'Paramedics rushed to the scene of a downed motorcyclist on North Ocean Boulevard Sunday morning, only to learn that the man was fellow Pompano Beach firefighter Ronald White and they could not save him.' Sun-Sentinel reported today.
Evidently he was found by some fellow bikers, 'A couple riding a motorcycle southbound on Ocean spotted White's 2005 Heritage Softail Harley-Davidson in the roadway, they searched for the rider and discovered White unconscious on the side of the road', Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Liz Calzadilla-Fiallo said in a news release.
Whats makes this even more tragic was that the news report implied that he was a new rider and wasn't wearing a helmet. Read the report in it's entirety.
Fifty years old? It doesn't look a day over thirty...
Identified by the distinctive thump of its powerful engine, the Bullet motorcycle, or ‘Bull’ as aficionados fondly call it, has been the face of Royal Enfield in India for the past 50 years. The Royal Enfield is the oldest existing motorcycle brand in the world after it was founded in 1901 in Britain.
Before you throw a Royal Enfield on the list for consideration of that new bike you might want to bear in mind that while the British company closed shop in 1967, the brand continues only in India. More.......
Does it come with saddle bags?
Gas prices bothering you, even with your bike? How about a solar powered ride? Donald Dunklee has produced a solar powered motorcycle that hasn't been plugged into the factory charger since April 15, 2005 and it’s now travelled over 700 miles since then.
I kid you not, read more here.....
The Helmet law debate is heating up
As I mentioned before National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released their study last week which reported that although traffic deaths declined and fewer people were killed in alcohol-related crashes on U.S. highways for a second straight year, motorcycle fatalities grew nearly 8 percent last year to 4,008.
Here are some more views that are making the press......
A St. Petersburg editorial takes the view that 'While motorcyclists younger than 21 are required to wear helmets, those 21 or older who don't wear a helmet are required to carry $10,000 in health insurance. Trauma surgeons say that won't pay for the first day of treating a serious head injury. In fact, the study said the average hospital cost to treat a head injury is closer to $45,000. The difference is passed on to the rest of us in higher insurance premiums and taxes that pay for indigent medical care.'
Officials in California gave some credit to their States drop in Motorcycle death rates to 'The Motorcycle Safety Foundation seeing an increase in attendance in its state-approved courses, with attendance rising 15 percent last year.' More information from the same sources reported on the LA Daily News went on to further point out that overall traffic deaths have dropped in California as well.
Minnesota Authorities feel that part of the increase in the increase in motorcycle deaths and injuries is a surge in the number of motorcycles. There are more than 161,000 motorcycles in Minnesota. That's 48,000 more than a decade ago. Traffic safety officials also blame speeding, inattentive driving, following too closely, alcohol and failing to yield the right of way. Another surprising factor is the rising age of motorcycle riders. The average age of those killed on motorcycles in Minnesota this year is 40.
And finally (for now, anyway) State safety officials say a rise in motorcycle fatalities in New Hampshire is not related to the lack of a mandatory helmet law, despite recent studies suggesting such a link elsewhere in the country.
Peter Thomson, the state's highway safety coordinator, says motorcycle deaths likely are up because more people are riding, but not taking a rider safety course. The three-day course is not required to get a license.
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