Airbags on motorcycles

[Sauron]

Look - I was joking, I love bikes. Another of my little day dreams actually. Way I see it though - they are dangerous, but so is everything else. Most people in a little Kio Reno don't exactly have comfortable accidents head-on. Its just life - accept its risks and have fun, or become a recluse. Its your choice. I personally feel that there should be a minimum speed limit for starters and everyone should be put through a far more rigorous driving course (much like Germany).

[tomster2300]

I think the lowering of speed limits across the nation would help lower vehicular casualties. I also think that driving courses should be mandatory for new teenage drivers - they would have to be revamped though because they're pretty sorry as of right now. It would have to include more driving time and less bookwork which nobody really pays attention to at that age (15-16 year olds). I had to sit through it last summer when I got my license (I got it on turning 18, parents decision), and while I listened to the instructor, the majority of the audience did not (I was in the back and could see everyone). I was by far the oldest one there since this was at my old high school with the majority of students being 14-16 years old.

[Sauron]

Lowering speed limits wouldn't help. Its fustrating enough to be driving the way cars were meant to be driven 20-30 years ago when cars didn't have any power. All I have to say is that they drive far faster in Europe and there are fewer accidents which says something is wrong here. I think one of the main problems is that people don't actually know how to drive. Sure - you can push a pedal and the car goes forward, push another and it stops. But, in a real problematic position; such as someone stops suddenly in front of you; what will you do?

Most accidents occur within 15-20 miles of your own home.

[Jaggannath]

Originally Posted by mbossman2 i have taken both the "old" and "new" course...the old course was "if you can't cut it or I think you shouldn't be on a bike, you flunk", the new course is a "touchy, feely" class and everybody (except the real morons) pass...so the old course had a lot lower pass rate and (IMHO) turned out better riders. I have been reading up on the UK bike learning technique and I really like it: start out on a smaller bike and have it clearly marked as a beginner bike, and then as you progress (time, experience, training and testing) you can move up to the larger bikes as your skills improve...so you don't have an 18 year old hot head jumping on a Hayabusa or GXR or a ZXas his 1st bike and zooming down the road on a bike whose power, frankly, scares the hell out of me which he can barely control and slams into a bridge abuttment or the back of an SUV.

Both these paragraphs describe the situation in Australia... and neither my parents nor my g/f want me riding a motorcycle, they call them temporary citizens. There's way too many youknowwhat-heads riding nowadays


And Tomster, lowering speed limits puts people to sleep, especially if they drive the road regularly and are used to travelling it faster, believe me

[David M]

Here they are called donor-cycles. The high powered Japanese bikes.

The speed limit has little effect on the actual speed. People tend to drive what they feel they can get away with...thats just human nature and it won't change.

[mbossman2]

there are 2 problems with speed:

1) going faster than the road or vehicle is designed - remember the folks who design roads take into account things like sight lines and turning radii and g forces, exceed those and you can find yourself running up on something your car is incapable of handling (ie going 65 mph on a 30 mph twisty road, you could: encounter a turn that places more g forces on your vehicle than it is capable OR present you with an unplanned/unforseen obstacle that at 30 is easily handled but at 65 is a wreck).

2) going faster than conditions (both environmental and traffic) allow. If everybody is going speed limit + 10 accidents are unlikely BUT everybody but 1 (or 2 or 3 or whatever) are going limit + 10 and the few, the proud, the brain damaged are going limit + 25 and you have a recipe for an accident. Same as when it is raining (or snowing or the sun is rising/setting in your eyes), there is a maximum speed placed upon you by the environment, go faster at your (and those around you's) risk.

[colecifer]

First off my mom would kill me if i rode a motorcylce but i would love to have one. Not to ride all the time, because in kansas often times the weather is too bad for an enjoyable ride. But i think it'd be awesome for spring and summer to just get out and ride probably out in the country so i wouldn't have to deal with as many people. Or the other good defense is just get a biker gang and ride with your chains swinging, NO ONE will hit you then for fear of their life.

[HAL9000]

You know... people had the same complaints about seat belts... going on with excuse after excuse how you would obtain more injury by using them.... that has been proven wrong.... people said the same thing about air bags in cars... again.. proven wrong.... I'm sure that enough testing has been done with this idea that it is effective.

[Jaggannath]

True...
In Australia seatbelts are compulsory, I've heard it's not so in the US?? Crazy, especially when you BAC can be higher whilst driving

[mbossman2]

I think all states have seat belt laws and the compliance is something like 70+%...what makes a big difference in compliance is whether police will pull you over just for not wearing a seat belt or if they will give youa ticket for not wearing if you get pulled over for something else (78% for former and 63% for the latter)

[tomster2300]

Originally Posted by mbossman2 I think all states have seat belt laws and the compliance is something like 70+%...what makes a big difference in compliance is whether police will pull you over just for not wearing a seat belt or if they will give youa ticket for not wearing if you get pulled over for something else (78% for former and 63% for the latter)

It's called "Click it or Ticket" here in Georgia. You will get a ticket if you're caught without a seat belt on when you're pulled over.

I'm pretty sure it is mandatory everywhere in the country.

[Digitalic]

You know, I`ve been riding for some 30+ years give or take and God willing I`ll keep on for another 30. I`ve piloted most of the major American and Japanese models (I`m a Yamaha junkie), owned a Triumph in my time but air bags or not I always find time to bow my head and thank the powers that be that Harley doesn`t build airplanes.

[mbossman2]

Originally Posted by tomster2300 I think they ought to make a suit which inflates and provides a protective shell around you (like in the bond movies). Make it have a drawstring attached to the bike so when you get kicked off it inflates automatically. I'm not sure what would power it and make it inflate that quickly though. It would have to be fully around you in less than a second most likely to be useful. EDIT: Just viewed the movie, that airbag looks promising. What happens if you get sideswiped though?

funny you should mention that...I get Motorcycle Consumer News every month (the Motorcycle equivalent of Consumer reports) and they had an article on this and they even have a video

[tomster2300]

I watched the movie - that looks promising, but also looks like too big of a hassle for most people who simply want to get out and ride (and all the young people who think they won't get hurt).

It shows you have to attach it to the front of your seat when riding - even though I suggested similar attachment in my other post, after seeing it in the movie I'd be afraid ofaccidentally setting it off while riding - you could turn or lean back a little too far and disengage it.

Notice how they didn't show anyone actually riding a bike with the thing on? They should have shown some test with some dummies or something to prove that it is effective. How do you know the suit won't burst when you get flung off your bike and land on your back?

[tomster2300]

Originally Posted by David M Here they are called donor-cycles. The high powered Japanese bikes. The speed limit has little effect on the actual speed. People tend to drive what they feel they can get away with...thats just human nature and it won't change.

Right, but lowering the speed limit would help. People tend to drive 5-10 mph over the limit, so if you lowered the limit then those who drive over would essentially be driving at the previous limit. Confused?

Current limit = 65
Proposed limit change = 55
5-10 mph "acceptable" speed over limit
New acceptable speed = 60-65 -- matches former speed limit.

Now your typical speeder will be going at the previous lawful speed limit which was once deemed safe - even though they're breaking the law, the amount of accidents would most likely decrease.

I know there's always going to be the people who go 80-90 + mph, but those people just can't be helped (according to my proposal) and will most likely die unless their keys are taken away.

EDIT: Sorry for the double post, but I just now noticed David's comment.

[mbossman2]

Originally Posted by tomster2300 I watched the movie - that looks promising, but also looks like too big of a hassle for most people who simply want to get out and ride (and all the young people who think they won't get hurt). It shows you have to attach it to the front of your seat when riding - even though I suggested similar attachment in my other post, after seeing it in the movie I'd be afraid ofaccidentally setting it off while riding - you could turn or lean back a little too far and disengage it. Notice how they didn't show anyone actually riding a bike with the thing on? They should have shown some test with some dummies or something to prove that it is effective. How do you know the suit won't burst when you get flung off your bike and land on your back?

no more so than putting on a one piece leather suit or suiting up with armor, helmet, gloves, pants and jacket. While the lanyard might cause unexpected discharge (or is that premature.......ahem (note to self: kid friendly site, kid friendly site)) if you set it with the right amount of slack, it shouldn't be an issue (heck, you need to build in that slack if you have an intercom system to your helmet).

As to no one actually wearing the device: the article i referenced is the 1st I have seen of this product, so that would not be surprising (that and the bulk of the jacket adds some additional bulk around one's midsection)...I think that there is a certain segment of the riding community who would use this (touring riders come to mind) and there is a rider segment (*cough* squids *cough*) who would never wear them..

[tomster2300]

Originally Posted by mbossman2 As to no one actually wearing the device: the article i referenced is the 1st I have seen of this product, so that would not be surprising

I meant for demonstration purposes. They could have shown some tests with a stunt devil or a a dummey in which the person is thrown, the vest inflates, and the viewer sees how much of an impact the vest has on safety. See if it works or not.