| Motorcycles and Twowheelers: General two wheeler information - "Motorcycle accidents - when, where and how?" Friday, 12 March, 2010 | Home | Suggest a Link |
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The number of people riding motorcycles has been steadily increasing for the past 10 years, and accordingly the number of motorcycle accident casualties and fatalities has also been rising.
Motorcyclists are extremely vulnerable compared to car drivers, and are 16 times more likely to suffer death or serious injury on the roads. There were 6,361 serious personal injury motorcycle accidents in 1999, with 547 motorcyclists killed. The number of motorcycle accident fatalities has risen in recent years, up to 602 to 2002.
When are motorcycle accidents most likely to occur? Most motorcycle accidents occur in the spring and summer months, when thousands of fair-weather riders dust off their bikes and take to the roads. July has the highest motorcycle accident casualty rate, with 2,876 motorcycling casualties in 1999, followed closely by August, June and May.
Motorcycle accidents follow the same pattern of occurrence as car accidents with regard to the most likely day and time for them to happen. Friday is the most likely day for a motorcycle accident to occur, probably owing to all motorists driving faster and being careless in an attempt to get home faster.
Rush hour poses the greatest risk to motorcyclists, with 7-9 am and 4-6 pm being peaks for motorcycle accidents on weekdays, whereas at weekends there is a more equal spread of motorcycle accidents across the whole day.
London is the place where most motorcycle accidents occur in the UK, with accident records showing it as having the greatest number of motorcycle accident casualties who have suffered serious or fatal injury, as well as the highest number of casualties with slight injuries.
In an international study, Eire was found as being by far the most dangerous place for motorcyclists, with 28 fatalities per 10,000 bikers.
Motorcycle accidents are most likely to occur in built up areas, which account for around 72% of casualties. However, these accidents are not usually as severe as those which happen on non built up roads, which see 60% of motorcycle accident fatalities. Single carriageway A - roads are the most dangerous for motorcyclists due to a mix of factors, such as sharp bends, unexpected hazards, and higher speed limits than in built up areas.
In rural areas, a motorcycle accident is more likely to be the fault of the rider, whereas in built up areas, other road users are more often to blame. For example, London statistics show that 60% of motorcycle accidents were caused by car drivers and pedestrians, whereas Cheshire accident records show that 67% of motorcycle accidents were caused by rider error.
When the accident is the fault of the rider, it is often caused by excess speed. Taking bends too fast causes around 15% of all motorcycle accidents, and the group of bikers who most frequently crash in such a manner are 26-30 year olds on sports bikes, riding for pleasure. Overtaking accidents on rural roads also account for a large proportion of motorcycle accidents where the rider is at fault.
When the motorcycle accident is the fault of another driver, the most common reason for it is that the motorcyclist was not seen by person who caused the accident. These are known as "smidsy" accidents, which stands for "sorry mate, I didn't see you", and a campaign to alert car drivers to smidsy accident blackspots has been running in South Gloucestershire to help reduce this type of accident.
Right of way violations that result in a motorcycle accident generally occur at junctions, and over 80% of them are found to be caused by the other road user. Drivers failing to notice motorcyclists, misjudging their speed, and having their view restricted by road furniture are the most common causes of right of way violations.
What to do if injured in a motorcycle accident If you are injured in a motorcycle accident that was not your fault, you may well be able to make an accident compensation claim. It is best to take advantage of any free legal advice offered by reputable personal injury firms so you can make an informed decision of whether to proceed.
A very clever design: the Honda Super Cub was the combination of a moped and a scooter. It attracted many people due to its friendly and non intimidating look. People who before had felt threatened by bigger motorcycles, approached and adopted this model very quickly.
It was a versatile motorcycle and had enough power to carry two passengers or a passenger with luggage. Its large diameter tires and wide seats made the ride almost as comfortable as the touring bikes from that time.
Traveling across the country on a motorcycle can be exhilarating. You have a greater sense of your environment and immediate surroundings on a motorcycle and can have a sense of freedom when riding. It's a wonderful way to explore the countryside. camping with your motorcycle, though it takes some planning and adjustments from other, more traditional forms of camping.
Because you won't have as much space on a motorcycle as with a car, you have to pack lightly and include only the essentials. This is easier then it sounds but will take some planning. Make sure you choose items to take
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Cross country motorcycle riding is an incredibly exhilarating feeling. The pungent smell of pines tingle your nose as the highway glides past beneath your feet. Trees lining either side of the road flash by like a dark picket fence topped with green. Sunlight dances through the treetops drenching the gray-black highway in irregular shapes and patterns. The mountain air is fresh and clean as it pours into your lungs and tugs at your jacket and pants.
Much of the hypnotic engine roar trails behind you like a jet vapor trail. Few things can match the joy of the open road while
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To really understand the woman and her ride, one needs to go back in history to explore the courageous women who defied the norm and rode their horses in the freedom of the wind. Who could forget Joan of Arc or Annie Oakley? Two completely different women who followed their own counsel and fought for their right to ride in a man’s world. Or the women warlords who fought while on horseback and brandished their swords with the best of them. (and yes, women really did that) What man could resist such a woman?
Women’s love affair with the motorcycle began
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If you know the answer to this, you are far more the historian than am I. I am betting a lot of people today would simply say that Harley-Davidson invented the motorcycle. Although they did not invent the motorcycle, they sure had a big part in mass producing bikes for the everyday commuting population.
The truth, as history states it, all depends on one's definition of what exactly is a motorcycle. By today's common definition, a motorcycle is a two-wheeled motorized vehicle. but what is the motor? Is it gas, electric, or... steam driven?
