The ride is enough

By Mark Tuttle Jr., Editor, Rider Magazine

I enjoy a cold one or three at the end of a long motorcycle ride as much as the next guy. Neither am I ashamed to admit that on press intros or multi-day tours I sometimes go straight from the bike to the hotel bar to bench race with my riding buddies — often you’ll still find us there in our leathers when it’s long past time for dinner.

All of my riding buddies and colleagues, amateur and professional, and I never drink alcohol and ride, though. It just isn’t done, and I simply can’t understand those who do or would even want to. Besides the fact that motorcycles are more complicated to operate safely than a car, isn’t riding under the influence a little like trying to enjoy a good dramatic or action-packed movie with dark sunglasses on? Drinking and riding also reminds me of those magazines that drape scantily clad women over their featured bikes, as if to say the motorcycle doesn’t stand on its own. Isn’t the ride enough?

Although the number of alcohol-related motorcycle accidents and fatalities on our nation’s roads decreased in the early ‘90s and stayed nearly level through the latter half of the decade, it started climbing again in 2000. That was the second year of the last four straight the industry enjoyed double-digit motorcycle sales growth, which may explain the increase. In addition to a lot more riders on the road overall, there would also be a proportional increase in those who don’t know better than to throw a leg over when they’ve been drinking.

A few years ago the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) created the Motorcycle Safety Program, one of the first successes of which was partnering with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation to create the National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety (NAMS). This outline for action in several important areas includes a new motorcycle accident study you’ve probably heard about which would update the well-respected but 25-year-old Hurt Report if the funding comes through.

Other goals of the NAMS, such as increasing Motorist Awareness and Rider Training, are equally vital and have the support of most influential motorcycle groups, including the AMA. In fact, the AMA has teamed up with NHTSA for the first time to support and promote what may be the most important goal of the NAMS — to decrease alcohol-related motorcycle accidents and fatalities. You’ll be seeing lots of promotions for this year’s new Ride Straight program from the AMA and NHTSA in the coming months, and an informative Web site has been set up at www.riderstraight.com.

According to NHTSA, in single-vehicle motorcycle crashes in 2001 — the type of accident the rider is most capable of preventing — 41 percent of the fatally injured were intoxicated with a blood alcohol content of .08 or greater, the legal limit in most states. Motorcycle riders in fatal crashes also had higher intoxication rates than any other type of driver, and the fatality rate among motorcycle riders is higher to start with.

Now, the statistics probably don’t include many Rider readers, who generally seem to understand the dangers of drinking and riding. But my reaction to the numbers is still What the...? Huh? Aren’t motorcyclists as a group smarter than that by now?

Rather than useless, even hypocritical divisiveness and blaming this type of rider or that, it’s time to spread the word. Perhaps we should boycott motorcycle events that wouldn’t be successful if it weren’t for the presence of alcohol, and let the organizers know why. Or maybe a riding buddy is in the habit of having a couple of drinks at lunch in the middle of your regular ride, and you’ve never really paid any attention before.

In a focus group study titled "Drinking, Riding and Prevention," which examined the attitudes of motorcyclists regarding drinking and riding, NHSTA found that 1) riders often discourage their peers from riding after drinking, but respect for rider freedom and individual responsibility sets intervention boundaries; 2) rider concern for the safety and security of the motorcycle nearly always overshadows concern for individual safety and contributes to drinking and riding (i.e., instead of leaving the motorcycle and getting home an alternative way).

In other words, the focus group participants said they might stop short of suggesting soft drinks or taking the keys to their buddy’s bike for fear of losing a friend. Or in number two above, they might let him or her ride home because the bike could get ripped off if left behind. But think about it — what’s more important, your friendship, the bike. . .or your buddy’s life? If intervention still fails, learn the legal consequences of getting caught riding under the influence in your state and remind your friend of them — in California, for example, they can ruin your life.

It’s really quite simple. Ride Straight, and don’t let your friends drink and ride, either. If this sport is right for you and them, the ride is enough.