Motorcycle Riding Banned...

[havegunjoe]

I’m a real safety issue. I ride a bike and I am a carry permit holder. They’d have a fit over me.

[Ryethil]

I don't know what MC you belong to, but if it is a "law-Abiding", (not say, the Nomads) one, then I have an idea that might turn the Hospital Mgmt around.

Have the MC sponsor a charity ride for the Trauma Center. Donate the cash to the center and I bet they might even put a plaque in the lobby thanking the MC. Who know's? they might want you to wear the patch then.

Develop some good will....money talks!

In Texas, we have a problem that I have heard in other places. We have a major motorcycle club/gang/1% who is very big into crime and various acts of vandalism and terror. Yes, their name is mentioned with such as the Nomads, Mongols and HA. I don't know why I don't mention their name but I guess it out of habit.

2 or 3 times a year we have rides for charitable organuizations. Everyone with a bike shows up and we actually do some good. However, the Bandidos (there I said it) casts such a shadow over everything that normal people can't seem to seperate the bad guys from the good guys. Oh, we get courted by the concervatives here in Texas when a major vote is do but it doesn't change the public's view.

Also, because of the Bandidos, the legal but on the edge clubs are tared with the same brush. It's pretty much a lot of our doing because we ride big "outlaw" motorcycles and profess a lifestyle that isn't straight arrow. For the most part, we all are legal, freedom loving motorcycle riders but we declare ourselves outside the corperate buttoned down world. Like many lifestyle/political groups of the past (the hippies/ the Mormons) we just don't fit with in societal norms and are castigated for that even though we do nothing wrong.

There are sevral clubs state wide and outside of a fight here and there over turf, no civilians are ever hurt unless they take sides and even that is frowned upon. We're about riding, feeling good and partying. We just don't look like Doug and Suzy Homemaker doing that.

So I can't live comfortably in the straight world. I have a partner who likes the partying but I protect her from all other aspects of club life though she thinks hse is part of the club. Her reputation is spotless because I don't allow the not so pretty parts to besmirch her. She realizes that and is thankful.

Now, I'm no longer living in aworld that accepts total freedom. It is scared of anything that may make the corperation look anything but shiny. But I'm good enough that this self same corperation wants me to work for them but doesn't like the fact that I don't have a shiny new lifestyle. "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way!"

As for the future, I got a very serious offer from a very good, respected surgeon to be his chief of staff. I may still take him up on it. He's made the offer again to day when I was waiting for more tests. He rides himself and knows that I'm not really all that house trained. But he knows I'm dedicated and good. As for gaining another specialty, I have no doubts that I could do that from this hospital bed if I had too. For that matter he has told me he would assist if I needed surgery on mt knee.

So in the end, I feel stronger. I'm going to stop worrying about how far I can go and other normal success markers and continue to live for myself (and my partner) and if the corperation can't deal with it, I'll move on intil I find someone who can. I guess it's all about the power of dreams. And I'm still young enough to have them and want to stay that way until I die.

BTW, for some who have accused/asked me, Yes, my family is rather connected and I grew up in the lap of privilege. However, as most of my family accepts (except mother), I can't live there. I'm an alley cat and I want to live my live as I want to. I don't ask for help but my grandfather keeps me in the will though I don't understand why. I paid for my own college and I pay my way in life. I was never a debutant but I can turn a mean wrench. And so it goes...

[jfeaz]

Some jobs have healthcare that limits motorcycling and some don't. But this isn't saying you can't do it - just saying you won't be covered by your default health insurance.

It is however, the bad reputation that motorcycling has rather than any reality in making it more dangerous than say... any other activity.

For example, people die every year of overdoses of acetaminophen, and burn out their livers and require transplant surgery. Something that people consider to be relatively low or no risk is in fact fairly risky.

According to wikipedia... 41,200 people in England and Wales had poisoning from acetaminophen between 1989 and 1990...

And approximately 500 people die per year in the US from acute liver failure from overdosing on Acetaminophen.

But they didn't limit you to not take acetaminophen in your contract because it is perceived as safe. And it is safe, as long as you don't take multiple medicines with acetaminophen or take a few extra tablets because the pain is just that bad. But thousands of people each year I'm sure do permanent damage to their livers and lose work time because they OD on a common pain killer.

I think though, that allowing this sort of regulation by our employers is a gross invasion of privacy. This sets a precedent that based on your employers (prospective, not even actual) health costs they have the right to restrict your personal activities. There is no reason why they can't go further and mandate that you must not eat unhealthy foods (which is highly subjective), that you must exercise every week (and who determines what is healthy exercise and what is unhealthy? After all you could hurt yourself...), and who knows - why not allow them to hire private investigators and determine if you are cheating on your SO - and deny you health coverage (or continued employment) because of risky behavior and the chances of getting AIDS(?) and the end result will be our lives being controlled by our employers. Oh, hell, if you are single they may not be able to hire you because prospectively - you are promiscuous(!).

And hell, since some people are newly married - and might increase everyone's health insurance cost because they might get pregnant and have a high risk child (like one of my twins) and add 3/4 of a million in dollars in charges in a single year - they should require me to get snipped so there won't be any children and excessive cost involved.

But given that you aren't a superstar like the singer for Metallica - and as respectable as your skills may be - there are other people that fit your skillset, restricting your activities because they might miss you - is excessive at the least. And realistically, risk mitigation is done with insurance - not with restriction of activities.

I mean, let's say - should they restrict doctors from flying personal planes because they have a risk of crashing?

RhadamYgg

Insurance companies evaluate risk very carefully and scientifically and nothing in their policies is based on reputation or misunderstanding.

A given person is not more likely to OD on Acetaminophen than to be injured in a motorcycle crash. A random person, yes. But a motorcycle rider, no way. You have to evaluate proportions, not raw numbers. More people use that drug than ride motorcycles. What percentage of Acetaminophen users hurt themselves on the drug versus the percentage of riders who crash?

I agree with everything else you said, though.

[Ryethil]

Insurance companies evaluate risk very carefully and scientifically and nothing in their policies is based on reputation or misunderstanding.

A given person is not more likely to OD on Acetaminophen than to be injured in a motorcycle crash. A random person, yes. But a motorcycle rider, no way. You have to evaluate proportions, not raw numbers. More people use that drug than ride motorcycles. What percentage of Acetaminophen users hurt themselves on the drug versus the percentage of riders who crash?

I agree with everything else you said, though.

You are joking right!?! Please tell me that you are joking.

I work in the healthcare business and they evaluate everything as to the profit line. Nothing I've ever seen has shown me otherwise. Yes, they do studies and use studies to prove what ever point they want to make. But use "real" data esp. facts that may cost them money, never happened. What matters the most is what they feel the general population will accept. Nothing more, nothing less...

I see the results of their "scientific" evaluations everday and the people that suffer for these paid guns decisions.

I was still a Paramedic until a couple days ago. (I'm a RN now) How many times did I see a person being transported on an emmergency basis only to be charged for the trip because they didn't get approval first. What? How? Why? This practice came out of a statistic by the medical insurers that a number of ambulance trips were not necessary. How they proved this I don't know but i get information that the insurance company was refusing payment and "we would have to go and beg for supper again!"

There are a lot more but I digress.

I may ride a motorcycle but handing cr*p like this to me just insults my intelligence.

As for Acetaminophen, it can be a very dangerous drug. How it got into hospitals had more to do with marketsing than actual safety tests. EOF.

Actually, thank you, for you may of helped me make a decision.

As for reverybody here, sorry, I went off.

[Ryethil]

Okay, lets put this thread to rest...

First of all, both the insurance companies of the crazy lady and the guy in the truck tried to get out of paying my medical bills, et. all. They thought they could do that as I had walked on my knee and therefore caused the problem of my injuries myself. However, since I was still a pramedic at the time, I had a duty to render aid if I could. Therefore an intial court ruling this morning threw all of that out. However, I would advise anybody who finds themselves in a injury producing accident to just lie there and led the Paramedics decide what you can do. Being heroic doesn't pay in today's society.

My brother's friend who's also been a friend of mine for a long time made me an offer I couldn't refuse and when all this is behind me. I will get my Surgery specialty and become his Chief of Staff. Actually, several of you helped and I realized a bit late that no it isn't f*cking worth it to give up my "soul" to the company store. I would of given in even if he had not been so generous. Now I can still be me and be the person that has succeded at her dreams. He is a brilliant brain surgeon and while quite young for his profession, he already has the eyes of others on him.

Now my problems are can I stay on my feet for up to 12 hours a day. The doctors think this will not be a problem. YEAH!!! And the second one is that there is a lor of socialising that will come with the job and I have to learn "small talk". Real shoes, real dresses and other things that will come with the social interaction. Will be a whole new world to me but he doesn't care about my bike riding and thinks my independace a positive thing because I will do all the grunt work so he can focus on surgery. Today he gave me a teddy bear in scrubs so it may be fun after all.

The final thing about this is that I've been marginalized by so many people in my that I didn't have the courage to reach for my dreams. Thanks to you, I have found a new belief in America. The home of the brave.

[jahjlh]

My question, is where do you draw the line in forcing safe behavior on emplyees? Everthing is dangerous. Since you can die from a fall of three feet or so, you should stop walking. You could trip and die. I read abouta bus driver being charged because he was texting while driving a city bus and wrecked. I think some people died.

I like the approach that the DOD is taking. Promoting safety in riding. We are required to wear gear, and take all safety classes offered. In addition we can take part in track days sponsored by Keith Code, and the like. All very cool stuff.

I have an idea for a job for you. I happen to know that military hospitals hire civilians. I also know that lots of them are training hospitals. How about you apply at one of them and the military will bring you into the fold and give you lots of riding partners. You just have to wear your gear on base. Way better than parking the bike and riding in a car.

Not to mention, if you are as good as you say, we need more good doctors and nurses.

Just an idea.

[Ryethil]

My question, is where do you draw the line in forcing safe behavior on emplyees? Everthing is dangerous. Since you can die from a fall of three feet or so, you should stop walking. You could trip and die. I read abouta bus driver being charged because he was texting while driving a city bus and wrecked. I think some people died.

I like the approach that the DOD is taking. Promoting safety in riding. We are required to wear gear, and take all safety classes offered. In addition we can take part in track days sponsored by Keith Code, and the like. All very cool stuff.

I have an idea for a job for you. I happen to know that military hospitals hire civilians. I also know that lots of them are training hospitals. How about you apply at one of them and the military will bring you into the fold and give you lots of riding partners. You just have to wear your gear on base. Way better than parking the bike and riding in a car.

Not to mention, if you are as good as you say, we need more good doctors and nurses.

Just an idea.

jahjlh,

I thank you for your consideration. However, I'm bent in the wrong way and I can't keep quiet or hidden about it. It would just be agony.

As for wearing gear, I've always been for helmet laws like I've been for seatbelt laws. When everyone is forced to do something that they should of done for themselves, others can't call them sissies or marginalize them because everyone has to do it. And that point only a fool would make himself a target like that by not obeying the law.

[BuzZz]

O.K. kids.

I moved all the 'disputed' posts I cared to find to the Soap Box. I left the original thread and anything about bikes where they were. If anyone cares to suggest more threads they want moved, let me know and I'll consider it.

Meantime, continue on with whatever it was you were doing. Cut the girl some slack and let her write whatever she likes if it helps her feel better. Read it or don't, as per your desire, comment, whine, cry, bleat or burp....whatever floats yer boat. Have fun with it, eh.

Everybody happy? Too bad, I'm all out of lollipops and right full of don'tgiveashit. Play nice.