I’d give you about five years to live!
These were the words straight from the EMT’s mouth. This was not usual talk for the taping of a television show. However, on this particular day I was working as an extra and Jason the EMT was the on call medic for the day. During idle chit chat the following subject came up. In the last five years he had been working, he told me of at least twenty serious or fatal motorcycle/scooter accidents he had responded too in the Los Angeles area.
I ride too, but less and less. The EMT told me, “People just don’t pay attention.” Begrudgingly, I had to agree. With cell phones being the number one distraction on the road, automobile drivers are paying less attention then ever before. Couple that with the rising cost of gas prices turning more and more people onto purchasing scooters or motorcycles for their transportation needs, and we have a perfect recipe for disaster. Most new buyers have never taken a safety course or had proper instructions on how to navigate safely through LA on two wheels. This is easily rectifiable through the MSF and Honda training courses.
After approaching friends, acquaintance’s, and other riders, similar answers and concerns surfaced. There is equal blame on both sides, but the final conclusion was that far less motorcyclist cause auto accidents than vice versa.
While it may seem that we “two-wheelers” are just out having fun, there is an incredible amount of concentration that goes into riding. Some industry analyst have even compared it to the focus of Military fighter pilots. Having recently had to ride with a passenger on the back of my bike through the 101 and 405 during rush hour, I thoroughly agree.
So after poling at least 50 riders, here is a list of three simple things you can do to keep LA motorcyclist alive. They’re not difficult and you shouldn’t have to learn anything new. These are things you should be doing already.
1.While driving, don’t talk on the cell phone. The more time you spend talking, the less time your focused on the road ahead.
2. Do a doubletake before changing lanes. The time it takes for a motorcyclist to go from being totally unseen in your sideview mirror to right next to the car is mere seconds. Also remember that you might miss him/her the first time because motorcycles are not as wide as autos and can almost seem invisible. Check then recheck before changing lanes, this one’s a no-brainer.
3. Think twice before running that Red light. It’s almost an unwritten law in LA that two or three cars go through after the light changes. While 95% of the time nothing happens the other 5% is often disastrous. Fatalities, broken bones and paralysis are common in these type of accidents. While you may get lucky and only end up with some heavy vehicle damage, there could be a Hummer coming through that intersection. Think about it.
So there you have it LA. Three simple steps you can take to ensure that you not only protect yourself, but also the lifes of those around you on two wheels.
Photo by akeg
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