Be safe on that last ride for 2014
Taking your motorcycle out for one last ride in 2014? Remember to never drink and drive. THE FOLLOWING IS A SHORT STORY FROM THE AF SAFETY OFFICE: Riding motorcycles sober is dangerous enough. Riding under the influence is suicidal. Those who have tried it and survived (including me) are just lucky. First, consider the natural resting position of a motorcycle is on its side. Don't believe me? Try walking away from your bike without putting the kickstand down -- I did that once. Then consider all of the components that have to work together in harmony to keep your bike upright and moving forward, including the engine, transmission, shifter and throttle coupled with the coordinated efforts of your brain, eyes, feet, hands and torso. Now throw in some alcohol. We know that drinking alcohol leads to poor judgment, distorted vision, loss of coordination and slowed reflexes. That's a lot of personal challenges while perched atop a machine that can launch you faster than a Ferrari into the next county, or to the closest morgue. Police officers key in on these impairments when they conduct a field sobriety check. You may think you dance better after a few drinks, but you certainly don't ride better, and you don't better your chances of surviving the keen observations of that very sober police officer who is just doing his job. Years ago a concerned wing commander dealing with a DUI problem recognized that people do drink and drive, and that a zero tolerance policy was unrealistic. So, he came up with the 0-0-1-3 rule; that is, 0 underage drinking, 0 DUIs, 1 drink per hour, and no more than 3 drinks per evening. If you do the physiological math on this you'll find it works for most people who choose to drink and drive. Unfortunately, it doesn't account for an individual's tolerance level for handling the effects of alcohol and it creates a very dangerous and false sense of security for motorcyclists. Here's why: When you ride under the influence, poor judgment an
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