Roethlisberger injured in motorcycle accident

Wow. Hope he's alright, but no one to blame but himself. My father in law rides without a helmet, and tried to tell me that in crashes, helmets don't save lives. Maybe at 60mph, but at 30 when you land on your FACE, you better believe a helmet makes all the differnce between getting up and walking away, and going into surgery.

Note to Ben: ride AFTER your NFL career. Why risk the dream job that SO many strive for? WHy let all your fans and teammates down becuase you like the feel of the wind through your hair? Man.

Tell dad in law, he is DEAD wrong. I have done quite a bit of motorcycle "roadracing", and many years of street riding. I have been in many track related crash's, and a couple on the street (always with the most expensive helmet on my head). Some of these occurred over 100 mph. Three of these crash's have been potentially "terminal". I had to dispose of the helmet in each of these instance's because the impact to my head, split or terminally damaged the helmet. I would not be writing this if not for the helmet. Good equipment changes all the rules. Tell dad in law not to "Hit the silk" with no chute

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2481004

ESPN: It's not the law in Pennsylvania to wear a helmet. Why don't you wear a helmet?
Roethlisberger: Because you don't have to. It's not the law. If it was the law, I'd definitely have one on every time I rode. But it's the law and I know I don't have to and your just more free when you're out there with no helmet on.

That about sums it up right there. Common sense takes a back seat to the wind blowing in your face and "it's not the law" Granted, he wasn't popping wheelies or doing doughnuts in an empty parking lot a la KW II but still the very least you can do is just put the helmet on. So even if the accident isn't his fault, at least he's taking measures to be as safe as possible

Among the injuries being reported broken jaw, gashes to forehead, lacerations to the back of the head, and an injury (not serious) to the knee. Probably about a 7 week recovery period

that puts him back in time for the preseason

I don't get the idea because he is a football player he should wait to ride a MC after his carrer is over. Waht about every person who rides a bike and the people that depend on them co workers, children, wife etc..We all must make the decisions or what risk we will take regardless of our job. I loved riding dirt bike for years but I drew the line when it comes to riding on the road. My problem with street riding is that another person can take you out and with dirt bike riding 99.99% of the time its the riders fault. Ben should be smart enough to know better than riding without a helmet its just one important step to help protect yourself if you choose to ride. A good friend of mine work in the emergency room doing major surgery and he says that bikers keep in and business.

I bet someone in the PA house/senate is working a new law requiring helmets for riders.

I bet someone in the PA house/senate is working a new law requiring helmets for riders.and not because he cares about safety but he is probably a season ticket holder

I don't get the idea because he is a football player he should wait to ride a MC after his carrer is over.

I have to agree with you.

I do think that some people are going to reconsider riding bikes because of this. I just think that some people really aren't aware that motorcycles are that dangerous. To me, a car cutting off another car is dangerous in itself - but a car cutting off a motorcycle is much more life-threatening because of vulnerability and also a less likelihood of being aware that the motorcycle is even there. And of course, there are dangers with driving cars - but there is more of a danger to your life when you ride a motorcycle because you don't have the same protection of airbags, seatbelts, or even the physical car itself. Not to mention, motorcycles are smaller and thus less visible.

And I'm not condemning anybody for riding motorcycles - I just don't think they are aware of the dangers all of the time.

MC's are statistically more dangerous than cages on a miles ridden basis, and I am not arguing that. That does not make an MC inherently dangerous. People, and their poor decisions are dangerous. What is dangerous is soccer mom's in giant SUV's with cellphones plastered to their ear trying to occupy the same lane I'm in without looking.

What I am arguing is that riders know the risk. What they choose to do with that knowledge is up to them. Even the boneheads who ride around in flipflops and shorts w/no helmet. They know...they just have made a decision about their risk tolerance. Would they make a different decision after a low-speed crash w/significant injuries such as Ben's situation...maybe, but they can't say they didn't know the risks. As such I do not support laws that govern mandatory safety equipment when engaged in private activities, just like I don't support laws that inhibit your right to buy a pack of cigs, a bag of pork rinds, or a bottle of jack, despite the inherent health risks.

For what it's worth I have been riding in D.C./NoVA traffic daily for 10 years without an even close call (knock on wood). In that same time, I have been in two accidents in cages (both due to other driver hitting me). What does that mean...nothing, just that perception is not always reality. If they didn't look/see my big ass car then what I am driving/riding is irrelevant. People generally don't look, so I ride like I am invisible to all around me.

For what its worth I always ride with a full face helmet and full high-vis gear. Ben would have likely walked away from this incident with nary a scratch had he been geared up properly, but we'll never know.

Mc2guy

P.S. As for your last power, we are in agreement. I would not ride if my multi-million dollar career depended on me being in physically top condition. Personally, a riding related injury would slow me down, but it would not end my career and that factors into my decision to ride. It should have factored into his.

My problem with street riding is that another person can take you out and with dirt bike riding 99.99% of the time its the riders fault.

Firstdown, you are right. I am not a motorcycle rider, but my father who will be 62 next month is. He has been in 3 wrecks on a bike in his life and all of them were a result of other drivers, not him. People just don't watch out for bikers at all. My dad sold his bike after his last wreck, because he is just scared of other drivers now. Not because he is scared of riding.