Total Motorcycle Community Forums

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Septimus wrote:Maybe somebody here with a better grasp of the statistics than I have can illustrate this better, but my understanding is that you are about sixteen times more likely to get killed on a motorcycle than you are in a car ...

This is only because of the ratio of bikes on the road compared to cars. You're also more likely to be kicked to death by a donkey than you are likely to die in a plane crash... but how many donkey related accidents are most of us likely to be involved in? However, go to a country where there's a lot of donkeys... totally different story.

I think the reality is that regardless of what we do, there's an element of risk. If these people start talking about someone they knew who had a bike, I wouldn't hesitate to respond with the terrible tragedies that abound car drivers, or train travellers, etc.

At any rate, when they see that you've been riding to work every day for a year or two, their stories of horror will need to change because they will not be true as a blanket rule. Their stories will portray one off incidents.

I used to work the AM shift in a coffee shop and would regularly park my bike out front. Folks REGULARLY wanted to tell me how dangerous riding is, or their stories of a friend of a friend of a friend who was killed/died on a motorcycle (especially when I worked for 4 months in a cast after my crash,). . . YUP. It got OLD. My pat response was, "I took the MSF course. I ALWAYS wear full gear. And I ride like they're TRYING to kill me."


To those helpful folks with 'horror' stories (these were NEVER first hand). My response was always: "The victim was probably doing several things wrong: 1)Not wearing gear. 2)Riding beyond their capabilities. 3)Riding stupid (under the influence, etc). 4)Not paying attention." >My crash was my fault and I knew what I screwed up: #2 and #4.


When they saw they were NOT getting to me, they quit the tales, and started to ask me about riding. At least one of my "regulars" actually signed up for the MSF BRC. My husband taught her.

Riders who regularly have "close calls" with traffic need to re-assess their riding style and defensive riding practices. EXPECT cagers to do stupid stuff, because they just do not see you, when they are ONLY looking for cars/trucks.

P

ngsalvo wrote:

Septimus wrote:Maybe somebody here with a better grasp of the statistics than I have can illustrate this better, but my understanding is that you are about sixteen times more likely to get killed on a motorcycle than you are in a car ...

This is only because of the ratio of bikes on the road compared to cars. You're also more likely to be kicked to death by a donkey than you are likely to die in a plane crash...

The ratio of bikes to cars on the road has no bearing on this statistic. The reference is to deaths per vehicle mile travelled.

As for donkey kicks, your statement is true for people worldwide. Most people in this world have much more contact with donkeys than with airplanes. However, most of us on this forum live in the first world so the statement that "you" are more likely to be kicked to death by a donkey than to die in a plane crash is definately not true.

Lion_Lady wrote:To those helpful folks with 'horror' stories (these were NEVER first hand). My response was always: "The victim was probably doing several things wrong: 1)Not wearing gear. 2)Riding beyond their capabilities. 3)Riding stupid (under the influence, etc). 4)Not paying attention." >My crash was my fault and I knew what I screwed up: #2 and #4.

Dead on! That should be a sticky for the board.

Accident are not always the fault of the rider, but 9 times out of 10 I'd bet they could have been avoided by defensive riding, or persistant training for critical response time. Practice practice practice. If you spend time pulling in the brake lever hard in parking lots, when the time comes to react, you can. If you have to think about stopping, it is too late.

rwp wrote:

ngsalvo wrote:

Septimus wrote:Maybe somebody here with a better grasp of the statistics than I have can illustrate this better, but my understanding is that you are about sixteen times more likely to get killed on a motorcycle than you are in a car ...

This is only because of the ratio of bikes on the road compared to cars. You're also more likely to be kicked to death by a donkey than you are likely to die in a plane crash...

The ratio of bikes to cars on the road has no bearing on this statistic. The reference is to deaths per vehicle mile travelled.

As for donkey kicks, your statement is true for people worldwide. Most people in this world have much more contact with donkeys than with airplanes. However, most of us on this forum live in the first world so the statement that "you" are more likely to be kicked to death by a donkey than to die in a plane crash is definately not true.

Thank you. I am humbled.

My point was, you could say to these people that life in itself is dangerous.
Need a happy meal? Lighten up a little. A sense of humour goes a long way in this world.

celt wrote:one guy i worked with would tell me every time there was a motorcycle accident or if he saw somebody going too fast on one, etc.

I work with the same guy. He gives me summaries every Monday on the biker carnage that happens every weekend. He's a rolling news desk.

Hey, just do a search and print out some gory auto accident photos - some one starts with the 'mc = death' lameness, just hand them the blood drenched picture saying ' hey, that could'a been YOU' .

I just respond by saying "I'll make sure to hit your family with my SUV while they're crossing the street and claim I didn't see them." or something of that nature since everything we do has a pretty good risk of death or serious injury.

By the way, a UK bike mag has a monthly announcement of stuff more dangerous than motorcycles. Some include soap, light bulbs, power tools.

Apparently horseback riding is more dangerous than motorcycling... at least here in the US.

The real problem is not what others say, it's how you handle what they say. The bottom line is simple...you need thick skin. Forget revenge or witty comebacks, just smile and say nothing. You will meet many people in life who don't ride and you will hear negative comments frequently, learn to deal with it with a smile.

If you still feel the need for a comeback, simply say "at least I'll die living my life to the fullest without regrets", then go about your business.