On safety.(ACCent)

I am a motorcycle rider. I enjoy and value the time I get to spend riding although that time has diminished over the years. Nationwide last year, one out of every nine road fatalities involved motorcycle riders. Did you know that motorcyclists are 35 times more likely to die in an accident than four-wheel vehicle occupants? The reason for this sobering statistic is speed--you need to remember this fact every time you strap on your helmet as it might save your life.

As far as statistics, sport bikes continue to be our nemesis and appear to be the most dangerous kind of motorcycle. Sport bikes have a number of attributes that make them attractive to our youngest riders. Number one, they are very affordable when compared with other forms of transportation--for a few thousand dollars, you can easily get the keys to a very powerful piece of equipment. Number two, undeniably, they are fun to ride and can spice up any adrenalin junkie's life with the power available. Number three, with a driver's license, Motorcycle Safety Foundation card and completion of the mandatory one-on-one squadron commander's counseling session, the rider is legal to ride on and around any of our ACC installations.

Recently, seven USAF Airmen were charged with reckless endangerment when they were stopped after being clocked in excess of 140 miles per hour. To put that into perspective, an F-15 ...