on two wheels, only 40 percent of children wore them. So leading by example does happen. Betcha if mom and dad wore helmets the kids wouldn't be so hesitant to put them on.

Now, I'm not sure if I like the idea of people being forced to do something. I've always been of the philosophy if someone does something dumb and gets hurt, why should the rest of us be legislated to death because of it? However, when it costs me money because someone is doing something dumb, I've got an issue with it.


According to the NHTSA report, costs to cover medical bills for motorcyclists in Florida who didn't wear a helmet and crashed were $10.5 million for "charitable and public sources." That is 21 percent of the motorcycling population involved in an accident in Florida .. just Florida. The report said one of those public sources was Medicaid.

Last time I checked my pay stub, I had an awful lot going to that program. While I don't mind helping someone out who is in need, I do mind that money being used to help someone who made a stupid decision when they should have known better. I'd rather see it go to help someone who's suffering isn't their own fault.

Now, before anyone starts lambasting me for being "anti-motorcyle," I'm not. I love motorcycles. I think motorcyclists too often get a bad rap. I'm just concerned that with the increase in popularity of motorcycles (and scooters which are often grouped in that "class" of vehicle) stupidity will take over and smart riders will suffer because of it, if not all ready. There's enough of a stigmatism attached to riding on two wheels, shouldn't the motorcycling and scootering communities be pushing for responsibility before we start getting legislated to death? It hasn't happened yet, but it certainly could.

The monkey bars

Last year, as my boyfriend and I were driving someplace I spotted someone with extreme ape-hanger handlebars on their motorcycle.
For those of you who don't know what an ape-hanger is, it looks like this:



Though that's a pretty extreme ride, what with the tailpipes sticking up in the back like that.
But when I saw a similar bike, instead of saying, "Whoah, look at those ape-hangers" my mind did a Freudian slip and what came out was "Whoa, look at those monkey bars."
My boyfriend started laughing hysterically. "Don't you mean ape hangers?" he said.
I felt like such a fool. But he won't let me live it down, and just last week, as we were driving back to the airport from Lake Placid, N.Y., we saw some bikers heading the opposite direction with one rider who had ape-hangers on his bike.
My boyfriend decides to stick his head out the window and yell, "Yay, monkey bars!" at the guy as he drove past.
I bet he'll still be doing that when we're 80. Though, will they have ape hangers and motorcycles still?

Check out this ape hanger stroller:

Mistakes on two wheels

I was reading an article on Union.com about the increase in scooter use in Nevada, and how people are getting hooked on the vehicles after buying them just for economical purposes.
At the end was a comment that, in light of my previous post, makes a good point.
It was from a man named Neil who said, in part, "sheesh, I sure hope these boomers bopping back to two wheels spend a little time practicing, maybe even get their M1 endorsement like their supposed to do -- mistakes on two wheels are mistakes on two wheels, regardless of whether you're riding a step-through with automatic trannie or straddling a Harley."
In Pennsylvania, they offer free motorcycle beginner's courses.
You do need a motorcycle permit, which you get by taking a test, much like a driving test, at the DMV. There is a cost for the permit, $10, but you don't have to make an appointment, just show up and take the test.
I have to admit, I have yet to do this, but scooters are treated differently in Pa.
According to the DMV's Web site, I will need to get my scooter inspected and it must have a license plate. It doesn't say anything about engine requirements. I've heard that if the engine is 50cc or below, you don't need to do this, but the DMV doesn't say that anywhere on its site.
The DMV site does say "Its engine must produce between 1.5 and 5 brake horsepower."
I don't know if that means it can't be driven on the road if it doesn't or what, but I think my scooter is well above that.
You must have protection for your eyes if you ride a scooter in Pa. And it says helmets are required for scooter passengers and "some drivers."
The list it gives is as follows:

* Driving a three-wheeled, closed cab scooter

* Older than 21 and have operated a motorcycle for at least two years

* Older than 21 and have completed a motorcycle rider safety course approved by PennDOT

* A passenger aged 21 or older who rides with an exempted driver

So helmet for me until I pass that basic safety course.
Oddly, the site also says, while motorcyclists with experience don't have to wear a helmet, bicyclists do. Hmmmm.
Sorry, but I think bikes are a little safer than a speeding motorcycle/scooter.

A little thing called safety

For some reason people think scooters are safer than motorcycles.
Sure, they run a little differently. Most scooters don't have a clutch you worry about and brake handles on both handlebars, but many of them can go just as fast as a car. So why is it people think they are safer and don't require a layer of protection?
I wondered this when I visited Key West for what will probably be the only time.
In that island borough scooters are everywhere, and they aren't to strict about who can rent them. Problem is everyone goes around on them without a helmet or proper shoes.
Maybe it's the laid back element but just because it's a small machine with just enough power to go on a highway doesn't mean it can't lead to a dangerous situation.
Without the proper shoes you can have rocks fly up and cut your feet, or get them run over by an unthinking driver.
Just like a motorcycle, you're exposed to the elements, wind, rain, heat. So you should wear the proper clothing.
And just like a motorcycle, scooters are small, so unwitting drivers are less likely to notice you and more likely to pull out in front of you and cause a deadly accident.
Yet, too many people don't wear helmets when riding them. Don't wear the proper shoes. Don't wear pants that cover their legs and protect their skin from abrasions if they fall. Don't think that yes, it's small and fun to buzz around on, but that SUV following you isn't. And isn't thinking to be very careful.
That's up to the scooter driver.

And there are a lot of people who think anyone can do it. Watch the fool below who doesn't even buckle her helmet before she crashes. (Won't do you any good if it's not on your head!)