Community | August 15, 2008 | 22 comments

Deaths of motorcyclists rise again

source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/us/15fatal.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=12188199...

Image
stopnoise
WASHINGTON — The number of motorcyclist deaths jumped in 2007, accounting for nearly one in eight motor vehicle deaths, government safety officials said on Thursday.

Deaths of people in cars and trucks, on bicycles or on foot dropped by nearly 2,000 last year, pushing the overall death rate to a historic low. But deaths of motorcyclists surged 6.6 percent, to 5,154; 2007 was the 10th straight year of increase.

By MATTHEW L. WALD
The New York Times
  1. groups:
  2. tags:
    Current Radio News,  Acoustic Education,  Acoustic Pollution,  Social Responsibility,  3 more
  3.     
    |

22 comments // Deaths of motorcyclists rise again

  • jh64487
    • 0
      jh64487  

    • Bikers are dying because

      a) lots of them just bought their bikes because of rising gas costs and have limited experience

      b) many refuse to take any riding class to gain experience

      c) many states allow people to ride without a helmet and most people ride with minimal to no protection (myself included sometimes though I try not to)

      this all leads up to accidents and death. that's pretty much it in a nutshell

      oh and stopnoise is right, from my car I've witnessed bikers illegally pass vehicles, often in dangerous blindspots. people are stupid and motorcycles have no safety whatsoever, thus...people die

    • 3 years ago
  • stopnoise
    • 0
      stopnoise  

    • I am a biker and I have been filming bikers in traffic for sometime now. The reality the street is much different from what people are trying to cover up here. 95% of bikers today are over speeding and passing cars on a moving violation mode. Any more questions? Sure motorists should be looking for bikers, however are the bikers giving the motorists a chance for them to look at them. The only thing drivers can hear is a roar and they do not know where it come from. Some turn to the right, others to the left, the biker is over speeding and advancing into the car space and....you know the rest of the story. There are very few people that understands the relationship between speed and safety.

    • 3 years ago
  • regjoeschmo
    • 0
      regjoeschmo  

    • Many people just dont look for bikes...... I think doing so should be part of a requirement for driving a car. Not once in the NJ tests does it give you a scenario of driving near or around bikes. So many people dont even realize how dangerous it is to be tailgating bikers.

    • 3 years ago
  • Wessagusset_Oracle
  • menmykoko
    • 0
      menmykoko  

    • In my city 9 out of 10 don't where helmets of any age. Invariably, when they are on a crotchrocket they speed past me and frequently weave in and out of traffic causing other cars to brake unnecessarily. I know this isn't the case for all and I certainly don't wish any harm to them. However, when I see advertisements encouraging other drivers to be more aware and insinuating that the fault is due to automobile drivers, it seems silly because I am sure the motorcycle drivers are less concerned about others and even themselves. My point is that maybe THEY need to be a lot more careful.

    • 3 years ago
  • regjoeschmo
  • menmykoko
  • diode
  • stopnoise
    • 0
      stopnoise  
    • diode:

      Sure! No one here is asking you to stop riding. What we ask you is not to tamper with your motorcycle muffler and ride responsible within the speed limits.

      "It is better to get there alive a little later than get there dead a little early."

    • 3 years ago
  • pigmonkey
    • 0
      pigmonkey  

    • Loud pipes save lives. Any one who says otherwise does not own or ride a motorcycle. I on the other hand do and I won't ride a bike without loud pipes. I normally agree with you, stopnoise,but on the subject of loud pipes, I STRONGLY disagee.

    • 3 years ago
  • stopnoise
    • 0
      stopnoise  
    • pigmonkey:

      Just wait until they start to ask you for the EPA certified label for your motorcycle muffler. You will remember me for trying to warn you to voluntarily change your life style.

    • 3 years ago
  • rabidlemur
    • 0
      rabidlemur  

    • Share the road! Also the tags on this story seem a bit misguided, what exactly does motorcycle deaths rising have to do with,

      Acoustic Pollution
      Acoustic Education
      SFPD
      Anti-Social Behavior
      Passive Aggressive Anti-Social Behavior
      Cover up Issues

      Anti social? Bikers seem pretty social to me, Sturgis anyone?

    • 3 years ago
  • stopnoise
    • 0
      stopnoise  
    • rabidlemur:

      You make me feel too smart or clever and I do not like that rabidlemur.

      1. Tampering with your motorcycle muffler is illegal - You are trespassing someone property line and acoustic harassing them. That is anti-social behavior and passive aggressive behavior. Most of the motorcycle riding in the road today are also acoustic polluting the environment.

      2. When you are driving over the speed limit you are revving the engine and putting yourself and others in danger. You are also acoustically trespassing. Most of the motorcycle drivers caught on camera, (I can prove that) are doing exactly this.

      3. Most of the motorcycles riding today have very little respect for our neighborhoods and are using their motorcycle to harass the population.

      4. The Government and parts of the public are covering up and allowing this to go on for Years. So there is your cover up right there!

      Any more questions?

      Ps: By the way watch the video I made interviewing Jeff. That biker there in the beginning of the movie passed by just a few minutes before the interview. Can you count how fast he was going? I can!

    • 3 years ago
  • kDrew_Productions
  • mjsmith11
    • 0
      mjsmith11  

    • It is the responsibility of all drivers to watch out for motorcycles. Nothing scares me more than to see careless and drunk drivers out on the roads.

    • 3 years ago
  • ProgressiveBum
    • 0
      ProgressiveBum  

    • Thanks stopnoise for bringing this to our attention. I believe thee are a multitude of reasons for the statistic. Since motorcycles/bicycles are harder to see in traffic, and distractions for car drivers seem to be at an all-time high from cell phones to screaming kids in the back, split-second inattentiveness can lead to bad situations. What would be just a fender bender in a car can be a life threatening crash for a motorcycle. Lastly, due to high fuel prices, more two-wheelers seem to be on the road.

    • 3 years ago
  • stopnoise
  • jakewhitcomb
  • Vierotchka
  • stopnoise
    • 0
      stopnoise  

    • No amount of excessive noise will save anyone from an accident and death. However proper driving education and changing the driving habits might help you through.

    • 3 years ago
from the community

top videos