May, 2009 was notable for the fact that in Spain a motorcyclist a day lost his life on the roads. This is a striking fact that should have the alarm bells ringing in earnest. These were young men on their way to one place or another when they collided with death itself. Presumably there are as many reasons why these things happened as there are cases, but the bottom line is that we are losing tomorrow’s leaders for reasons that are all preventable.
Unfortunately the first image that comes to mind is that of the careless and reckless rider who crashes his motorcycle into a wall or huge truck at top speed. It’s a shame when even that happens. I was young once and I seem to remember that I did not always think through my next move before I took action, so we have to remember that simply being young is a hazard in itself.
This is no time for recriminations. We would do well to remember that every lost son leaves behind people who find that they loved him more than they knew. For parents who have to bury their sons because they crashed their motorcycle is very hard to accept. If our country is at war and we lose our son in battle that is still very difficult to live with. At least his life would have been cut short in the noble execution of his duty.
What needs to happen in order to stop these losses from occurring?
Firstly, as a bike rider it needs to be recognised that the rider has no real protection at all. Consequently we should try and avoid all surprises. To do that we have to keep our eyes on the road ahead as well as trying to anticipate what may come from the sides.
Secondly, appropriate speed under all conditions is vital. Riding too fast is the number one cause of spills. The speed limit that is posted along a stretch of road may be fine under normal conditions. Such conditions that involved dry, clean streets and a fluid flow of traffic would be fine. However, if it is raining and at night that same stretch requires a reduction in speed.
The urge to “show off” is something that is reserved for guys, and it will always be our downfall. Give a young guy an audience and he will want to draw attention to himself. Maybe he hopes that the pretty girl will be drawn to his skill and derring-do and she will become his. The dopey thing is that even if she does consent to perch her cute hot pants bum on his bike, he will still do silly things in an attempt to continue to impress her. The shame is that all he has to do to truly impress her is to get her back home safely. So, avoid the temptation to Grand Stand if you want to live another day.
Drivers are asked to be vigilant for cyclists. The problem is that so often they are hard to spot in the midst of so much environmental clutter. Cyclist are therefore urged to “Be Seen to be Safe!” What this means is that they should wear a reflective jacket over their clothes. The difference is amazing to see how drivers will give motorcyclists a much wider berth if they are so dressed. This is because the excuse is taken away that the driver just didn’t see the bike coming. Just one glimpse of a reflective jacket means that probably it is being worn by a person, so take care!
Nowhere is it written that by simply going to work, or to the movies or to the supermarket you are running a 99% risk of meeting your death. However, if you are coming home from the bar on your bike after having consumed several alcoholic drinks, the chances are more than likely that will be your last ride.
Copyright © 2009 Eugene Carmichael
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