Barack Obama and his ilk think the way to solve our energy problems are to increase the pressure in our tires and demand higher fuel efficiency in cars. Included in this strategy conserving our way to energy independence would be using vehicles that are smaller, lighter, maybe single passenger…..like a motorcycle.
Monday’s Star and Tribune puts a bit of a wrinkle into Obama’s energy plan. Just a few weeks back the greenies were trumpeting that car deaths were down as a result of higher gas prices. Now we’re hearing that motorcycle deaths are up in Minnesota because….more people are riding them because of high gas prices!
Sales are GRRRRRRREAT!
“Ours [sales] will double from last year,” said Hedstrom, owner of Scooterville Minnesota, a small-bike dealership at Cedar Avenue and Interstate 94 in Minneapolis.
But the consequences aren’t
Motorcycle fatalities hit a low of 2,116 nationwide in 1997. Since, they have risen 128 percent. Their share of crash fatalities has jumped to almost 13 percent from 5 percent.
Admittedly, the information is only through 2007 and while gas prices did spike over $3 a couple of times last year, it didn’t take it’s permanent place until the spring. Additionally, the article is focused on us “lost youth” guys for the increase of motorcycles.
That all said, if “conserving our way to energy independence” is the strategy, you can bet there will be more and more motorcyles being ridden by young and old alike. With deaths per 100 accidents nearly 8X that for motorcycles over all other vehicles, well, that’s a trend that’s going in the wrong direction.
How long before we’ll hear cries for increased crash survivability standards for motorcycles?
Boy, really good thing you had the common sense to give up your motorcycle a few years ago. You were way ahead of the curve!
Yeah, I was country when country wasn’t cool too!