June 12, 2006
It’s a Good Thing Big Ben is Rich…
…because he won’t be getting women based on looks anymore!
Roethlisberger Injured in Motorcycle Accident
One source, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the Steelers had not released any detailed information about Roethlisberger’s condition yet, said the quarterback had suffered a broken jaw and a broken bone in his sinus cavity. Roethlisberger also lost some teeth and had a significant gash on his head, the source said.
People close to Roethlisberger had heard reports that he suffered injuries to both knees but weren’t immediately certain if those reports were accurate. Any knee injuries potentially could be the most serious to Roethlisberger’s prospects for playing football this coming season.
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One witness told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette that Roethlisberger was not wearing a helmet. Pennsylvania’s mandatory helmet law was repealed three years ago, and Roethlisberger has said publicly that he does not like to wear a helmet when riding.
Ugh. I was in Florida last weekend, and saw a bunch of riders without helmets. I still hate the idea of helmet laws, but every time I see someone riding helmetless I want to just shake the stupidity out of them. I realize that some folks are not worth the skin they leave on the highway when they crash, but to see this happen to someone like Roethlisberger, with so much going for him, is just a sad, sad thing.
I’ve been in three crashes on motorcycles. The first was pure novice riding. I was up in the mountains (Hwy 9 in Northern California, between Saratoga & Four Corners), riding with someone I barely knew. He was more skilled than I was, and I was trying to keep up with him. I entered a corner a bit too hot, although nowhere near the bike’s limits, and got scared. I got on the brakes, stood the bike up, running off the road. The instant my front wheel hit dirt, the bike came out from under me, and I was face-to-dirt. There’s something odd about sliding through dirt a mere two inches from your eye, and being able to see it move past through your visor. But it’s a hell of a lot better than leaving your face on the side of the road, which I would have done without a helmet.
The third crash was a real doozy (I’m omitting the second crash, because it’s not interesting). I was at my third trackday, at the Streets of Willow. It was my first day to join the “Race” group, which is the faster of the two classifications. I use quotes because there is no actual competitive racing during the track day, it’s just the step above the “Sport” group. I was able to get my knee down for the first time, and was really starting to feel my oats. Sure, I was getting passed often by the fast guys, but I was riding faster than I ever had before. One of my sessions, I was going through the bowl, and I had noticed a small bump on track right where I was starting to open the throttle in the corner. On one lap, I even felt the rear end of the bike break traction and “step out” a bit. But, being an idiot, I didn’t change my behavior in that corner. Well, the very next session, I was hauling through there, and the rear end stepped out again. The next thing to happen was a classic highside:
Honestly, except for the fact that I’m not a factory-sponsored, world-class motorcycle racer, I expect my crash looked just about identical to that. When something like that happens, things move so quickly that certain portions are a blur. But I remember the initial snap as I lost traction and the bike tossed me. I remember (like Miguel in the video) being above the bike, hands still on the bars, trying to save the crash when it was way too far gone. And I’ve got a nice scar on my right shoulder from the impact when I finally did hit the ground. But with good protective gear, I was able to get up after the crash (albeit without running over and picking the bike back up, of course!).
Good protective gear that Ben Roethlisberger didn’t wear. Ben has said in other interviews that he considers himself a “safe rider”. But being a safe rider doesn’t protect you from all the other idiots on the road. The early reports of Ben’s crash are that it was caused by a driver pulling out in front of him. It’s pretty unlikely that he had any chance to avoid it, no matter how safe or skilled of a rider he is. At that point, the only thing you have to rely on is the “just in case” precautions. They say to “Dress for the crash, not for the ride”, because you never know when you’ll crash.
I can only hope that this will have a silver lining, and more people who choose not to wear a helmet will rethink their choice. After my first crash, I told a close friend about how I’d be missing half a face without a helmet, and he vowed to always wear a helmet after that conversation. That may have saved his life when he crashed at high speed on the freeway a few months later. If a few people see how easily Ben Roethlisberger— a self-declared “safe rider”— crashed, perhaps they’ll start wearing helmets. But knowing our current political climate, I fear that more and more people will just start clamoring for a return to mandatory helmet laws.
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Brad, as I think I’ve told you before, I’m in favor of an optional helmet law. You have two options, either wear a helmet, or check the “organ donor” box on your license.
As far as Ben is concerned, I just want to know how his teammates feel about this. I’m sure they were all worried about his health when they first heard about it, but now that we are pretty sure he’ll be okay, I wonder if they have any opinions regarding his putting his ability to play for the team at risk.
I don’t care how safe a driver you are, there is always someone out there that isn’t and you end up suffering the conquences of your their actions. If you go riding without a helmet, then you are just asking for trouble. I hope the guy is alright and learns a lesson here.