This article was in the Glaveston Daily News this morning:
Motorcycle accidents involving “born again” riders — those age 40 or older who are coming back to transportation on two wheels after years driving family sedans — continue to rise, officials said this week.
“Born agains” are motorcyclists who rode 20 years ago or so ago but who gave up the practice to marry and raise a family, said Clifton Burdette, motorcycle safety coordinator for the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Once their children are grown, they decide to hit the trail once more and invest a lot of money in their new motorcycles, he said.
Unfortunately, many of them have forgotten what they knew back in the day — and they aren’t volunteering to take refresher courses.
They are, essentially, beginners, according to information provided by the Department of Public Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
A lack of rider education can be deadly, Galveston police officers say.
“The increase in motorcycle popularity has definitely caused an increase in accidents — especially when the motorcycle riders don’t have a lot of education or experience,” said Galveston police Lt. Henry Porretto.
Recent increases in fatalities among motorcycle riders far exceed those related to any other form of transportation and account for more than 10 percent of all motor-vehicle fatalities, Deborah Hersman, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said in a 2006 address.
Hersman said 4,553 motorcyclists died in crashes in 2005 — an average of 12 a day.
Burdette said a lot of accidents involve mistakes by riders who are returning to motorcycles after long layoffs.
“We encourage all riders, including those returning, to make sure they are adequately trained to go out and drive,” he said.
The accidents aren’t always deadly.
In one incident in April 2006, for example, two Friendswood residents were taken to the hospital after a dog darted in front of their motorcycle.
But it’s not always the motorcyclists who are at fault, said members off the 103-strong Blue Knights Texas 31, the Galveston chapter of the international Blue Knights motorcycling organization. Members of the group work in law enforcement.
“We can see other drivers on the road, but the other drivers can’t always see us,” said member Laura Sims, 51, a sergeant with the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office warrants division.
“They’re looking straight at us, but they’re on their cell phones, not paying attention, or doing something else, and it’s like we’re not even there.”
Sims, who lives in Hitchcock, drives a 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 Classic and has been a Blue Knight for three years. She strongly recommends all motorcycle drivers take safety courses.
D.J., Alvarez, president of the Galveston Blue Knights chapter, said it’s the key to staying alive.
“Those of us in the motorcycle culture know it’s important to spend a lot of time looking out for other people because odds are they’re not going to be looking out for you,” he said.
Alvarez, who rides a 2006 Harley-Davidson Electroglide, has been a motorcyclist for 27 years. He lives in League City and has been a Galveston police officer for the past 19 years.
The Texas Department of Public Safety estimates that two-thirds of motorcycle-involved crashes are caused not by the motorcyclist but by the other driver.
In Texas, there were 20,768 crashes involving motorcycles between 1997 and 2001, according to statistics from the Texas Department of Transportation.
Motorists should always remember the rule of gross tonnage, said Jerry Martin, 37, a Blue Knight from La Marque.
“Cars are bigger than motorcycles, so you really need to watch out for them,” Martin said.
“Be defensive. Motorcycles are smaller and more agile but, if you get into a crash, you’ll lose every time.”
The first-class petty officer, a 17-year member of the U.S. Coast Guard based in Freeport, rides a 2004 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy and has been a motorcycle aficionado 20 years.
His girlfriend, Sherri Stubblefield, 32, of Texas City, rides on the back of his bike. She’s a member of the support staff in the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office’s warrant division.
“It’s really relaxing — as long as you look out for others,” she said.
Wearing a safety helmet is crucial to staying safe — and is the law unless you get a helmet-exemption sticker, Alvarez said.
The sticker is available to those who complete a safety course.
The Texas Department of Public Safety put out an advisory last week urging drivers and motorcyclists to be careful.
Col. Thomas A. Davis Jr., director of the Department of Public Safety, said in a news release that watching out for one another is everyone’s duty.
Or, in Burdette’s words, “We can all get along out there.”
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Safety tips for all motorists
1. Keep an eye out for motorcycles, especially at intersections. They’re small and easy to overlook.
2. Anticipate motorcyclists’ driving maneuvers. Give them space.
3. Signal your driving intentions even if you can’t immediately see cars in front of or behind you. Be cautious, especially when turning left across lanes of approaching traffic.
4. Respect a motorcycle as a full-sized vehicle with equal rights to the road. Give motorcyclists a full lane.
5. Allow plenty of space when following a motorcycle. The slightest contact can cause a wreck.
Source: Texas Department of Public Safety
