Riding a bike is as dangerous as fighting a war

Bravo in the use of nescient. I thought I was the only person on the interwebs who used it.

I had to look it up. Hopefully I can remember it when necessary.

I've always had an impulse to become somewhat of a sesquepedilian when in retort to a critical reply.

Personally, I don't get why some people have an aversion to riding at night. Not that I've researched it but are there any (damned) statistics that show riding at night as being riskier?

I think riding at night is awesome and really enjoy it.

MY opinions on the risks of riding at night:

1) Deer and other critters seem to be more likely to be willing to commit vehicular suicide at night. This is the thing I worry about most riding at night.

2) Other vehicles. I think, if you have decent headlight/aux lighting, that it's less likely to get SMIDSY'd by a cager. That said, it is probably more likely that other road users may have some alcohol in their bloodstream.

3) Have good lighting and don't outride it. I try to get as much light as I can as far and wide down the road as possible to mitigate risk. (Without blinding oncoming road users or the mirrors of the guy in front of you.)

Actually you are a troll, and nobody wants to read your entire posts. You should take a course in efficient writing and learn how to curb your arrogance...

Without reading the book or it's sources.

There is a vast number of support personnel in Afghanistan that are not exposed to combat. "Fighting in Afghanistan" gives most people the impression of soldiers on patrol, which is far more dangerous than being a non-combat support personnel.

A large majority of the American motorcycle population use motorcycles only to engage in more risky activities (bar hopping or thrill seeking). This skews this death-ratio upwards from what this more risk-adverse (mature adventure riding) population experiences.

I have no doubt that the statistics are mathematically accurate, but they do not give an accurate depiction of reality.



My motorcycles are my only form of transportation. I am a mature, conservative adult rider with no accidents or speeding tickets on a bike, but that doesn't mean I'll live forever. If I am tired, if I am late for work, if it is raining, if I am angry, if it's 105 degrees outside, if I had a (single) beer after work, if it's 30 degrees outside, I will be getting on the bike and riding because that is what I love to do. The preservation of life is not the primary goal of living. I accept that death will catch up to me no matter what I do. How do you want to die?

Just saying something does not make it so. If you don't want to read my posts then don't.

I gave up night riding several years ago, and frankly would like to give up night driving which I find discomfiting. On the bike, I found it much harder to maintain my intended line, to tell whether the change of pavement ahead was a patch or a pothole. Old vision (I'm now 66) is not as good as younger vision - even corrected by good glasses. And, depending on where you ride, there is also the possibility of more deer or drunks.

Certainly not telling anyone they shouldn't ride at night - but observe how you feel. When the danger vs pleasure quotient tilted the wrong way, I quit that part of riding.

ok guys i read this blog so i don't have to look up words, oh yea to look at the fantastic pictures also.

At least one study that I have read (the Hurt report which is very old) reports darkness being corollary to increased accident risk. I don't recall what the MAIDS report had to say about it. Lighting systems, brakes etc are much better now, so maybe things have changed somewhat.

People have a lot of problem with the phrase,

"Motorcycles are extremely dangerous."

Perhaps a statement more reflective of the state of things would be,

"Motorcycles are extremely unforgiving."

Living is extremely dangerous. No one has ever survived so far!

I've yet to come across a micronort. They sound a bit scary. Do they eat people, or just kill for fun.

Nicely put.

I have been riding to get around since 1969, and have seldom owned a car.

I got a a couple of speeding tickets in the early seventies. In early 1976 I was knocked off my bike by a fast moving car as the driver pulled in after overtaking the car behind me.... "I didn't see you," he said. His fault, but had I been more aware and better positioned on the road i could probably have avoided the accident.

Since then the post above could equally apply to me, and sums up my point of view.

If only you could be sure you died in a bad crash

I'm the same as you in so far as I.ride daily and it's basically my main means of transportation. Still it's nice to live.in reality and know the real risks of riding.

It won't stop me- I just don't like deluding myself

In an urban area, I would have agree with that except for make it a little less.....

what credible source are we talking about?

and what if you're fighting in Afghanistan on a motorcycle?

Didn't read through the whole thread, but there have been periods of time that more military members were killed on motorcycles than were killed in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Granted, in the same time frame, more military members were killed in non-combat situations than combat situations (vehicle rollovers, heart attack etc)

D

I do like to read his posts, they are usually quite well thought out and offer an interesting perspective (which I agree with sometimes, and sometimes not).


As an aside, relevant to the discussion, what is defined as "fighting in Afghanistan"? Just being there or actually fighting with guns blazing, being shot at? Or just being in Afghanistan? As a Western soldier, afghan soldier, Taliban, suicide bomber, civilian, who exactly? They all have vastly different mortality rates.

It is a dumb comparison, if you ask me. Then again Dakez already said what had to be said a few pages ago

Lets, for arguments sake, say Taliban suicide bomber on a motorcycle.

Should he ride ATGATT or not? Hypothetically, as a result of not wearing a spine protector and a leather jacket (because it is too hot) he dies in a crash on the way to the target, without blowing up. He has still thrown his life away, for a stupid reason, but without first maiming some innocent women and children. Does he still get his 72 virgins?