CBC Article - Motorcycle deaths could hit 7-year high, OPP says | Page 4 | GTAMotorcycle.com

CBC Article - Motorcycle deaths could hit 7-year high, OPP says

Forum Sponsor
+1 on gear. No way in hell that it offers a "false" sense of security.
Will it prevent you from snapping your neck if you go flying through the air and land head first on your Shoei logo? No. Will it prevent and help with a SIGNIFICANT amount of injury? Yes! I was a tow truck operator for a few years. I've been on many, many accident scenes. I've been there helping a rider get up with a broken leg, I've been there when a rider wanted nothing to do with towing, just picked up their bike, dusted themselves off and kept going. Without their gear, all these fellas and ladies would have been MUCH worse off.

The leading gear manufacturers have spent MILLIONS of dollars in r&d to develop gear that is more effective at dealing with the specific types of abrasion and impact that occurs during a motorcycle accident. Do not for a second think this has all been spent in vain. There are fewer serious injuries and deaths in professional motorcycle racing than ever before, and all the r&d done for those purposes transcends to us non-racers, casual riders and enthusiasts.

Btw IMO a leather vest, chaps, and a pair of leather gloves with tassels isn't adequate riding apparel. Neither are bowl helmets. They may protect your brain. How much fun will you be having after (god forbid) you eat sh*t and leave your lower jaw on the side of the road. (Not an exaggeration, met a zx9 rider who only had the smallest fraction of a lower jaw left. His friend had to explain what happened to him, he isn't really capable of speaking.) Dont let the MILLIONS of $$$ companies like Alpinestars, Joe Rocket, Dianese, Shoei, Arai and etc. go to waste - wear GOOD protective if you decide to ride. It may not be the most stylish look, it may get bloody hot, but it WILL save you a lot of anguish and injury in all but the most extreme cases. We all hit the ground the same, whether off of an SS or on a sunday stroll off of your Dyna.
Motorcycling is a sport, and can AT ANY GIVEN UNFORSEEN time become a contact one. For some it's extreme, for some it's leisurely like canoeing. Yet we wear lifejackets on canoes, and you don't see NFL'ers on the field in their tshirts and sweats.
 
^^ this post is very lucid, cant believe you ride a gixxer. Well done anyway.
 
Thanks inreb.
I also rode a '96 Virago with forward controls and ape hangers all last year in a full face, what felt like a 20lb Speedmaster jacket with metal shoulders, spine hump, huge forearm protectors, full gauntlet gloves over the jacket and race boots with sliders everywhere. Basically all the same gear that now sees Cayuga, with the exception of my jeans. Guess what the only body part I injured was? No surprise here, hips and knees. Leather pants with hip protection and knee pucks for me now. I can't make anyone wear gear, but it has helped me, and will help you in all but the worst (god forbid) situations.

On the other hand, my friend had skin grafts done after a 40km/h lowside off his, you guessed it, gixxer. He had his leathers on (the ones his mom got him for his 1st birthday.)
 
Haha I feared that if I said "that his mother got for his birthday" it would sound like I was talking about some gifted motorcycle gear
 
CanadianBiker said:
I'm 55 years old, so right in the demographic you so patronisingly describe. The problem with gross generalizations is that they are generally inaccurate. A few corrections, if I may.
I have been riding for almost 40 years, every year. I agree that it's returning or first-time riders who are most at risk but that's more of a factor than simply age.
Not sure what the style of bike has to do with anything. Would you be appeased if the aforementioned 'Dad' rode an SS? Why? Leave a longer smear?
55 is not 19, agreed. But it's not 100 either. To say vision and reflex (sic) are shot is disingenuous. While I may not have the cat-like reflexes you feel are required, I do have the experience, wisdom, sense of mortality, and lack of over-inflated ego to avoid many situationswhich would put me in need of said reflexes.
Poor driving skills span all ages groups. I will say that I grew up and learned to drive without the need to obsessively check my phone for FB updates, slouch down behind the wheel like some wannabe suburban gangster (replete with backwards hat), or have ear splitting noise rattling my windows. Purely anecdotal but from what I've seen, I'll take my chances sharing the road with the 50+ crowd before the 20-somethings.
Not everyone over 50 is moribund. Nor are we all on blood thinners. Again, purely anecdotal, but casual observation would indicate that there is a truly astounding number of grossly obese young people out there (with an unfortunate fondness for displaying acres of jiggling flesh). Ten years from now we are going to see pandemic levels of diabetes and other obesity-related diseases. I'd worry more about them than us oldsters.
Yup, lots of squids out there. Are you saying that only the over-50s ride without ATGATT? 'Cause I'm pretty sure I've seen one or two young 'uns in shorts and doosh-vests tearing it up.
I've been both 25 and 55, so I can at least speak with some experience from both sides of the spectrum. If you're careful and lucky, one day you can too.


[/FONT][/SIZE]
Click to expand...

I can understand you misinterpreting my post. I comes with age. I've been 25, 55 and 65, usually careful and often lucky.
 
kiwi said:
Stevo said:
for sure. Easy money for the Cops.

People have been txting and messaging for years. My phone was capable of doing it in 2001 (With the Original FIDO as it was GSM Based) Wasnt until Robbers/Bell/telus changed their tech to get the latest handsets that txt/email messaging became popular. Its the past 5-7yrs with the rise of smartphones and things like Farcebook, Twitter etc that have helped this becoming a problem.

Soon people will be taking companies like BB, Apple, samsung to court due to their "Addiction" - just like they did with cigarette companies a few years ago.
Click to expand...

My first cell phone cost about $0.50 a minute to gab. Then they went digital and now it's unlimited talk and text. I wonder how much time people would spend on the phone if it was 50 cents a minute and two bucks a text.
Click to expand...
 
A motocross weekend should be mandatory to get your M1. Accidents / deaths would be halved.
 
FLSTC said:
The Ontario Road Safety Reports can be found here: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/orsar/
The latest report is 2011: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/orsar/orsar11/ontario-road-safety-annual-report-2011.pdf

Page 16 shows some detail for the Number and Rate of Motorcycle Fatalities:

"Motorcycle registrations increased 4 per cent from 211,536 in 2010 to 220,026 in 2011. At the same time,
motorcycle rider fatalities decreased from 47 in 2010 to 38 in 2011."

"Over the long term, between 1992 and 2011, there has been a 63 per cent decline in the fatality rate per 10,000
motorcycle registrations."
Click to expand...

Thanks for clearing that up. I almost thought the OPP and CBC were telling the truth for once. But no, it's just our Provincial Police getting ready to justify another "cashdown", or more law$ they can get commissions on.
 
MLadin said:
A motocross weekend should be mandatory to get your M1. Accidents / deaths would be halved.
Click to expand...

I rode all winter in my early days and that included snow when cages were stuck. Great way to learn about traction. Cagers should have to prove proficiency in snow as well.
 
matthew said:
The Ontario Provincial Police say the number of people killed in motorcycle accidents could hit a seven-year high.
Police say 26 riders have died so far in 2014, with at least two more months of the season left to go.
OPP say while the majority of bikers abide by the law, there are a "careless few" who don't.
For example earlier this this month, OPP Aircraft Enforcement Patrol (AEP) clocked a motorcyclist travelling at 210 kilometres per hour, charging him under Ontario's stunt driving law.
"The OPP believes that Ontario motorcyclists in general recognize that they are a vulnerable road user and demonstrate safe, defensive driving," said OPP Deputy Commissioner Brad Blair.
The OPP released the following data to address what they say are some common myths about motorcycle deaths.
OPP points to 'myths' about motorcycle deaths


Myth: Young, inexperienced motorcyclists are the most vulnerable, at-risk riders and account for the largest number of victims who die in motorcycle crashes in Ontario.
Fact: From 2008 to 2014 (as of Aug. 18), only 16 of the 175 motorcyclists who have died on Ontario roads were under the age of 25. The age group with the highest rate of fatality is the 45-54 year group, which comprises 48 of the 175 victims. The second highest age group is the 55-64 year group, with 39 victims in that category. Combined, these two age groups account for almost half of the fatalities (87).

Myth: Those who die in motorcycle crashes are doing something wrong at the time of the incident. Like other drivers, motorcyclists can avoid crashes if they drive properly and within the law.
Fact: Between 2008 and 2014, for 50 of the 175 motorcycle victims, the driver of the motorcycle was driving properly at the time.
Myth: Motorcyclists are at far greater risk of crashing when riding on wet roads.
Fact: While it's true that riding on wet roads places an additional risk on riders, 158 of the 175 motorcyclists who have died between 2008 and 2014 (to date) were riding on dry roads.
The OPP says motorcycle riders should take steps to ensure they can be seen on the road, such as wearing high-visibility equipment. They also ask drivers to be vigilant about seeing motorcycles on the road, especially in blind spots before changing lanes.
Other facts relating to the 175 OPP-investigated motorcycle fatalities from 2008 to 2014 (as of Aug. 18):

  • 168 of the victims were the driver, seven were passengers.
  • 156 of the victims were men, 19 were women.
Top contributing factors in the deaths

  • Speed: Factor in 43 of the deaths.
  • Lost Control: Factor in 29 of the deaths.
  • Alcohol: Factor in 21 of the deaths.
  • Failure to Yield: Factor in 20 of the deaths.
  • Inattention: Factor in 18 of the deaths.
Click to expand...

Statistics? If a Venn diagram was used what is the number of deaths caused by the other driver, just asking. All those stats are overlapping. There are more than one reason that caused the fatality. BTW whose inattention are we talking about? The, sorry I did not see you inattention? The comments are closed so I could not ask that question. Not that the O pee pee would supply the stats.
 
Last edited:
nobbie48 said:
I recall an article explaining the age factor. Dad finally can afford the V twin cruiser he always wanted. He's a newbie but his vision and reflex are shot. Arthritis means turning his head to shoulder check is literally a pain plus he never developed the habit of doing so when he drove his SUV. When he does crash, age, general health and blood thinners make recovery less probable.

Hi Visibility gear doesn't fit in with the "Bad" image. Do they even make Hi-Vis wife beaters?
Click to expand...

You're funny. Of course you know your post reeks of age discrimination. You should be charged by the thought police for a hate crime. I'm 55, your profile does not list your age. For your information, I'm not on any prescription drugs, do not need glasses (maybe I might need glasses:(), and have avoided three accidents today because of poor driving habits by both male and female young drivers today. Just some observations, stop at a STOP sign. Yield to the right of way. AND don't try to merge onto a 400 series highway at 80KpH when the flow is 130KpH.
 
Last edited:
As usual, it's the old people who ruin everything.


Hurry up and die, baby-boomers.
 
Icbones said:
You're funny. Of course you know your post reeks of age discrimination. You should be charged by the thought police for a hate crime. I'm 55, your profile does not list your age. For your information, I'm not on any prescription drugs, do not need glasses (maybe I might need glasses:(), and have avoided three accidents today because of poor driving habits by both male and female young drivers today. Just some observations, stop at a STOP sign. Yield to the right of way. AND don't try to merge onto a 400 series highway at 80KpH when the flow is 130KpH.
Click to expand...

The funnier part is that yours reeks of discrimination too. All the young drivers today. And yes you do need glasses so you can read post #66 in this thread.

Also, with your new glasses you might read the first words in my post where I refer to an article I read. I didn't write the article. The article raises valid points. It doesn't attempt to profile every individual so don't get your shorts in a knot.

Maybe interpreting meaning isn't your thing. Logic isn't for everyone. The older bikers that crash may have been subject to one or more of the mentioned skill sets or medical issues. The older ones that don't crash have either stayed in better physical condition or have learned to use their brains to save their body.

What I don't recall is if the article commented on the growth rate of older / returning riders and how that relates to the present crash stats. Basically, adapt or take up golf.
 
Yesterday I saw a woman on a cruiser change lanes without a shoulder check.. Maybe she looked in a mirror , I couldn't tell.. But she nearly got side swiped by a minivan.
Age group 40+ if it matters.. A lot has to do with bad riding skills and habits.
 
nobbie48 said:
I rode all winter in my early days and that included snow when cages were stuck. Great way to learn about traction. Cagers should have to prove proficiency in snow as well.
Click to expand...

No, this is Ontario, where 6 Coroner's inquests have demanded winter tires be law, meanwhile, people drive SUVS with summer tires thinking they are safer in winter.
 
kiwi said:
Yesterday I saw a woman on a cruiser change lanes without a shoulder check.. Maybe she looked in a mirror , I couldn't tell.. But she nearly got side swiped by a minivan.
Age group 40+ if it matters.. A lot has to do with bad riding skills and habits.
Click to expand...

403W near Burlington, guy on a new blue ZX1400 wearing a t shirt, shorts, tennis shoes, late 40s. Oh, but he had a loud pipe, so he's ok.
 
Icbones said:
You're funny. Of course you know your post reeks of age discrimination. You should be charged by the thought police for a hate crime. I'm 55, your profile does not list your age. For your information, I'm not on any prescription drugs, do not need glasses (maybe I might need glasses:(), and have avoided three accidents today because of poor driving habits by both male and female young drivers today. Just some observations, stop at a STOP sign. Yield to the right of way. AND don't try to merge onto a 400 series highway at 80KpH when the flow is 130KpH.
Click to expand...

The flow is not 130km/hr on the 400s. You need glasses.
 
nobbie48 said:
The funnier part is that yours reeks of discrimination too. All the young drivers today. And yes you do need glasses so you can read post #66 in this thread.

Also, with your new glasses you might read the first words in my post where I refer to an article I read. I didn't write the article. The article raises valid points. It doesn't attempt to profile every individual so don't get your shorts in a knot.


Maybe interpreting meaning isn't your thing. Logic isn't for everyone. The older bikers that crash may have been subject to one or more of the mentioned skill sets or medical issues. The older ones that don't crash have either stayed in better physical condition or have learned to use their brains to save their body.

What I don't recall is if the article commented on the growth rate of older / returning riders and how that relates to the present crash stats. Basically, adapt or take up golf.
Click to expand...



Sorry nobbie, I should have said that article. I was trying to be humorous and slightly sarcastic regarding generalizations , but failed on the humorous part.
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom