Saturday, June 03, 2006

Tragedy on Saylorville Dam

The other night at 1 am, two young adults lost their lives in a motorcycle accident by the Saylorville Dam. Witnesses say that the couple was traveling along at around 100 mph when they lost control and hit the guard rail. So very sad because I'm sure the gentleman's female passenger was in heaven riding with a good-looking motorcycle guy before tragedy showed it's evil head.

The thing that bothers me most is all the talk that helmets would have saved their lives. Get real people, they were traveling at approx 100 mph. That means when they hit the guard rail their bodies were still traveling at 100 mph. They were thrown onto the rocks above the dam. I seriously doubt a helmet would have saved them. Their internal injuries would have most likely killed them even if a helmet would have been worn.

I don't feel because of the wrong judgment of this motorcycle rider that a helmet law should be passed, it should always be the rider's choice. And the rider's actions were to blame in this tragedy, not the fact that a helmet was not worn. I do feel that every motorcycle rider getting their license in Iowa should be required to take a Motorcycle Safety Course. Automobile drivers have to, so why should motorcycles be any different? I took the Rider's Edge course and there are other courses given throughout the state that are just as good, including the classes at DMACC and the ones given by ABATE of Iowa. I learned so many things from this class. I thought, heck motorcycle riding will be a snap...how wrong I was. By taking the class it made me so much more aware of how serious you need to take controlling your motorcycle while still having an amazing time.

I am saddened by the loss of these two young adults and by all of the other motorcycle related deaths in Iowa this year. It makes my heart sink when I hear another fellow motorcycle rider has lost his or her life.

Enjoy the freedom of the ride...just remember your not in a cage and the only thing protecting you from harm is yourself.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Since I am a biker and a Cop I have seen the best and worst of what life has to offer. I have been a biker for as long as I have been a cop 23 years. During that time I have witnessed the best and worst of life, I have picked up the remains of a body on the road and I have rang the doorbell at two am to tell someone they have lost a love one. One thing I can say without a doubt is that helmet laws mean nothing. It doesnt matter if you are wearing a helmet at highway speeds cause even if you have a helmet on the weight of it will just snap your neck and kill you. If it doesnt kill you you will be worthless in life cause you are paralized from the eyeballs down, and I dont want to live like that. Having the pleasure of riding without a helmet in severeal surrounding states I would like to see it up to the rider to decide.