Sure, what the hell. Just put THAT on our national tab too!
Out of all the news in the past few days, for some reason this one caught my attention...
"Last year, 4,008 motorcycle riders were killed in highway accidents, up 7.9% from 2003 and 89% higher than in 1997, according to a new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report. Meanwhile, passenger car deaths dropped 3.2% to 19,091 last year.
The increase in motorcycle deaths has spurred Congress to add $3 million to a federal transportation bill for a study on motorcycle crashes. 'What we need now are answers, not theories,' said Tom Lindsay, spokesman for the American Motorcyclist Association."
I am still amazed that Americans are surprised when people die on motorcycles. Federal standards mandate that automobiles, which travel at the same speeds as motorcycles, have seatbelts, airbags, and a rugged structure designed to protect passengers. Yet, motorcycles offer absolutely no protection against impacts or accidents of any kind! I'm surprised that anyone survives a high speed accident on one of these things. And now the Bush Administration wants to spend $3 million of our tax dollars on trying to figure out why 7.9% more people died last year? What wonders could our researchers come up with if they were allowed to use this money on stem cell research, or this money was used to buy proper equipment for our troops in Iraq?
No one deserves to die on a motorcycle or really in any other kind of tragic accident. However, people who get onto motorcycles KNOW the dangers involved and decide to ride anyway. Hell, half don't even wear helmets! This may make me sound like even more of a liberal prick than I am, but I think our money could be better spent.
"Last year, 4,008 motorcycle riders were killed in highway accidents, up 7.9% from 2003 and 89% higher than in 1997, according to a new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report. Meanwhile, passenger car deaths dropped 3.2% to 19,091 last year.
The increase in motorcycle deaths has spurred Congress to add $3 million to a federal transportation bill for a study on motorcycle crashes. 'What we need now are answers, not theories,' said Tom Lindsay, spokesman for the American Motorcyclist Association."
I am still amazed that Americans are surprised when people die on motorcycles. Federal standards mandate that automobiles, which travel at the same speeds as motorcycles, have seatbelts, airbags, and a rugged structure designed to protect passengers. Yet, motorcycles offer absolutely no protection against impacts or accidents of any kind! I'm surprised that anyone survives a high speed accident on one of these things. And now the Bush Administration wants to spend $3 million of our tax dollars on trying to figure out why 7.9% more people died last year? What wonders could our researchers come up with if they were allowed to use this money on stem cell research, or this money was used to buy proper equipment for our troops in Iraq?
No one deserves to die on a motorcycle or really in any other kind of tragic accident. However, people who get onto motorcycles KNOW the dangers involved and decide to ride anyway. Hell, half don't even wear helmets! This may make me sound like even more of a liberal prick than I am, but I think our money could be better spent.
posted by Marty Stroodler at 6:39 PM
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