# Motorcycles... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 5, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycles/363260 "2006-07-05T21:13:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycles/363260/101 "2006-07-09T02:51:44Z")
Semantics. Groan. Again, blurring the distinctions between risks that are 1,2 or 3+ order of magnitudes different is inadvisable. [There’s a table here with the risks of various activities](http://www.drugtext.org/library/articles/newcombe.htm): it turns out that masturbation is 10 million times safer than Russian Roulette. But it’s still inappropriate to blur the distinctions between running and swimming on the one hand (very low risk: 1/1 million) and Recreational Climbing or Hang Gliding on the other (Quite High risk: 1/1000). Again, I’m not seeking to ban activities in the latter category. I’m just saying that it’s fatuous to justify the parachuting on the basis that even swimming entails some risk. That’s true, but not especially relevant. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycles/363260/102 "2006-07-09T02:56:39Z")
[QUOTE=Measure for Measure] Semantics. Groan. [/quote] Hey, You started it… > [@](#): > > Again, blurring the distinctions between risks that are 1,2 or 3+ order of magnitudes different is inadvisable. [There’s a table here with the risks of various activities](http://www.drugtext.org/library/articles/newcombe.htm): it turns out that masturbation is 10 million times safer than Russian Roulette. > > But it’s still inappropriate to blur the distinctions between running and swimming on the one hand (very low risk: 1/1 million) and Recreational Climbing or Hang Gliding on the other (Quite High risk: 1/1000). > > Again, I’m not seeking to ban activities in the latter category. I’m just saying that it’s fatuous to justify the parachuting on the basis that even swimming entails some risk. That’s true, but not especially relevant. Nobodies trying to do that. Just saying that something being dangerous isn’t enough of an argument, and isn’t a reason to say that someone who does something dangerous is dumb or insecure. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycles/363260/103 "2006-07-09T02:59:36Z")
[QUOTE=Measure for Measure] it turns out that masturbation is 10 million times safer than Russian Roulette. . [/QUOTE] Well, it can be. When I worked security at a cowboy bar in Texas I once arrested a fellow for masturbating at the bar. Had I not gotten to him before the crowd did, I would say his chances of survival would have been considerably less than if he had been play Russian Roulette. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycles/363260/104 "2006-07-09T19:45:44Z")
[QUOTE=bdgr] Well, it can be. When I worked security at a cowboy bar in Texas I once arrested a fellow for masturbating at the bar. Had I not gotten to him before the crowd did, I would say his chances of survival would have been considerably less than if he had been play Russian Roulette. [/QUOTE] Bawahahaha, I really laughed at this. Just goes to show that most of us don’t have a really good grasp of overall things type risk management system. We are all very affected by our past, taught, personality, age, etc., and since ‘tolerance’ seems to be very lacking in most folks, we get to read stuff like, “If you do that you are stupid.” ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycles/363260/105 "2006-07-15T12:56:26Z")
My dad had an accident on the way home last night. He is now in the hospital with broken ribs and a collapsed lung. This time it was all on him, there were no other vehicles involved. He just lost it around a turn. Oh, by the way, he’s been riding for 30 years. I’m really not interested in getting a motorcycle now. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycles/363260/106 "2006-07-15T13:15:02Z")
I’m sorry for your dad and I wish him a speedy recovery. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycles/363260/107 "2006-07-17T15:42:58Z")
[QUOTE=Grelby] No, “poorly designed” is a very specific complaint. It means that if the design of the bike lane somehow enhances the danger to its users. [/quote] In which case your claim that bike lanes aren’t safe is a tautology. It’s also completely non-predictive. > [@](#): > > I don’t know of any data to suggest that bike lanes are safer or more dangerous than roads with wide outside lanes, or even normal width lanes. The burden of proof for this is upon bike lane advocates, I think. I think the burden of proof is on the guy who claimed with authority that bike lanes were more dangerous than biking in car lanes. _shrug_ > [@](#): > > Per mile is an exceptionally poor way to compare fatalities between bicycles and cars, due to the enormous gaps in average speed between the two types of vehicles. With the same number of hours of exposure, a motorist will travel considerably further. Per-mile is an exceptionally apt way if you’re trying to figure out what’s the safer way to get to point X - point X is a constant number of miles away, even though I’ll bike longer to get there than drive there. In other words, what’s the safest way to get to the grocery store - bike or drive? Per-hour is relevant if you’re ‘joy riding.’ First of all, that’s a lot less common than trying to get to point X. Secondly, if you’re joy riding, you’ve already decided whether you’re biking or driving. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycles/363260/108 "2006-07-18T05:05:37Z")
[QUOTE=Shayna] What I said and what you _inferred_ are two entirely different things; your inference being the one that’s disingenuous. I’m well aware of the risk factors of riding a motorcycle, seeing as my husband commutes 60 miles a day on one, and I occasionally ride with him for pleasure, as well. [/QUOTE] Shayna, your use of an anecdotal comparison of knowing people who died in cars, but not on motorcycles appears to be an attempt to imply cars are more dangerous. That why i said “imply” in my statement. But, if you can offer the reason why you included that phrase I will happily withdrawal my one statement. It was not meant to be insulting so I hope you don’t take it that way, but I have been contemplating the meaning of your statement, and I have been unable to come up with another reason for it’s use in this thread especially since it emerged during a discussion that skewed towards the relative safety of motorcycles and cars. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycles/363260/109 "2006-07-18T06:18:16Z")
**Doors** , I hope your dad is doing all right. I wish him the best of luck and a fast and full recovery. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycles/363260.md?page=5)