Thanks a Lot, Ben
Oh boy, I can hear it now. I'm sure it'll start as soon as people that I know hear about it and get their speeches ready. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was hurt today in a motorcycle crash and is undergoing surgery. Of course, I've been doing some research on the two-wheeled vehicles myself, and will most likely be purchasing one in the very near future. I've even signed up for the 3-day Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCourse next weekend.
But of course, a high-profile case like this won't do me any favors. First it was Arnold Schwarzenegger in January. Now B-Roth. But just so you'll know that I will be armed and ready with information, here are the reasons why I believe that Mr. 24-year-old-Super-Bowl-champ-rich-boy and I cannot be compared.
* Bike style. The pictures from the scene of the accident clearly indicate that Roethlisberger's bike was a sport bike--affectionately known as "crotch rockets." Yep, the ones where the driver has to put his butt up in the air to avoid looking like a dork (twisted logic, if you ask me), something which probably enhances aerodynamics as a by-product, and helping you go faster.
* Helmet. Today's word is dduuuhhhhhh. Apparently there is a belief among some that helmets seriously infringe on looking cool. Or are hot. Or are distracting. For whatever reason, some states have offered cyclists their "freedom" as one site calls it, to not wear protective gear on the most important part of your body. Notice our rider's injuries--broken nose, broken jaw, 9" laceration to his head, broken teeth...a plastic surgeon has been called in....Hmm, I bet one of those uncool helmets sure would've helped out.
* Rider Course. Did "Big Ben" take a safety course? I don't know. But I am. According to the Hurt Report (a study of 900 motorcycle accidents to determine cause, contributing factors, rider training, etc), an astonishing 92% of motorcycle riders involved in crashes were without training--they had learned to ride on their own or from family/friends. In the same statement, the report goes on to say Motorcycle rider training experience reduces accident involvement and is related to reduced injuries in the event of accidents. Maybe that $150 is a worthwhile investment.
So we know what kind of bike it was, and we know that Ben wasn't wearing a helmet. We don't know what the situation was surrounding the wreck, but I'd be willing to bet that he could've either avoided the accident or walked away with far fewer and less severe injuries. I'm not gonna assume that speed was a factor. Was the motorcycle speeding?--we don't know. I'm sure we'll know later, but right now we don't.
One final aspect is how the accident occurred. I'll go on record as placing my bet right now. I bet that the car turned left in front of him. Studies have shown that something like 75% of accidents occur at an intersection when a car turns left in front of the cycle (presumably after not having seen it). The damage to the car involved in this accident is consistent with this--damage to the passenger side front fender. Time will tell if I'm right, but say you saw it here first.
In conclusion, if my hunch is right, Ben Roethlisberger did nothing wrong to cause the accident (unless he was speeding or his driving ability was impaired). However, riders can do several things such as taking a rider safety course (which teaches the ability to avoid crashes or minimize injuries if invovlved with one) and wearing a helmet, as uncool as it might be. There have been absolutely NO studies that indicate that wearing a helmet causes more injuries or makes a bike rider more likely to crash. I hope the Super Bowl quarterback is OK and recovers completely from his injuries, but I also hope that he learns a lot from his experience today.
But of course, a high-profile case like this won't do me any favors. First it was Arnold Schwarzenegger in January. Now B-Roth. But just so you'll know that I will be armed and ready with information, here are the reasons why I believe that Mr. 24-year-old-Super-Bowl-champ-rich-boy and I cannot be compared.
* Bike style. The pictures from the scene of the accident clearly indicate that Roethlisberger's bike was a sport bike--affectionately known as "crotch rockets." Yep, the ones where the driver has to put his butt up in the air to avoid looking like a dork (twisted logic, if you ask me), something which probably enhances aerodynamics as a by-product, and helping you go faster.
* Helmet. Today's word is dduuuhhhhhh. Apparently there is a belief among some that helmets seriously infringe on looking cool. Or are hot. Or are distracting. For whatever reason, some states have offered cyclists their "freedom" as one site calls it, to not wear protective gear on the most important part of your body. Notice our rider's injuries--broken nose, broken jaw, 9" laceration to his head, broken teeth...a plastic surgeon has been called in....Hmm, I bet one of those uncool helmets sure would've helped out.
* Rider Course. Did "Big Ben" take a safety course? I don't know. But I am. According to the Hurt Report (a study of 900 motorcycle accidents to determine cause, contributing factors, rider training, etc), an astonishing 92% of motorcycle riders involved in crashes were without training--they had learned to ride on their own or from family/friends. In the same statement, the report goes on to say Motorcycle rider training experience reduces accident involvement and is related to reduced injuries in the event of accidents. Maybe that $150 is a worthwhile investment.
So we know what kind of bike it was, and we know that Ben wasn't wearing a helmet. We don't know what the situation was surrounding the wreck, but I'd be willing to bet that he could've either avoided the accident or walked away with far fewer and less severe injuries. I'm not gonna assume that speed was a factor. Was the motorcycle speeding?--we don't know. I'm sure we'll know later, but right now we don't.
One final aspect is how the accident occurred. I'll go on record as placing my bet right now. I bet that the car turned left in front of him. Studies have shown that something like 75% of accidents occur at an intersection when a car turns left in front of the cycle (presumably after not having seen it). The damage to the car involved in this accident is consistent with this--damage to the passenger side front fender. Time will tell if I'm right, but say you saw it here first.
In conclusion, if my hunch is right, Ben Roethlisberger did nothing wrong to cause the accident (unless he was speeding or his driving ability was impaired). However, riders can do several things such as taking a rider safety course (which teaches the ability to avoid crashes or minimize injuries if invovlved with one) and wearing a helmet, as uncool as it might be. There have been absolutely NO studies that indicate that wearing a helmet causes more injuries or makes a bike rider more likely to crash. I hope the Super Bowl quarterback is OK and recovers completely from his injuries, but I also hope that he learns a lot from his experience today.
posted by Eric C at 3:28 PM
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