Harley Davidson of NYC - You Suck!

This evening I was given the URL of a CNN segment that rankles the very fiber of my being. You can view it here.

If you ride, you will immediately see how one-sided this broadcast really is. And if you don't ride, know that this news report is so bogus it is worthy only of SNL (that's Saturday Night Live, for those of you who are not night owls).

What this news segment focuses on is that motorcycle deaths are outrageously high (gasp!) and that wearing a helmet will prevent those deaths (oh pa-leeeese!).

Watch closely in this report, as they show a motorcyclist hitting the front end of a car and flying over it. Note also that this car made a left turn and violated the right of way of this motorcyclist. Somebody please tell me how a helmet would have kept this car from hitting him???

Now, watch further and see how an utter ignoramus of a reporter wanders around Harley Davidson of NYC and expounds on how WE bikers look ridiculous wearing half helmets.

Notice also that an interview with an MSF representative (and whom they don't even identify!) is cut short. Apparently he wasn't saying the fluffy, I-agree-with-you statements.

The truth is, those who wear helmets very often have brain injuries, while those who don't and hit their head, simply die. The very small percentage they speak of that end up with brain injuries and have to be cared for, are much less in number than Americans with chronic obesity, heart disease through self-inflicted habits, drug abusers, etc.

But let us not drift off the subject here. As you saw in the broadcast, riders are hit by auto drivers who violate their right of way. This accounts for 2/3 of all motorcycle deaths. A helmet will not prevent this from happening. Isn't it smarter to prevent the occurrence rather than hope you won't die because you're wearing a helmet?

I wrote to CNN in protest of this broadcast segment. They, of course, sent me a canned response, and said they would not reply personally but would review my comments the next morning in their feedback pow-wow meeting. Ya, and pigs fly too.

But what really sticks in my craw is that Harley Davidson of NYC was willing to participate in this whole sham. Anything for free advertising. 'Buy our motorcycles, [who cares if a inattentive driver runs you over and kills you], we got our money'. I'd say this HD dealer needs to be put up on the "Wall of Shame".

I wonder if they were promised anything for supporting this new helmet fiasco that may force riders everywhere to put on a helmet or get a ticket, while cagers are allowed to run us over, murder us, and get away with a $45 fine?

CNN is just doing what they do best, report the sensational regardless of what the truth really is. But Harley Davidson of NYC? Well, you SUCK.

'Nuff said. Ride free as long as you can.

Beware the light at the end of the tunnel. It may be a large vehicle with one headlight, about to run you down.