Motorcycle use increases as gas prices rise
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Higher gas prices don’t only hurt at the pump, they hurt in the emergency room as well.
According to Vandy Trauma doctors, “It is very clear that in the last 3 months we have seen significant increases in the volume of motorcycle crashes.”
If this were 1865, Doctor John Morris would be standing in a saloon, his six shooter at the ready.
But it is 2008 and the rough and tumble doctor runs Vanderbilt’s Trauma Center with a six shooter’s mentality. He says with confidence that more motorcyclists are riding more miles.
“The weekend warrior is in deed the commuter going to work,” the cock sure medicine man says.
He looks around the Vandy Trauma Unit. Beeps and hushed whispers float out of each alcove where life is hanging by a thread.
Some of the people here are crash victims.
While on the floor, I will talk to 2 motorcycle riders who didn’t do anything wrong, except ride a motorcycle in Nashville rush hour traffic.
That was the situation for Gary and Susan Russell July 15th, when cars suddenly and unexpectedly came to a screeching stop. Mr. Russell mashed the brakes. The back end got squirrely and the bike went down. He suffered broken bones. His wife, Susan, was thrown and was banged up more severely.
Doctors say this couple is the emerging norm. People in their fifties and sixties are now riding many more miles, people who might have ridden primarily on the weekends, and now, because of rising gas prices, are riding full time.
Some experts say they are more experienced, but longer in the tooth, they also have slower reflexes that we all encounter as we grow older.
“We have seen over three to four month period a doubling of motorcycle crashes we care for at Vanderbilt,” Morris says, acknowledging more motorcycling miles is leading to more traumas.
According to the Dept. of Revenue…8,000 more people have registered motorcycle and scooters compared to this time last year.
The good news, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety, is more riders are also taking motorcycle safety courses.
“In 2 days you gain 2 years worth of riding experience what you would teach yourself.” Safety Instructor James Schultheis tells me.
New rider Hayes Washington says the course helped him become more comfortable.
“I stayed in my sub division for 3 months I was not comfortable with the bike at first.”
Over at Boswell’s Harley Davidson on Fesslers Lane, Bubba Boswell has many thoughts on the growing trend.
Boswell acknowledges more people are riding bikes, but he says cars and trucks are the problem.
“Bike sale have gone up dramatically the last three months. With gas at four dollars it changed every ones idea of how to travel and how far to go.”
Bubba doesn’t dispute Vanderbilt’s findings, but he says motorcycle wrecks, more times than not, are the fault of car and truck drivers.
Whomever is to blame, Dr. Morris summarizes it this way:
“The economics of higher gas is driving more people to take more risks and that risk is actually going to turn out to be more expensive than driving in the safer environment of a car.”
Here’s the twist: the Dept. of Safety says thru the first half of this year - fatalities across the state are down compared to this time last year.
Motorcycle fatalities in 2008 are actually down (-30) from 83 this time last year (2007) to 53 at this time in 2008.
Helmets and safety equipment make a difference, and hospitals like Vandy are saving more lives.
For more detailed information, go to the links below:
- PDF: Motorcyle Crash Statistics
- PDF: Motorcycle Licenses 2003-2007
- PDF: Motorcycle Fatalities 1998-2007
It sounds like Dr Morris has a personal vendetta against motorcyclists. 8,000 more registered motorcycles than this time last year, crashes have doubled, but fatalities are down.
“The economics of higher gas is driving more people to take more risks and that risk is actually going to turn out to be more expensive than driving in the safer environment of a car.”
If VU is so against motorcyclists, why do they have motorcycle parking in the garage area? And it’s doctors that are riding these motorcycles!
It sounds to me as if VU needs to really re-think their position on this. Responsible motorcyclists aren’t causing the crashes and they carry medical, life and motorcycle insurance. 99% of crashes are caused by automobile drivers not paying attention and not giving the same respect to motorcyclists as they do other automobile drivers.
I travel I-24 east of Nashville everyday i see motorcycles on daily bases .99% are driving crazy!!!! They think, they own the road .
I have been riding motorcycles since 1980, and have yet to be involved in a crash even though I’ve been presented with most of the dangers to a bike rider (cars pulling out, cars changing lanes, etc). Why have I been so fortunate? Simple - DEFENSIVE DRIVING. I am constantly on the lookout for anything that may be a threat to me, and I proactively take action to minimize that threat.
I see bike riders these days that ride in the wrong place within a lane, tailgate, drive between stopped or slowly moving vehicles, pass when they shouldn’t, you name it. Most of them have not taken any MSF training, which hammers home why they should avoid the mistakes they are making. Then, when they are involved in a crash, they blame the car. Sorry, but an alert, defensive bike rider will avoid 99.99% of crashes due to another’s actions.
Gary Russell is a perfect example - here’s a guy, on a bike that can stop in a fraction of the distance of a car, that wrecks because someone in front of him stops too soon. Let’s tick off the factors that make it his fault: not having situational awareness; not knowing how to properly brake his bike; most likely following too closely, based on the details within the story. Completely avoidable crash.
I’ve been riding since ‘78 and riding on the street since ‘80. I currently ride from my home in Wartrace to Nashville every day and what I’m seeing is cars and trucks not being observant because the drivers are too busy talking on their cell phones and CB radios. One truck driver actually rode me right into the median down around mile marker 88 on I-24. Fortunately it’s all grass and I managed to keep the bike up but if I had hit someones beer bottle I would have been a statistic.
While I’m at it _everyone_ is driving far too fast. I have a very powerful bike and can hit 120mph in the blink of an eye but I’m perfectly happy to cruise at 70~75 mph. Care take a good guess at why I bought such a powerful bike ? Because I was getting tired of having cars and trucks tailgate me when I was doing the speed limit ! Yep, that’s right ! I had an older 750cc Yamaha which was quite good between 65~80mph but do you know what happens if you do 80mph on I24 ? You get tailgated by some numb-nuts in a cage who can’t wait to get another cup of coffee when he gets to work or the soccer mom who can’t put her cell phone down while she’s driving her SUV up your pipe !
And finally, if anyone thinks that riding a motorcycle is more economical than a good Nissan or Toyota econobox then they really haven’t a clue. I ride 25,K ~ 30,K miles a year and of course I need tires. Guess how much Z-speed tires are ? How about $260 a set ! And that’s from an online store so guess who gets to pull the wheels off and put the tires on ? Me. It’s that or pay the local shops $80 ~ $90 to scratch and/or dent up my rims (as they’ve done in the past) after I bring the wheels in. By the way, that set of tires is good for 10,000 miles at most so my annual outlay for tires is around $780. Add-in ear plugs, coat, pants, boots, gloves, wear-and-tear on the bike and now you’re better off getting a Volkswagen Jetta diesel.
If you haven’t been on a motorcycle or a scooter since high school,or if you are novice,and you’re over 40,riding one without adequate training is a really bad idea! Having “Grandpa” taking “Grandma” on a trip down an interstate is suicidal ! You won’t be SAVING gas money,if you’re in the Intensive Care Unit,or at rest in the cemetery! Riding one in busy traffic is not to be taken lightly.Ask any EMS or ER caregiver.