Dangers of Riding Bikes
I have been told many times that there are only two kinds of bikers, those that have gone down and those that haven't.
The dangers of motorcycling go on and on. Or so, complete strangers love to tell me! Even on the best day, under the best of conditions things can go horribly wrong in one instance. When you are on a bike the smallest thing can set off a chain reaction of bad events. You are after all, traveling at high speeds with nothing but two pieces of rubber between you and the pavement.
Take for example the recent story of the motorcycle cop that died in Ft Worth, Texas recently. He was escorting Hillary Clinton's motorcade, surrounded by other bikes, (which is and of itself dangerous), keep in mind this was an experienced veteran officer of over 20 years. He turned a corner, hit a curb and went down at just 30 mph and was killed instantly. No one else was involved, just himself and the curb. It was a freak accident, some say it should never have happened. But when you are on a bike, you just never know what can go wrong. It is exciting. It is dangerous, but that is also part of the attraction to riding.
The biggest danger of all is other drivers. How can you anticipate at all times what others will do? Most people who drive cars don't see bikes! We are invisible most times it seems. Drivers look right past us to the next biggest vehicle and don't focus on us. Have you noticed idiots are everywhere? They think they own the road; they turn in front of bikes, don't signal before they get over, ride your tail, and slam on their brakes, and so on. They don't comprehend that our reaction time is not the same on a bike. I don't think they realize what kinds of damage they will do to a biker if they rear end them. That there carelessness could kill someone at any second.
Then there's the ever present debate on helmets. I don't wear one. Everyone seems to think that this is somehow their business, when it actually is not. Even the sweet mentally disabled kid who sacks my groceries lectures me on wearing a helmet. He tells me God gave me a good brain, I am lucky and should protect it. Maybe he is right. I told him so long as I stay on the bike I will be fine. I suppose not wearing one increases my danger in theory, but in all actuality I just don't find them comfortable. They are hot and make me claustrophobic. They are heavy and give me neck and head pain. (They also mess up my hair royally, but I don't think that affected my decision.) On the flip side, I knew a guy who wore a helmet and broke his neck in a wreck then died when a Good Samaritan took it off of him. So each biker has to make this very personal decision themselves. I believe when it's your time, it's your time.
To increase your safety during this dangerous past-time you may want to invest in some leather. A good leather jacket and some well fitting chaps, and good gloves can all save your skin from road rash. I live in Texas so I am not usually dressed in leather in the summer. I am afraid I will fall off the bike from heat stroke in all that gear!
To be fully prepared for the dangers you will encounter while riding a motorcycle I suggest looking into a rider's safety course. They will cover what to watch out for as well as how to react not if, but WHEN danger occurs. If you complete the course you may even qualify for lower insurance rates as well. If you are not yet a biker and just entertaining the idea then this is the perfect course for you. You can wreck someone else's bike when learning to ride instead of your own. Plus they have cute first aiders on standby to dress your wounds, if you get any.
And most importantly, relax; enjoy the wind in your hair, and the road beneath your feet. So what if riding motorcycles is dangerous? If it was safe, it wouldn't be SO MUCH FUN!
