Preaching to the choir... and beyond

[geechie]

I live in the Charleston, SC area, and the local daily rag is the Post & Courier. We're near enough to Myrtle Beach that biker deaths at "Bike Week" always get some ink. The paper's editorial staff usually has something to say on the subject of helmet use and every time they do, there follows a spate of letters spouting the usual dumb shit. One guy spoke about how lucky Rothlisberger was not to have been wearing a helmet because surely his neck would have been broken. Sheesh.

Having finally heard enough, I sat down last week to write a short letter and before I knew it my short letter had expanded to a full single-spaced typed page. I sent it in anyway, and lo and behold it showed up in today's paper as a full blown article on the editorial page. They even left it pretty much intact.

If you're interested, try the link below.

http://www.charleston.net/stories/?newsID=95914&section=editorials

George

[BobFV1]

George -

Excellent! You do us all proud here in the cafe! Please keep us posted on the many reponses, public and private, you are likely to get as a result of your newfound "fame."

[Capt. Blackadder]

An excellent article, George. Thanks! :023:

[DJ Down Under]

Good one George..:eusa_clap:

DJ

[1MPH]

Bravo, George, Motorcyclist everywhere should read that. Good job and thanks.

[DarthRider]

Kudos Geech!
I think/hope your letter will have credibility and positive impact on the young and the older "unsure" riders who are willing to think and consider. I doubt it will have any effect at all on the "helmets are unnecessary and probably/certainly dangerous crowd, buy hey, we have to keep trying, right?
Please post any responses!
Thanks from all thinking riders everywhere...

[Wild Will]

One gets to the point where, when dealing with mature riders, if they choose to believe that a helmet will hurt them, they need to be chlorinated immediately; excised from the already wobbly gene pool.

I know a guy from SF, Ca. who had his ear TORN OFF in a low side by the wye shaped chin strap that held the FAKE DOT stickered pudding bowl on his low rider scalp. Ouch!

I saw personallly another guy who high sided in front of me (no, I was not pushing him, Dangerous Dave...), and who slid on his belly and open faced helmet for 30 feet before stopping unconscious. I went for help and the ambo was there within 5 minutes. He filed his chin down to the bone. The scars will never let him alone. He no longer rides. He's afraid.

Had he been open to the pragmatism that teaches "dress for the crash, not the ride", he'd now have feeling in his dead chin nerves.

Why are people so damned stubborn? Isn't the obvious obvious?
Good on ya, George. Let 'em have it when the spirit strikes you! You just might save somebody who, somehow, innocently, just doesn't know what the stakes, or odds, are.

[arkline]

In and amongst the music, biology and such, I figure you should become an editorial constant on that paper. Well said, my man, well said.

[BobFV1]

Another interesting perspective

http://www.reason.com/sullum/062106.shtml

[working guy]

Geechie- Congrats on a thoughtful--even eloquent-- communication!
I was so impressed, I registered on the forum to comment.
You prudently sidestepped the issue of legislative action.

[DarthRider]

Hey Steve (Working Guy) -
Thanks for your viewpoint, thanks for joining!
I hope you become a "regular" and post often.
I read your profile but tell us more. Do you and George know each other?
Welcome aboard!

[working guy]

Dave- Thanks for the welcome.
I am a recovering Pennsylvanian, now in Georgia.
Started riding in 1974--Yamaha RD 250. BMW's past 8 years.
Love to have an ST next--but those new 1200R photos look great!

Really enjoy Motorcyclist Cafe--enthusiastic, serious, knowledgable motorcyclists, great sense of humor
(plus--responsible and intelligent)

Steve

[Deans BMW]

plus--responsible and intelligent)


Boy oh boy.....do we have you buffaloed.

Welcome to the Cafe.

[BobFV1]

Welcome Steve (Working Guy)! Great to have you in the group!

[GPM]

George, very well thought out and articulate letter. I'd also be interested in any responses they publish.

And, welcome aboard Steve!!

[arkline]

Steve,

Welcome to the Cafe. In relative terms, you're pretty geographically close to George who wrote the opinion piece. Good for you.

[Tipstall]

George,

Great job. Noticed the mention of sand taking you down, glad you were OK.

Ken

[Pacific]

George,

Wonderful letter. I loved the allusion in the final paragraph to John Donne's "Meditation 17": "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee."

Jay

[Ed K]

"Ambassador" George: What well written and thoughtful work!

[geechie]

Thank you gentlemen, one and all, for the kind comments.

I did intentionally sidestep the legislative aspects of this particular controversy. I do feel that folks should be free to be stupid, but it's rarely that simple. There's almost always a family of some sort or other to be considered. I wish I had a simple, persuasive answer.

Wait 'till they hear about graduated licensing. Hoo boy!

George

[Bones]

George,
Perfectly well written. Thanks for diluting the volume of idiocy out there.

Steve, Welcome aboard. Your abuse will be forthcoming.

Jeff

[mnnden]

George, Well said!!!

Den

[Dallara]

Go get 'em, Geech!

Kudos to you for a really well written piece. Almost impossible to rebutt or refute a single conclusion you made, which I'm sure made it hard for anyone to respond. Outstanding! :eusa_clap: :eusa_clap: :eusa_clap: :eusa_clap: :eusa_clap:

And hit 'em with the graduated licensing. That's an idea whose time has come IMHO... And actually a long time ago. That we don't have graduated licensing in this country is a classic illustration of just how stupid politicians are.

Cheers!

Allan (Dallara - NAABSCD)

[Promethean]

Georgio....that was an excellent response. :eusa_clap:

[Deans BMW]

I just love this sentence, should be in the rotation of sayings.


I am a motorcyclist and have a passion for bikes and riding. Call me a biker, if you must, but that label carries baggage that doesn't apply, and for which I have no use.

[DarthRider]

+1

[arkline]

Consider it done.