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So I'm not here typing all day, I'll post only parts of an article that appeared in today's local paper. The writer is a journalism professor at a local university. The article is entitled "Motorcycle riders are taking away our freedom". Here goes............

"What is freedom? Some motorcycle riders have defined it as puttering around without a helmet. I don't putter; I check my wallet. There, I find a tangible, direct measure of my freedom. If I have alot of money, I have alot of freedom.

So here they come, puttering symbols of freedom. The riders are kinda like outlaws and they're kinda cool......... I'm all for freedom. But more important to me, I want my freedom. And I think they may be taking mine away. Motorcycle riders are among those who die in highway accidents way out of proportion to their numbers, helmet or not."

The writer goes on to quote fatality statistics as well as his opinion regarding the repeal of the helmet law here in PA. And then he concludes as follows.................[sm=icon_flaming.gif]

"I wonder how many readers joined me in a chuckle at the Herman Munster-style motorcycle hearse unveiled by an area funeral home several weeks back............. It may have been more appropriate than we thought. Perhaps I should not have laughed."

Un-frickin' believable!!! Here's the letter I wrote to the newspaper publisher.......................


First of all, I’d like to thank you for the very positive changes you’ve made at the Publishing Company and also to congratulate you on a job well-done. Keep up the good work.

That said, I must say that I am appalled by the concluding remarks within the opinion regarding motorcycle riders that appeared in the newspaper on October 29th. While many of the “facts” and statistics used by the writer are debatable, I choose to not spend my time or yours on such a debate. I respect his opinion (and his right to publish it) despite the fact that it appears to have been developed using very little analysis of the statistics quoted within the article. Nor does he appear to consider very readily-available broader statistics regarding traffic fatalities. This is unfortunate and regrettable especially for a person in his position (associate professor of journalism).

Just one very important point that I believe was missed…………… Had the writer reviewed the website of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, he would have learned that there were, in 2005, 16,885 (39% of total) alcohol-related fatalities on highways throughout the U.S. Of the 4,553 motorcycle fatalities that year, alcohol was a factor in 1,572 (almost 35%) of them and approximately 1,949 (almost 43%) of the victims were not wearing a helmet. It is not clear from the article whether or not the writer is an advocate of prohibition or if he is lobbying to repeal the “no helmet” law.

The writer “crossed a line” in the concluding paragraphs of his opinion wherein he wonders “how many readers joined me in a chuckle at the Herman Munster-style motorcycle hearse unveiled by an area funeral home several weeks back”. He ends the article with the comment that “perhaps I should not have laughed”. Although he ends in kind of a “self-doubting” mode, I am appalled that he would have “chuckled” about a symbol that ultimately represents a loss of life (no matter the cause) in the first place. He does not tell the reader whether or not the sight of the hearse that carries victims of alcohol-related fatalities to their final resting place causes him a similar chuckle. Perhaps I shouldn’t give him any ideas. I’d prefer not to know.

Thank you for your time. And by the way, I am a “rider”. In addition to sharing this e-mail with him, please tell the writer that it’s not about “puttering around without a helmet”. It’s also not about “kinda looking like an outlaw�

 

Here in Europe it is a statistical fact that when riding a motorcycle, the chance of being involved in a traffic accident is 12 (twelve!!) times bigger as when driving a car.

Nevertheless I love riding my BOB!!

 

My point is not to disagree............. Yes, riding a bike is more dangerous than driving a cage.

This a$$hole could have kept his "chuckle" to himself.

Maybe I'm having a bad day.[sm=headbang.gif]

 

Your response was very well written Dunk, I hope it gets published. More than likely this was an article that was allowed to go to print so it would purposely cause an uproar.

Yes riding a bike is dangerous, so is playing golf, boating, skiing...........but I stink at golf, I don't know a bow from a stern and other than ski bunnies, I have no interest in winter sports. So I'll take my chances on my 2 wheels, it makes me feel good, it helps me relax and besides, checking my wallet has never made me feel "free"

 

Maybe you should have suggested "sensitivity" training. We certainly can't have any insensitive speech...

 

I don't wish death or horrible trauma on anyone...but would it be asking too much for the guy who wrote that article to get hit by a bus? Then we could all have a little chuckle

Todd