Let's not ignore a few simple and obvious facts.
Driving down the road at ~30 mph and a car pulls out right in front of you so close there's nothing you can do. Were you in a car and wearing your seatbelt? If so, then chances are ~99% you don't even have a bruise.
I've been hit by a truck while riding my bicycle. The guy made a left turn into me. I saw it coming and did everything I could to avoid it, but he just ran me down like I wasn't there. My bicycle is more maneuverable than your motorcycle, but I it still doesn't hover or change direction regardless of speed or traction.
Sure, wear your gear and drive defensively, but realize that while stuck on the outside of a steel frame, you are a bug on the windshield if something unlucky happens. The best you can do is try to minimize injury. You cannot always avoid the behavior of other people just by being attentive.
For what it's worth, most motorcycle accidents happen when the rider goes off a curve. The single most common accident is a head-on collision with another vehicle, but it's overall more common for a motorcyclist to lay it down or hit something other than another vehicle (like a tree, sign, or animal). However, vehicle collisions are responsible for slightly more fatalities than non-vehicle collisions. IOW, it's more dangerous to collide with a car or truck.
I'm not knocking motorcycles, but I think it's silly to believe you can always avoid trouble by wearing your gear and paying attention. Sometimes there's just nothing you can do. I still prefer to ride my bike in traffic than my car, but I know for damn sure which one is safer no matter how careful I might be.
I think you may have breezed through my post a bit too quickly there matey!
No where did I say the phrase "always"; nothing in this world is 100% certain other than death. Gear helps minimize injuries...like airbags.
My key word was "minimized."
I too was almost killed at the age of 13 while riding my bicycle, and I can tell you that you have a lot more of a fighting chance with a motorcycle than you do a bicycle.
I was hit from behind by an ill-willed person, it was not an accident. I had no mirrors and no way to predict that I would be run over on a bicycle.
Anyways, any motorcycle or automotive drivers course always teaches to scan, identify, predict and execute. When I see a car approaching an intersection I ALWAYS expect them to pull out in front of my bike. Cagers never see bikers, it's just that simple. Because they look at you, doesn't mean squat, because most likely they are looking through you.
While sitting at an intersection, I flash my brake light while being ready to take off it the person approaching from behind isn't slowing down. Before I proceed, I look both ways twice, because you never know when a suspect maybe hauling arse through an intersection well after a red light.
There's one simple fact, every gelly-brain behind the saftey of their four-wheeled cage is out to RUN YOU OVER.
Like I've said before, a lot of people discriminate certain hobbies before they even try them. "Oh, so and so died on a motorcycle, and if I get on one, I will die as well." So many people out there are living in fear; it's a real shame.
You know the old saying, you can get busy living, or you can get busy dying and I choose life. Too many are born with cancer these days, disease, crippling dystrophies, and I have a fair amount of health left, so I am going to get out and soak up some of this goodness that there is to be had out there.
What I mean for this is by advancing my riding skills through closed course training environments; not riding irresponsibly trying to so-called improve my mad riding skilz.
Top three killers for cyclists are:
1) Imparement(s) --can be anything from drinking to not feeling up to riding
2) Failure to negotiate---usually caused by excessive speed---linked to number one
3) Lack of gear-- it's too hot, or it's dorky to wear a helmet, gloves, armoured jacket, armoured pants and boots.
There's always a chance, no matter what you are on or in, a SOL situation is going to happen. A truck's dual wheel assembly flies off, a small piece of scap metal ruptures the gas tank on a big and safe full-sized van and the family burns to death...happened not to far from my house. In those situations, cagers never had a chance to survive.
Anyhow, everyone be safe out there and keep the shinny side up
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