[g®eg]

it's a bit of a long read, but you may find it interesting.....

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The following scenario will illustrate the answer in a real world
perspective. Although the scenario is fictional the numbers are factual. It
is for illustrative purposes only and not meant to depict actual people,
specific places, or actual events. The events dramatized on April 1 compress
12 months of crash data into one night.

It is January 3 and halfway through a long, cold winter. You are 40 years
old and been married for 20 years. You have two children, one in college and
one a senior in high school. Although you are nearing retirement, you decide
that you may have to stick around a little longer because the youngest also
wants to go to college. All and all, life is good and you are pretty
satisfied with where you are.

For Christmas this year your family decided to do something special for you
in appreciation for all that you have done for them over the years. As you
think back to that morning, you remember how surprised you were with their
gift to you. In the garage was a brand new motorcycle. How did they know?
Well, it's only that you have been talking about buying one for a while now.
The household budget was doing pretty good and you could finally afford one.
You smile to yourself as you remember the first time you ever rode. You were
15 and snooping around your grandfather's shed when you found it. It was
covered in dust and cobwebs but it was beautiful!

Then your grandfather walked in and just when you thought you were in
trouble you notice the smile on his face. Pretty soon the two of you are
cleaning off the dust and changing the spark plug. As the two of you work
side by side, your grandfather tells you he will teach you to ride if you
can get this thing running. So long ago but it still brings a smile to your
face.

The cold January morning brings you back to reality as you walk to the
mailbox. As you look through today's mail you cannot believe your eyes. What
luck is this? Not only did you get a new motorcycle but you have been
invited to the annual motorcycle riders' sports event. You have heard about
this. Every year, each rider gets an invitation to a special sports event.
Only motorcyclists are invited and seating is limited. This year the
invitation is to a college hockey game at a Michigan university. What could
be better, motorcycles and hockey. You talk it over with your wife and the
two of you decide to go.

Now fast-forward ahead to April 1and the weather is fantastic. It is almost
70 degrees outside, which is unusually warm for this time of year, but so
much the better. As you ride into town for the game you are amazed at all
the motorcycles. There must be half a million of them and they are all here
for the game. Lucky for you that you have been here before and you know the
way, otherwise you would probably never have a chance at getting into the
game.

As you take your place in line and make your way forward you cannot stop
thinking, I hope we get in. There are half a million motorcyclists in line
and the arena only seats 4,000. It is first comefirst served. The line is
moving fast so you pull out your invitation and your driver license. Glad
you remembered to bring them because they are your ticket. Now you near the
head of the line and notice something strange. About every third person in
line doesn't have a ticket and you are close enough now to hear their
conversations. "I've been meaning to get my endorsement but just don't have
the time*costs too much*I've been riding on this TIP for years*." On and on
they go and what is amazing is the ticket master is letting them in anyway.
That is 1,200 people without tickets. Oh well, it's for a good cause and
what the heck, it's a beautiful night.

What you do not fully realize is that 1,200 out of the 4,000 people that
will get into the game tonight do not have a motorcycle endorsement.

All of a sudden you are next. The ticket master looks at you and your wife's
tickets and lets you through. The two of you are the last ones through. A
friendly greeter gives you and your wife each a free gift. Wow, brand new
hockey jerseys, one red and one blue. You look around and notice that
everyone has a jersey, some red and some blue. Your wife's is numbered 3999
and you got number 4000.

At your seat you look out over the crowd, standing room only, every seat is
taken, 4,000 people who love hockey and riding motorcycles. It is a sea of
red and blue. You notice that the split appears to be about 50/50, 2,000 red
and 2,000 blue jerseys. As you look around you notice that the jerseys have
something written on them. The red say "FAULT" and the blue say "NO FAULT."
That's odd, what strange names for the teams but*it's a beautiful night!

You are wearing a red jersey.

What you do not know is that everyone in the arena, ALL 4,000, will be
involved in a motorcycle crash after the game. One-half will be at-fault.

The umpire moves to center ice and drops the puck. The game is on! Midway
through the first period the concession people move through the crowd
handing out drinks. Bill takes a nice cold beer but you decline. As you look
around the arena you see about 300 people who are drinking alcohol. You
think to yourself, I hope they're not driving when they leave here tonight
but all of them will.

Out of the 4,000 people involved in a crash after the game, 300 will have
consumed alcohol or have taken drugs just prior to their crash.

Near the end of the first period you notice that Bill seated next to you who
was all smiles at the beginning of the game is now looking concerned, so you
ask, "What's the matter Bill." Bill replies, "You know when I got here
tonight I had a feeling I had been here before but how could that be.

I've never made it through the door? Now I know I've been here before and
something just doesn't feel right. I can't figure out what it is*oh well,
it's a beautiful night, huh?

It is the end of the first period. The game is tied 1 to 1. The announcer
comes over the microphone* "Ladies and gentleman, can I have your attention
please. Will the following people come down to center ice?" He begins to
read off numbers. As their numbers are called, the smiling fans walk down
the aisle and onto center ice. Some are husbands who leave their wives in
the stands and some are wives leave their husbands in the stands. Some
couples walk down together. You notice a few fathers and sons and some
mothers and daughters, boyfriends, girlfriends, strangers, and acquaintances
all headed out to center ice together. The announcer finishes after calling
out 80 numbers. There at center ice, smiling and congratulating themselves,
stand 80 people. Looking over at Bill you see he is NOT smiling. "What's the
matter Bill?" Bill turns and looks back at you. "I'm remembering more now. I
have been here before and this is not good."

As you turn and look back at center ice you see all 80 people heading off
the ice through the opposing teams locker room door. You look around the
arena and barely notice the 80 empty seats, but they are there. What Bill
said begins to bother you a little.

What you do not know is that all those 80 people will die in a motorcycle
crash after the game. The second period is under way, Bill seems to be a
little better, and the concession girl is back. This time she is taking
everyone's keys. She apologizes but says that it is a requirement. There
will be a drawing at the end of the game.

It is the end of the second period and the game is still tied. The announcer
comes over the loud speaker again. "Will the following people please come to
center ice?" He starts reading off numbers again. The last number he reads
off is your wife's. She smiles and you both are excited as she steps onto
the ice. Once again Bill looks uncomfortable. Down on the ice stand 3,000
excited fans who wonder what they have won. The 3,000 walk off the ice and
out through the opposing team's locker room door. Outside the arena are
3,000 ambulances waiting to take those whose luck has run out to the
hospital. As you contemplate what your wife has won the third period begins.

What you do not know is that all those 3,000 people, some riders and some
passengers, will be injured in a motorcycle crash after the game, some
seriously.

Well the game is almost over. The concession girl comes by a final time. She
carries a small basket and is returning keys. As she approaches and returns
Bill's keys you notice the key chain is bent and broken but for some reason
Bill looks relieved. She reaches out and hands you your keys. They look fine
and for some reason you are worried.

As the whistle blows to end the game you look around the arena. Wow, there
are a lot of empty seats. Of the 4,000 that started the game only 920 remain
filled. Unknown to you, all those 920 people that remain will be involved in
a crash after the game and although they will not be hurt their motorcycle
will be damaged, some beyond repair.

With an uneasy feeling you wonder where your wife is as you make your way to
the exit. There at the door you see her. She has a puzzled look on her face
as you ask what she won. Her reply, "Nothing, everyone went outside and we
stood around the parking lot next to these ambulances. They were parked
there just waiting but we couldn't figure out why." As you make your way to
the parking lot you see Bill and waive good-bye. Bill looks sad but he waves
nonetheless. Already he is beginning to forget he was here*just like he
forgot after last year, the year he lost his wife at the game.

On your way home you approach the exit ramp from the freeway, the one to
your subdivision. The ramp has a decreasing radius near the end, one that
you hadn't really noticed in your car but tonight, on your new motorcycle,
with your wife on the back, you take a little too fast. You are not
speeding, just driving beyond your capabilities and once into the curve you
realize this and mistakenly apply the brakes locking up the rear tire. The
motorcycle loses traction and begins to slide. You make your second mistake
and release the rear brake. Within a fraction of a second the rear tire
regains traction and attempts to realign itself with the motorcycles
direction of travel.

The movement is sudden and immediate and both you and your wife are thrown
from the motorcycle.
The last thing you remember before losing consciousness is how strange it
was to be followed all the way home from the game by an ambulance. Suddenly
you are terribly frightened for your wife of 20 years as you see her lying
on the ground and the motorcycle cartwheeling through the air directly
toward her.
500,000+ riders

4,000+ riders and their passengers involved in a crash 3,080+ injuries
including 80 deaths
920+ not injured but motorcycle damaged or destroyed
Each year, every year*

If we were to have a reunion of sorts and include all those riders and their
passengers who have been involved in a motorcycle crash since 1966, we could
fill every seat in Ford Field twice and Comerica Park twice, and still have
6,000 people waiting to get in.

[beet]