Dangerous Scenario: Your Reaction?

[shamoo]

One of the things I always do when I'm riding is something I read on a motorcycle forum a while back, "Don't go where your eyes haven't been."  Pretty self explanatory.  If I don't know the road, I won't be riding hard and will always be ready to escape to another line.  If there are driveways streets around blind corners, I won't go fast.

Of course there are things that are simply unavoidable (cars crossing the line and coming toward you), but riding motorcycles is inherently dangerous for reasons just like that.

[tex-mex]

I would not put myself in that position.  I have had enough wrecks in my life.  They hurt, they are expensive, and most of them can be avoided.

[Bianca]

My fear, up here in Nanaimo, is the asian motorists.

Before you say stuff like this, Aaen, you have to look at the facts. Are Asians bad drivers? According to statistics, they are some of the best drivers. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/su6001a10.htm#fig1 Asian americans have the lowest automobile death rate, and they are the only ethnicity to see a consistent decline in motor related deaths from 2003 to 2007. You are actually much less likely to die around Asian drivers than any other ethnic group. An Asian driver is much less likely to get into, or cause, a traffic accident. Asians are also less likely than any other ethnic group to drive while under the influence of alcohol.

It sucks that you had that experience. I get cut off every other day during my highway commute and I know the dangers. I'm glad you're safe. But if you want to blame someone, the trend really seems to point to men as the culprit. For all ethnic groups, American males have motor vehicle related death rates that are 2-3 times higher than the rates for females.

I know I'm new to this forum, and this might not be the appropriate place for a political discussion on racial differences and driving abilities, but heck, I didn't start that discussion, and I couldn't let this go without delivering the facts. (Mods, you can move this post if you want.) Plus, saying crap like that in public forums will give us Canadians a bad name. And then Yankees will stop eating our bacon.  So next time an SUV cuts you off, Aaen, shout "f'en male motorist!" And, maybe not that time, but over 60% of the time, you will be accurate. Just don't chase him down!

[118811]

Before you say stuff like this, Aaen, you have to look at the facts. Are Asians bad drivers? According to statistics, they are some of the best drivers. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/su6001a10.htm#fig1 Asian americans have the lowest automobile death rate, and they are the only ethnicity to see a consistent decline in motor related deaths from 2003 to 2007. You are actually much less likely to die around Asian drivers than any other ethnic group. An Asian driver is much less likely to get into, or cause, a traffic accident. Asians are also less likely than any other ethnic group to drive while under the influence of alcohol.

It sucks that you had that experience. I get cut off every other day during my highway commute and I know the dangers. I'm glad you're safe. But if you want to blame someone, the trend really seems to point to men as the culprit. For all ethnic groups, American males have motor vehicle related death rates that are 2-3 times higher than the rates for females.

I know I'm new to this forum, and this might not be the appropriate place for a political discussion on racial differences and driving abilities, but heck, I didn't start that discussion, and I couldn't let this go without delivering the facts. (Mods, you can move this post if you want.) Plus, saying crap like that in public forums will give us Canadians a bad name. And then Yankees will stop eating our bacon.  So next time an SUV cuts you off, Aaen, shout "f'en male motorist!" And, maybe not that time, but over 60% of the time, you will be accurate. Just don't chase him down!

^^^^ men....no way
gotta be women!!!   

[Raux]

 2009 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Highway Loss Data Institute report found that:

•More than half of motorcyclist deaths involved at least one other vehicle.
•42 percent of two-vehicle fatal motorcycle crashes involved a vehicle turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle.



33% of accidents involving other drivers are female drivers according to the Hurt report.
which unfortunately is 1981 information.

[Raux]

•In 2006, 2,537 (51%) of all motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with another type of motor vehicle while in motion.  In two-vehicle crashes, 79% of the motorcycles involved were impacted in the front. Only 5% were struck in the rear.
•55% of all fatalities in motorcycle crashes in 2006 involved another vehicle in addition to the motorcycle in the crash.
•In 2006, there were 2,226 two-vehicle fatal crashes involving a motorcycle and another type of vehicle. In 40% (883) of these crashes, the other vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle. Both vehicles were going straight in 582 crashes (26%).
•93% of all two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle in which the motorcycle operator died, occurred on non-interstate roadways.
•In 2006, 51% of all two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle in which the motorcycle operator died, were intersection crashes.
•In two-vehicle motorcycle crashes involving a motorcycle and another type of vehicle, in 40% of the crashes the other vehicle was turning left when the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle.