...Kim McKenzie Professor Heeder Writing 121 24 February 2015 Motorists and Motorcycle Safety: Distracted drivers even more noticeable while riding motorcycles If you’re a novice driver, dialing a phone is more dangerous than retrieving text messages, and reaching for an object while driving is more likely to produce an accident than eating behind the wheel. Although it may seem obvious, motorcycle riders face unique challenges on the road such as the lack of protective barriers between the road and riders, difficulties in anticipating and seeing a motorcycle, and the lack of experience and safety while riding. First, other vehicles can obscure motorcycles since we are a smaller target, preventing others to see you; whether it is through your side-view or rear-view mirror. This also is the case at intersections. Sometimes, there could be trees or tall grasses or weeds to keep motorist from noticing an oncoming motorcycle until it is too late. Road conditions are another barrier motorists as well as motorcyclist face. More to the point, motorcyclists should avoid such things as potholes, ruts, uneven pavement, and oil slicks. In avoiding these barriers, we are not only protecting damage to our bikes, but also the dangers of having to swerve in our lanes or side of the road and worry about oncoming traffic in the same lane. For instance, riding one day down a scenic back road, while avoiding many potholes, a fox ran out in front of us, which caused us to break while into...
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...Motorcycle Helmets Motorcycle riders drastically endanger their lives by not wearing helmets when riding their bikes. There have been many studies stating that wearing helmets could drastically save lives. Other studies have stated that it’s the drivers of automobiles which do not look out for motorcycles while driving is a real danger. Helmets will never produce a 100% survival rate but wearing them will increase your odds. Motorcycle helmets are necessary because they could save lives, help insurance premiums decrease, and they are required in other states. Some studies have shown that helmets could save one's life during an accident. Two-thirds of most accidents are caused by car drivers not paying attention to cyclists on the road. Helmets that are standard-approved with a recognized safety certification, American (ANSI Z90.4 or SNELL) should be worn while riding. Polystyrene layer inside helmets compresses to absorb the force of an impact. Helmets worn correctly and are standard- approved will reduce the risk of head injury by 85%, brain injury by 88% and severe brain injury by 75%. Due to, wearing helmets while riding motorcycles insurance premiums may reduce. Wearing helmets not only save lives, but insurance companies benefit from this also. In recent figures, 3,300 lives have been saved from wearing helmets and $4,638,173,956 saved with 100% helmet usage. Not wearing helmets has caused one's insurance deductibles to increase...
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...Motorcycle Helmet Laws Jeff Boss Cardinal Stritch University Mike McKinnon MGT 301 BSM 02 3008 May 22, 2013 Motorcycle Helmet Laws Millions of people all over the United States choose motorcycles over automobiles for the thrill, speed, and high performance capabilities. Motorcycles do not provide the riders with the outer protection that cars provide; therefore, when one crashes, the results are usually much more serious. Injuries to the head are responsible for the majority of fatalities when dealing with motorcycle crashes many of which could have been prevented had the rider been wearing a helmet. For this reason, some states have adopted the motorcycle helmet law. This law has created a great deal of controversy. One side supports the law and another side argues that the law is unconstitutional and it violates our right to freedom. The motorcycle law to wear helmets should be banned because the helmet impairs the rider’s peripheral vision, impairs the rider’s hearing, and the helmet violates a rider’s freedom of choice. The motorcycle law to wear helmets should be banned because some helmets will affect the rider’s vision. When a motorcyclist wears a helmet, the rider’s peripheral vision can be decreased by the helmet. With losing any part of the riders peripheral vision can be very dangerous for the rider and their passengers. A study done by McKnight, (2007) found that a rider wearing a full faced helmet has to rotate his or her head an additional 18 degrees more...
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...The Mandatory Need for Motorcycle Helmets The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) estimates that helmets saved 1,784 motorcyclists from death in 2007. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 800 lives could have been saved. As an avid motorcycle operator, I have been in a few close calls of my own. Luckily for me, if something would have occurred, I would have at least been safer due to my motorcycle helmet. It is safe to say that thousands of lives could be saved each year by national adoption of universal helmet laws. From 1984 through 1995, helmets saved the lives of more than 7,400 motorcyclists. However, more than 6,300 additional deaths could have been prevented if all riders had been wearing helmets (tntrafficsafety.org). There are minor debates about one not feeling comfortable while riding with a helmet because of to the weight of it. However, manufacturers make carbon fiber helmets that have virtually no weight. On average they weight around two to three pounds. They are a bit more expensive than your average helmet. However, one can’t put a price on life.But is it Safety should definitely be the underlying factor, especially since riding a motorcycle is already considered dangerous in itself. The analysis of fatal crash data from 2008 to 2010 showed 12 percent of motorcyclists in states with universal helmet laws were not wearing helmets, but 64 percent...
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...others? Studies have shown that those who prefer to ride motor cycles have a higher chance of getting involved into an accident. Throughout this article, we will analyse different reasons and statistics that support this notion. Motorcycles are often seen as a dangerous mode of transportation due to their less than safe structure. Unlike cars, a motorcycle requires immaculate balance and a sharp precision of senses. Due to its nature, small size and speed, motor cycles have a high probability of injuring its riders. The first really successful motorcycle was built in 1901. The people who built it were Michael and Eugene Werner. They adopted the classic style of motorcycle that is used today with the motor between your legs and underneath the gas tank. The word "motorcycle”, wasn't really even used until the end of the twentieth century. Motorcycle meant and bicycle or tricycle with an engine. Some of the kinds of motorcycles were two-wheeled bikes, three-wheeled bikes, mini-bikes, mopeds, and motor scooters. The motorcycle is a popular form of transportation for many reasons, it is cheap compared to a car or van, it is highly fuel efficient, compact, and is capable of great acceleration. With over13.5 million motorcyclists in the India, the motorcycle makes up about 30% of registered vehicles. In the late 90s the total number of motorcyclists was around...
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...traffic accidents among motorcycle drivers . The study was focused to determine if the ability of motorcyclists to be seen on the road to be a vital cause for motorcycle accidents on the road (Wells , et al , 2004 The study was conducted over a period of three years in Auckland , New Zealand where the authors selected 150 survey sites on major motorways The study was conducted on random times between six in the morning and midnight on different days of the week and different directions of travel . The participants of the survey were randomly selected on the road and were interviewed as to whether they use their headlights during the daytime , if the driver uses reflective or fluorescent clothing materials while on the road , the color of the motorcycle vehicle , the color of the clothing of the driver and the helmet color used by the driver . Based on their findings , they were able to conclude that the use of headlights during the daytime , reflective or fluorescent clothing and light color helmets greatly reduced the chances of the driver from being involved in a motorcycle accident that may result to severe injuries or death (Wells , et al , 2004 Although the article was informative as to what precautions a motorcycle driver can take in to avoid getting involved into a major road accident that could kill the driver or leave the driver permanently disabled , the study is very limited in that they only concentrated on how the visibility of the motorcycle driver is on the road...
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...two-wheeler (2W) industry recorded sales volumes of 13.4 million units in 2011-121, a growth of 14.0% over the previous year. In a year wherein growth in other automobile segments particularly, passenger vehicle (PV) and medium & heavy commercial vehicle (M&HCV), slowed down to single digits - marred by demand slowdown due to northward movement of inflation, fuel prices and interest rates - the 14% growth recorded by the 2W industry remained steady. However, the momentum in the 2W industry’s volume growth too has been losing steam lately as evident from the relatively lower volume growth of 11.0% recorded in H2, 2011-12 (YoY) against a growth of 17.1% recorded in H1, 2011-12 (YoY). The deceleration in growth is largely attributable to the motorcycles segment which grew at a much lower rate of 7.8% (YoY) in H2, 2011-12 vis-à-vis 16.4% in H1, 2011-12; even as the scooters segment continued to post 20%+ (YoY) expansion during both halves of the last fiscal. With this, the share of the scooters segment in the domestic 2W industry volumes increased to 19.1% in 2011-12 from 17.6% in 2010-11. Overall, ICRA expects the domestic 2W industry to report a volume growth of 8-9% in 2012-13 as base effect catches up with the industry that has demonstrated a strong volume expansion over the last three years at cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.8%. Over the medium term, the 2W industry is expected to report a volume CAGR of 9-11% to reach a size of 24-26 million units (domestic + exports)...
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...U.S. ARMY MOTORCYCLE SAFETY GUIDE Motorcycling has become increasingly popular in the Army with 33,425 motorcycles currently registered on Army installations. One result is that motorcycle accident rates have increased proportionately. As the accident rate goes up, leaders must find ways to improve motorcycle safety within the Army. The Chief of Staff, Army, now requires the Six Point Program developed by the Combat Readiness Center be used by all Army units. Like any sport, motorcycling can be very dangerous. Although we cannot totally prevent motorcycle accidents, through proper training and preparation we can reduce them. Therefore, our actions can make riding motorcycles fun rather than fatal. We must first ask some pertinent questions if we truly desire to improve Army motorcycle safety. Some basic questions are: ♦ How safe is motorcycling? ♦ How does it compare to driving an automobile? ♦ Are there any special precautions to be observed? ♦ What are the causes of crashes, and how can crashes be reduced? I. BACKGROUND: The United States Department of Transportation, Division of Highway Safety, offered the following information on motorcycles in DOT HS 807 709. “There are over 4 million motorcycles registered in the United States. The popularity of this mode of transportation is attributed to the low initial cost of a motorcycle, its use as a pleasure vehicle and, for some models, the good fuel efficiency. Motorcycle fatalities represent approximately...
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...Harlem motorcycle accident lawyer If a car or other vehicle causes an accident while you are riding your motorcycle, there are a few important things you need to know. Motorcycle accidents differ in many significant ways than accidents when only cars are involved. The following are just a few things you should know about them. Minor accidents for a car can be major accidents for a motorcycle What can be a fender bender for a car, can mean serious injury to a bike rider. A simple side swipe can cause a rider to fall off his bike. A driver braking late and rear ending a motorcyclist can cause serious injury, even at slow speeds. Misjudging the speed of a biker making a left turn into oncoming traffic is also a common reason for accidents. On top of that, though it is common for a car driver to be at fault, the motorcycle rider is often blamed. A Harlem attorney with experience in motorcycle accidents will likely understand how the accident occurred and can protect your interests. Your injuries can be more severe than a car driver's injuries Obviously, this is not always going to be true, but the potential is always there. When riding your motorcycle, you are exposed to everything. Hitting the cement can create broken bones not seen by those in a car. You can be injured by the car when it...
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...Nurmalita Ervianda 1406539601 1st Draft MOTORCYCLE TAXI SHOULD BE LEGAL AS A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN INDONESIA. Motorcycle taxi brings a lot of benefits that had never been provided by any other means of transportation. It offers innovative services that has never been thought of before by any other means of transportation, and could not be possibly be offered. Jakarta is notorious for it’s traffic jams. Motorcycles are one of the most efficient and convenient alternatives to get around the city compared to taxis. A motorcycle taxi service company, GOJEK, offers its customers a whole range of services starting from food delivery and courier services. These offers are not only pratical, but it basically revolutionized the way Jakartans perceive “Ojek”. Now it’s not only fast and cheap, it’s organized, reliable, safer than the most public transportation, such as Metromini, KPK, and taxi. Using those kind of public transportations only add to the traffic jam and you’re almost guaranteed to spend hours on the busy street in peak hours. Some people might say that motorcycles are not safe, considering the vehicles lacks protective structure and drivers who are sometimes crazy or notoriously reckless. This idea can be refuted by the reality that accidents and crime – related incidents are minimized in the pas few years by motorcycle taxi companies. How about people who also say that Transjakarta or Busway is more effective than motorcycle taxi as it holds lot of people in one bus...
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...A Brief History of Indian Motorcycle America's love for the motorcycle began in 1900 with bicycle racer George M. Hendee and engineering wizard Carl Oscar Hedstrom. In 1901, the partners unveiled their first creation, the 1901 Single. The trade name chosen for their innovative machine would signify "a wholly American product in pioneering tradition". The name was Indian. 1910-1919 By 1911, Indian riders hold every American speed and distance record. In 1914, over 3,000 employees work on a 7-mile long assembly line in Indian's 1-million square foot Springfield, Massachusetts plant. Racing activities are suspended in 1916 as the company supplies the war effort with 41,000 machines. 1920-1929 In 1923 the company is renamed Indian Motocycle Company, dropping the "r" in "motorcycle". It's a decade of growth for the Indian model line, starting with the revolutionary 1920 Scout and followed by the 95-mph Chief, the even more powerful Big Chief, the lightweight Prince, the awesome 4-cylinder Four. The 1928 101 Scout becomes the machine of choice for "wall of death" stunt riders. 1930-1939 The Art Deco era hits the Indians adorned in a full range of Duco colors, two-tone designs, pinstriping, and decals. Two new lightweight models debut in 1932, the Motoplane and the Pony Scout. "Iron Man" Ed Kretz, aboard a Sport Scout, laps the entire field in his win at the 1937 inaugural Daytona 200. With the onset of World War II in 1939, the focus again shifts to providing the...
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...Motorcycle Gangs: From Outlaws to Any Joe Throughout history any person that rode a motorcycle was considered an outlaw or some sort of bad ass. The beginning days of motorcycle gangs weren’t the everyday Joe that had a nine to five job. These people were in their own class and were feared by anyone that crossed their path, but times have changed. Now anyone can ride a motorcycle without being labeled as a deviant outlaw. From the 1950 to today, the world has changed their perspect on a person that rides a motorcycle. Motorcycle gangs began after the veterans of World War Two returned home. Many of the return veterans started to ride motorcycles to feel the excitement that replaced the emotions from the war. On 4th of July 1946 the American Motorcycle Association held a motorcycle event in the small city of Hollister, California. At that time there were two motorcycle gangs that were know as the Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington and the other gang was known as the Market Street Commandoes (CTGIA). The small city was filled with bikers and the police department consisted of only seven officers. The night got rowdy and the officers arrested one of the P.O.B.O.B. The gang ordered the police to release their fellow member and when they refused, the gang tore the city apart. This one event created history for motorcycle gangs because from that day on their will always be a July 4th run and the one percent image came into play. The Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington...
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...Motorcycle helmet, why? It is known that the National Traffic Act requires the use of helmets when riding on motorcycles or mopeds. However, many people do not use it. The mandatory use seems logical given that both vehicles have a body that demonstrates no restraint in a collision or rollover, and that the mere loss of balance on the bike means hitting the head against the hard ground. And the head is not as hard as the floor. Why wear a helmet Helmets save lives by preventing or absorbing the shock and head injuries that could be devastating and disabling. Motorcyclists who do not wear helmets have much higher risk of death or permanent injury. The General Accounting Office of the United States (GAO) has been studied and proven that:...
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...Motorcycle Clubs People drive everyday whether it is to or from work, running errands or traveling and during this time it is very possible to have seen a group of motorcycle riders traveling together. Many people believe motorcycle clubs are gangs and its members are angry, intimidating and violent people looking for trouble. In reality most clubs and their members are every day, upstanding citizens that have families and productive jobs who just like to ride and socialize with similar individuals who share the same passion. History can be traced all the way back to 1903 in New York where The Federation of American Motorcyclist was organized to protect the rights and address issues important to motorcycle riders. Due to an increase of popularity and riders, on November 15, 1916 The Motorcycle and Allied Trades Association was established to represent and regulate the motorcycle manufacturers and accessory makers and distributors. Eventually the FAM ended and the M&ATA began registering riders and sponsoring events and by early 1924 it claimed to have over 10,000 members. On May 15 the M&ATA proposed to create the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) division which would control rider registration and activities, issue sanctions for national events and serve motorcycle industry members. Motorcycle Clubs or MCs started forming around World War II era, one of the earliest and possible first club was the Outlaws Motorcycle Club established in 1935 in...
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...Stotts, Charles B. Shrader and Samuel M. DeMarie Victory: The New American Motorcycle Celebrates Its First Decade on the Road Now that we are in our 10th year and have a fairly complete line of premium cruiser and touring motorcycles, it is clear what we stand for, and who we appeal to most. Victory stands for class-leading quality, innovation and style. Victory is American and new- always looking forward. We are all about the future of American motorcycles. - Mark Blackwell, Victory Vice President1 Mark Blackwell, vice president in charge of Victory Motorcycle at Polaris Industries, glanced up at company headquarters in Medina, Minnesota as he pulled his gleaming cruiser into the parking lot. An accomplished rider himself, winning the national 500cc motocross championship and being inducted into the American Motorcycle Association’s Hall of Fame, he knew his company’s bikes had come pretty far since they were first introduced to the riding public in 1998. With the development of the new Vision, a luxury touring bike, and the steady release of aggressively-styled cruisers, the company had continually innovated throughout its first decade in business. Yet Blackwell pondered the recurring questions facing Victory Motorcycles and Polaris. He wondered if the initial decision to diversify into heavyweight motorcycles was the right road to take. He realized Polaris took a big risk by moving into motorcycles and going up against the recognized powerhouses in the industry. He questioned...
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