They are everywhere, those damn motorcycles. Buzzing around like "nats" (sic), hated by foreigners but infused into the "Dominiculture" every bit as much as rice and beans.
They are going nowhere. In fact, over time we'll see more of them. Yes, they can be annoying, no doubt. But for better or worse, they are a part of the Dominican street petrie dish. If one wants a successful life in the DR, one must achieve acceptance and peace with them.
But the stratospheric issue well beyond mere annoyance is the human & societal damage motorcycle accidents are causing. According to the Ministry of Health, from data I have collected for myself, the economic cost of motorcycle accidents is enormous:
? 83% of all traffic accidents involve motorcycles
? 80% of those accidents happen at night
? 65% of all motorcycle accidents involve alcohol
? Motorcycle accidents are the #1 cause of death for Dominican men 16-25
? Motorcycle accidents cost the Dominican health system over RD$1.3 BILLION a year
And this list does not include the thousands of survivors with brain damage or permanent paralysis. We don't see them because his abuela, madre y hermana are taking care of him at home, unable to leave the casa.
Expats and tourists are not immune from this carnage as we read about motorcycle accidents, injuries and deaths within that group regularly. This should come as no surprise because motorcycles and pasolas often become the preferred transportation for them.
There are few places on earth with better motorcycling than the DR. The weather is great, we have some of the most awesome roads on the planet---especially being a smaller island--- and there just isn't anything quite like the feeling of freedom riding a motorcycle in Paradise provide.
Robert Persig, author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, said it best:
I advocate the awesomeness of riding here with one caveat: with the Ying of spectacular motorcycling comes the Yang of the simple fact you're on your own and are fully responsible for your personal safety, health and life.
I post this with the goal of creating an ongoing "open thread" for the purpose of talking motorcycle safety. I hope experience riders and motorcycle safety advocates participate and share their experiences. My intent is for less experienced riders to gain knowledge, new riders to develop a solid safety base and to keep us all from becoming an unfortunate statistic.
Motorcycling is a life-long passion, once infected you can never shake it. It's an epic activity but can be very unforgiving in an instant of inattention or lapse of good judgment.
Crashing hurts---if you survive. Let's discuss the best ways to avoid that pain by controlling what we can with knowledge, debunking of myths, risk management and safety considerations. Let's control what we can control, and mitigate what we can't.
Let's not be a statistic.
They are going nowhere. In fact, over time we'll see more of them. Yes, they can be annoying, no doubt. But for better or worse, they are a part of the Dominican street petrie dish. If one wants a successful life in the DR, one must achieve acceptance and peace with them.
But the stratospheric issue well beyond mere annoyance is the human & societal damage motorcycle accidents are causing. According to the Ministry of Health, from data I have collected for myself, the economic cost of motorcycle accidents is enormous:
? 83% of all traffic accidents involve motorcycles
? 80% of those accidents happen at night
? 65% of all motorcycle accidents involve alcohol
? Motorcycle accidents are the #1 cause of death for Dominican men 16-25
? Motorcycle accidents cost the Dominican health system over RD$1.3 BILLION a year
And this list does not include the thousands of survivors with brain damage or permanent paralysis. We don't see them because his abuela, madre y hermana are taking care of him at home, unable to leave the casa.
Expats and tourists are not immune from this carnage as we read about motorcycle accidents, injuries and deaths within that group regularly. This should come as no surprise because motorcycles and pasolas often become the preferred transportation for them.
There are few places on earth with better motorcycling than the DR. The weather is great, we have some of the most awesome roads on the planet---especially being a smaller island--- and there just isn't anything quite like the feeling of freedom riding a motorcycle in Paradise provide.
Robert Persig, author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, said it best:
In a car you're always in a compartment, and because you're used to it you don't realize that through that car window everything you see is just more TV. You're a passive observer and it is all moving by you boringly in a frame.
On a cycle the frame is gone. You're completely in contact with it all. You're in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming.
I advocate the awesomeness of riding here with one caveat: with the Ying of spectacular motorcycling comes the Yang of the simple fact you're on your own and are fully responsible for your personal safety, health and life.
I post this with the goal of creating an ongoing "open thread" for the purpose of talking motorcycle safety. I hope experience riders and motorcycle safety advocates participate and share their experiences. My intent is for less experienced riders to gain knowledge, new riders to develop a solid safety base and to keep us all from becoming an unfortunate statistic.
Motorcycling is a life-long passion, once infected you can never shake it. It's an epic activity but can be very unforgiving in an instant of inattention or lapse of good judgment.
Crashing hurts---if you survive. Let's discuss the best ways to avoid that pain by controlling what we can with knowledge, debunking of myths, risk management and safety considerations. Let's control what we can control, and mitigate what we can't.
Let's not be a statistic.