Roethlisberger undergoes seven hours of surgery ~ broken jaw and facial injuries repaired...

Foxnews ^ | Associated Press

[HOTTIEBOY]

I think Biff had good intentions by saying that cruiser riders are more likely to not wear a helmet or wear only a skid lid. While sport bike riders are more likely to wear colorful fullface helmets.

But sport bike riders are STATISTICALLY younger and drive more recklessly so that kinda cancels out the safety issue.

On another hand, the reckless sportbike rider is constantly moving on his colorful bike and people are watching him. People in cars are aware that the idiot is there which speaks volumes. He may go on and kill himself riding like that, but at least motorists see him.

I don't know any % numbers for crashes, but if I were on an interstate, I would keep changing lanes and ride aggressively so that everyone around me was aware of me, instead of staying the same speed in the same lane waiting for someone to fixate on something else and forget I am there.

The 80% jargon is false.

[SoothingDave]

Umm....no. Every employee (in theory) is an asset to his/her employer, but that doesn't give the employer the right to mandate (legal) personal behavior. My employer certainly needs me, but I'd laugh in his face if he called me into his office and started telling me what safety gear he wanted me to wear on my motorcycle. It's none of his business.

Ummm ... yes. Football players and football teams enter into voluntary contracts, the conditions of which are open to negotiation. If a team insists that a player not ride a motorcycle, or skydive, or handle vipers while he is under contract, the player is free to either agree to the contract or go elsewhere.

There is standard language in all NFL contracts that prohibits rock climbing and sky diving and similar risky activities. I would think in light of this (and Kellen Winslow's mishap last year) that motorcycles may come up for discussion in future contract talks.

SD

[BraveMan]

That post was not meant to disparage Sportbike riders; I've owned my share and can appreciate their lure. Nor would I ever find fault with a riding style the uninitiated deem as "reckless". Calling attention to one's self is a time-honored motorcyclist's survival tactic.

Drivers out to purposely harm motorcyclists are exceedingly rare, certain South Dakota politicians notwithstanding. A riding style that says "Hey, look at me" is a valued technique in any motorcyclist's survival arsenal. When people are aware of your presence, they're usually less likely to inadvertently kill you.

I consider it reasonable behavior to mitigate the risks in a dangerous pursuit, in whatever form that mitigation takes; loud pipes, powerful lighting, colorful leathers, flashy riding style, copious safety gear or all the above. From my vantage sitting on the seat, its all good.

[Ditto]

Umm....no. Every employee (in theory) is an asset to his/her employer, but that doesn't give the employer the right to mandate (legal) personal behavior. My employer certainly needs me, but I'd laugh in his face if he called me into his office and started telling me what safety gear he wanted me to wear on my motorcycle. It's none of his business.

A number of years ago, I was involved in an acquisition of a small, privately held company. Part of the deal was that the owner and founder of that company would continue to run the company for 5 years. Also in the contract is that this guy who was also major gear-head would stop his two favorite hobbies for the duration of that contract -- stunt flying and auto racing. They considered this guy as key to their investment and didn't want something bad to happen to him. He was also very well compensated for his "sacrifice".

You can write most anything (legal) you want into a contract.

[HOTTIEBOY]

I told someone, maybe it was you, on another thread that I have rigged a strobe to my bike.

It is a very bright strobe LED that I wired to a momentary button on my bars. I put the strobe itself right beside my headlight. (very small but very bright) It instantly catches the eye of any left-turner when I push the button.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

He reminds me of the pompous, risk-taking QB from the movie "The Program."

Stick a fork in Ben, he's done.

[BraveMan]

BTW, Roethlisberger is an idiot. He failed to recognize and account for the single most prevalent threat facing motorcyclists today; an inattentive driver turning left in front of him.

This accident will trigger yet another raging debate on Pennsylvania's helmet law, with the Nanny Staters employing all manner of twisted statistics and cannon fodder leaps of logic to curtail the right to decide for yourself. Impassioned commercials pleading for donor card registration will be seen nationwide replete with blurry emergency room scenes filled with blood and beeping. Insurance agents will surf the groundswell of popular opinion to higher premiums for 'risky' behaviors. We'll be bored to tears with yet another 'Gary Busey' epiphany as Roethlisberger hits the talk-show scene and regales the breathless crowd with the tale of his moment.

Way to go, Ben. You single-handedly managed to push motorcycling back ten years. Moron.

[Badray]

Thanks for posting them.

Smokeyb, CG, and a few others are doing our best. Catch up with us when you can.

[Badray]

You just nailed the part that really means anything at all. If John Doe had done this, no one would ever hear of it outside the local area. But because he is high profile, he will do a lot to undo the efforts of a lot of people who worked hard to get the right to be left alone to make their own decisions.

[jebeier]

I was reading in the NY Times article that Roethlisberger was scheduled to film a Campbell Chunky Soup commercial with his Stepmother today.

The Chunky Soup Curse lives!

[jebeier]

Big Ben, Mom Land Chunky Soup Deal

How Campbells gets football players to sign on for this deal, I will never know.

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

"However, I found him not too mature in his appearances on TV Late Night Shows last year.",?I>

He wasn't "too mature"--he could have still been in college, doing the really mature things lots of seniors in college do, like getting drunk on some beach in Florida.

[Dianna]

The police havn't made an statements on fault yet, but all the witnesses said that she ran a light and turned right in front of him.

My uncle was killed while riding a motorcycle under much the same circumstances as we see here. It was during the late 60's and I don't know if he wore a helmet.

My husband got a motorcycle (and helmet) awhile back. I knew he would do his best to be safe, but you just can't count on other people to be. Within a few months, while edging over to the side of a narrow road to accomodate a car, the front wheel slipped off the asphalt and my husband crashed.

He simply fell off the bike, at a relatively low rate of speed and mostly onto grass. He broke his wrist and elbow and suffered minor cuts and bruises.

I hate to imagine the damage if a car had been involved or had he been on a highway. He rode the bike once more and then got rid of it.

[LizardQueen]

Any Freeper bikers want to chime in on the coolest (temperature) helmets to wear? Without the wind in my remaining hair my head tends to get very warm on even mild days no matter how fast I ride.

When I started riding I inherited my husbands Bieffe (yeah, I have a big head, same size as his :lol: ). He got a new Shoei TZ-R, I think that's the model #.

NICE helmet, and well ventilated. It's also much quieter than the other one. I've used it once and like it alot more than "mine" but he says he doesn't want me stealing it :lol:.

One thing that I find helps is cracking the face shield about 1/4" at the bottom. Helps both with fogging up and ventilation but doesn't let bugs etc. through.

Also, get a light colored one. Black helmets look cool but are hotter than blazes. Both our helmets are silver and don't heat up too bad.

I actually have a different problem with helmets - it's not heat, but the ventilation makes my eyes water, for some reason. I've tried using sunglasses under the shield but they end up sliding off and being annoying, if they fit at all.

LQ

[Cliff Dweller]

"-- Daredevil Evel Knievel went into partial retirement after a failed attempt to jump a tank full of sharks in late 1976. In the crash, Knievel suffered a concussion and two broken arms, and a television cameraman lost an eye. "

I guess Ben is lucky in a way, he was the only injured party, unlike Evel's previous experience.

Kind of makes me wonder how did the cameraman lose an eye, ya think a shark got it?

[JeffersonRepublic.com]

[ My boys loved to ride dirtbikes, now that they're playing HS sports, they are told by the coaches, no way.]

My football coach tried to tell us no snow skiing. The only one who listen to him was his son. School sports shouldn't override a student's life.

I feel sorry for Ben. He made a mistake that is has rearranged his face, but even with a helmet, he would still have two broken knees. It's going to be hard to get ready for the upcoming season without a quarterback.

[SoothingDave]

I feel sorry for Ben. He made a mistake that is has rearranged his face, but even with a helmet, he would still have two broken knees. It's going to be hard to get ready for the upcoming season without a quarterback.

Actually, the reports of serious knee damage were incorrect. It's just his face that got messed up and they are saying he may play for the season opener.

SD

[JeffersonRepublic.com]

'I was reading in the NY Times article that Roethlisberger was scheduled to film a Campbell Chunky Soup commercial with his Stepmother today.'

He'll be drinking his soup though a straw. He should stay away from straw clogging chunky soup, and try the tomato soup.

[jebeier]

Every player who has endorsed Campbell's Chunky Soup over the last few years has immediately had a season-ending injury. Big Ben didn't even make it to the Pre-Season.

It's worse than making the cover of Sports Illustrated!

[Wurlitzer]

Thanks LQ I'll check it out!

My current helmet, without a face shield, provides such little air around my skull it is like being inside a Thermos bottle.