motorcyclebloggers.com

Maybe I’m getting touchy about my age; I’ll be 41 in January. For whatever reason this headline caught my eye:

Flood of over-40 bikers prompts renewed focus on safety rules

Hmmm.

… people 40 and older have become the largest single group of motorcycle owners in America, and they’re also riding bikes with larger engines.

OK.

But as they hit the road in record numbers, riders 40 and older also have been getting killed more often than their younger counterparts. That’s spurred state governments to re-examine their motorcycle regulations.

Uh-oh.

Now, on-going rider training is an excellent idea and I encourage all riders to take the Basic Rider Course before buying a motorcycle and the Experienced Rider Course every two to three years to stay sharp. However, I am afraid that the effort in Washington state is the begining of a slippery slope for motorcyclists. If we are to demand more rigorous training and license requirements for motorcyclists over age 40, should we not do the same for automobile drivers? Consider this recent case from Oregon:

A fire chief from Canada was killed and his wife seriously injured Monday when their motorcycle collided with a car on Highway 30 east of Astoria, the authorities said.

Karl Umstatter, 43, chief of the volunteer fire department in Onoway, Alberta, died at the scene. Darlene Umstatter, 43, was taken by rescue helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland.

According to the Oregon State Police, the Umstatters, both wearing helmets, were traveling westbound when Elmer Manor, 84, of Astoria attempted to make a turn and pulled into the motorcycle’s path.

The motorcycle crashed into the driver’s side of Manor’s car.

Elmer Manor and his wife, Margaret, 84, had minor injuries.

Had Mr. Manor been required to take additional driver training or been subject to more rigorous licensing requirements, might this accident have been avoided?

I know that I am tweaking the nose of the largest politically active demoigraphic in the country and the odds of sucessfully restricting the driving priveleges of seniors are pretty slim. Still, if we are going to raise the bar for over-40 motorcyclists in the name of safety shouldn’t we do the same for other vehicle operators?