scootercincinnati.com

Seeing these reports just makes me want to touch base with everybody and make sure you're all ok--I don't know who this is but still very upsetting:

http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_wes ... on-scooter

I did see that on the news. The guy was 65 years old. Lately there has been several motorcycles accidents with fatalities. Many riders refuse to ware a helmet. Not very smart! With more and more people on cell phones, or texting you need to keep focused at all times.

I'll never understand the "no helmet" issue either. I went without one once just to ride down the street to stop a UPS driver and I felt "naked" and very vulnerable, not a good feeling. I think "older" riders have lost a lot of their natural reflexes, just like car drivers and that also makes them more susceptible to accidents. I avoid possible mishaps almost on a daily basis, I just assume cars are trying to hit me and it keeps me on my toes. I will admit that I occasionally ride without my jacket when it is above 90 deg but ALWAYS wear a helmet, gloves & long pants.

Dan here is a fine example of a guy I know who owns four Harleys and never wares a helmet. Three years ago he was going up Kelloge Avenue late at night. He had a few drinks at a bar up the street. As he rounded a curve the bike went down hard. He went flying off his bike and hit is head on the blacktop then into a guardrail. He was in a ditch for hours before someone found him later in the morning. Three months later after waking up out of a coma, he had two broken legs, broken left arm, particial blindness in the left eye, lost his hearing in the left ear, broke ribs, and a list of other problems. He was lucky to be alive. The last thing he can remember is flying off his bike and landing on the blacktop.

Today he has three Harley's and one Burgman 650 and guess what? He still doesn't own a helmet and he never wares a motorcycle safety jacket. Some people live on the edge I just don't get it as well.

Thats amazing, Les. I'm glad my friends at least wear helmets, it would be hard for me to keep quiet if they didn't?

There was recently a motorcycle fatality on Glenway Ave only a couple of blocks from my home. The rider wore a helmet. I spoke with a witness and the rider was hotshotting in heavy traffic on a very busy 4 lane road with traffic lights. He and another rider were weaving in and out around cars and apparently he panicked and turned the bars at speed without leaning and flew off the bike. I feel awful about it and grieve for the wife and kids he left behind. The subject line of this thread is what prompts me here. Ride safe. Cars are a hazard for sure, but a lot of our safety depends on what we do when we're riding. Ride safe.