[silver_pilate]

I echo Unit's post. WEAR A HELMET at the very least.

I seen plenty of patients come through the clinic from motorcycle accidents. The smart ones were wearing helmets and just need to learn how to walk again or less, but the dumb (and sometimes the just plain unlucky) ones need to learn how to think, talk, and eat again.

Respect that bike and be aware that there are too many idiots out there to let your guard down. And the vast majority of serious accidents I have seen come from just plain stupidity. For instance, I saw a patient who was traveling down a major city street at night at 150mph. A car pulled out in front of him and he was able to slow down to 85 before laying the bike over. The bike missed the car, but he wasn't so lucky. He hit the drivers door, his right leg came up by his ear and he went under the car in a vertical split position. Seperated the halves of his pelvis completely and broke his femur. On top of that, massive internal injuries. He coded 4 times on the way to the hospital and spent a month in ICU. If he wasn't wearing a helmet, he'd be dead. As it is, he'll live a pretty normal life following his long stay in rehab.

Anyway, I'm preachin to the choir here, but don't get on that bike without a helmet. NOT cool.

--nathan