Are Lockdowns Causing an Increase in Motorcycle Fatalities?

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Are Lockdowns Causing an Increase in Motorcycle Fatalities?

AmazingPolly.net
Published by Polly St. George in news · 5 May 2021
Tags: motorcycle
As I was standing in line at a convenience store yesterday my eyes wandered to the news rack.  I noticed a headline on the front page of my local paper, reporting that there had been a sharp rise in motorcycle related deaths over the past year and a half.    

If you're paying attention, you've noted that that time period coincides almost exactly with the start of the 'pandemic panic' and subsequent freedom-squashing, job-killing, relationship-destroying, stress-inducing, crazy-making tyranny of the so-called Public Health measures.  Coincidence?

The paper reports that the number of fatalities from motorcycle accidents in my region almost doubled from 27 in 2019 to 42 in 2020.  So far in 2021 there have been 4 deaths of this nature, but we are mere weeks out of winter and the weather - rainy with very high winds - has not exactly been ideal for a spin on a Harley or any other bike.  I hope that the high number of fatal motorcycle crashes in 2020 was an anomaly and that the 2021 count won't climb along with the hours of sunshine, but I have concerns.

These details from the article struck me as worth thinking about:

The OPP said 37 of the 42 fatalities in 2020 involved no other vehicles, and 20 of them involved riders between the ages of 55 and 74.
Excessive speeds and failing to yield led to many of the deaths, police said.

The article doesn't specify the gender breakdown of the fatalities, but I see far more men on motorbikes than I do women so I'm going to guess that most if not all of these fatalities were males.  Were the drivers impaired?  The article doesn't say so.  Was weather involved?  It doesn't indicate that, either.  It says that high rates of speed and 'failure to yield' caused a lot of the accidents.  High rates of speed I can believe since it's fairly easy to assess how fast a vehicle was traveling before a crash.  But failure to yield?  If the reporter got the numbers right 37 out of 42 accidents involved only the motorcycle rider and no other vehicle.  So I have to ask ... failure to yield to what? And who would have been there to report this 'failure' to police?

I am not alleging any sort of cover-up here.  I don't think police are lying about what they're seeing.   I do, however, wonder if these accidents are the final result of some men's reactions to the crushing pressure of lockdowns and masking and anti-social distancing.  As we know from the silent epidemic of fentanyl overdoses among middle aged males in the US, men in particular suffer psychologically when there are economic downturns and unemployment.  We're most certainly dealing with those issues right now - and no end is in sight.  How are men coping with this?

Has joy riding given way to rage riding?

I've never been on a motorbike though when I imagine it I think of daring, freeing, thrilling adventure.  It must be exhilarating to move through the world at speed, just the rider, the open air and the rush of being in command.  I wonder if that experience can turn into a death match under the right circumstances?  Angry and frustrated by the circumstances but unable to think of a way to fight it nor a path to escape it, might a person's back country ride turn into a grudge match against the universe? A game of Truth or Dare where he screams the truth into the wind and dares God to make his fight or flight decision for him?

When it comes to the fatalities reported in the article, we will never know the answer and, I think, that's how it should be.  Some mysteries aren't meant to be solved.  

I do hope, however, that each of us can look around at the people we love and take note of their unspoken needs. A little bit of soothing goes a long way.  A sparkle of hope can change a person's direction.  A word of praise.  A distraction.  A laugh.  A nod to the rider who heads out on the foggy day - things will clear up eventually. For now, there's no shame in taking it slow.




26
reviews
Bruder
01 Jun 2021
Hello Polly, studies (worldwide) have shown that unemployment leads to increased accidents and suicides. Here also play the biological differences between men and women one or better the decisive role (hormonal differences). This is already expressed by the fact that women rather communicate than men. Men do not confide in another person as quickly, which can lead to frustration. This frustration can be vented through risk-taking (motorcycling, etc.). However, well channeled, this can be relieved through sports or exercise in general. There are, of course, other options such as yoga, etc.. Men have a higher need for exercise and physical activity. This can already be seen at school. Boys can sit still worse and thus concentrate less well. Greetings from Switzerland
Dee Wade
31 May 2021
Suicidal maybe?
commando850
29 May 2021
Hey Polly , I've only just refound you after several months in the dark!
Your research ,and commentary have always been inciteful .I'm happy to be back on the Polly train!
Intersestingly enough ,I've been a biker for many many years .Defintiely I'm sometimes reckless and take the occasional gamble ...it's a part of being human . I have had some close shaves ,and also my share of accidents (fortunately never catasrophic) . I have a theory for you ,and it seems to bare out for my situation ... as lockdowns were in force over most of the year ,it's been evident that there is not so much traffic on the roads . With that
knowledge ,I've been riding faster as there's less traffic to impede me. I then get to the point ,more often where I'm riding to the edge of my abilities . In consequence I'm more likely to have an accident .

Keep up the good work !!
Kathy Clyde
29 May 2021
Very glad to see that the reviews turned out to all good except for Mr. Reality. Might I say to him that it's people like him who are part of the problem. I see them as shitty people with shitty lives therefore they try to bring people down to their level because they have nothing better to do.
Moving on. I always enjoy your blogs/videos & the time you put into things. If it was in the newspaper, it was brought to attention therefore why not look into it?
I think a lot of people have really missed out on an opportunity to learn about what's going on in our world. My sister is a Karen & that's her name. I have found it so humorous that there's actually a name for it. Nice little inside joke.
I wish I could put my head back in the sand like her but it came out far to long ago & I have learned so much. Long before the "plandemic" so it couldn't have been more obvious when it finally came out. 9-11 was a walk in the park compared to this worldwide devastation & I know me saying that will trigger Mr. Reality. (how dare you compare?)
I am the most disappointed in the churches & pastor's. I think if the World had come together like we did in 9-11 this plandemic would not have been able to be so devastating. & yes Mr. Reality 9-11 affected the whole world. Love & compassion was in the air. Now we're so angry as a whole. Male, female confusion, sex introduced to children at a younger age. (maybe it's just been brought to the forefront.) People need to wake up.
Mr. Reality
25 May 2021
Wow Polly. What a stretch to say that the increase in fatalities is related to pressure from lockdown and anti masking. It's just another lame attempt on your part to create a conspiracy theory. Get a life Polly. Get a life.
Cathy Hubbell
21 May 2021
Hey Polly Finally got on here. It's Cathy from NC. Bus conversion woman. Well the way the world is I can understand people wanting distractions like riding motorcycles and getting high. Sometimes I've even wondered how many have some kind of "mind control" going on. Just because I see how divided people are and to the point of getting angry with each other. Seem especially the mask wearers towards the "think for yourselfers". BTW I've had many motorcycles over the years. When without one I tend to get the fever and want another, Then once I have one I end up thinking, "Yeah it's fun but really I'm just sitting on this thing going down the road."
I like my bicycle much more. Thank you so much for your important work. Just sent you something through the snail mail yesterday. :o)
Maria
14 May 2021
In the United States accident fatalities went up after people were vaxxed from heart attacks and strokes.
Martin
09 May 2021
Thank you Polly, for all you do.
Arnie Willis
08 May 2021
Polly I have followed a scientist for along time. He has said for a while that animals and humans will start acting very strange, the weather events will get more violent and stronger. He also says it has something to do with the effects of the sun and other energy that comes from deep space. That it will also change the earth and how the earth will keep heating up on the inside, that causes earthquakes and magma. He has been right on for a long time. We know that social isolation effects our minds.
HaoleBoy
06 May 2021
(*** I know my preceding comments don't really address the Ontario news article but just thought I'd throw in the factoids I mentioned for general purposes)
Maybe its safe to say - THEY, Tyrants Extraordinaire, have succeeded in creating this huge covid industry based on their lies, propaganda, fear porn, and bad science.
My dream - get another moto with sidecar (as I've had in the past) convince a famous Canadian truthseeker to join me on a tour around America (Southwest in particular).
"Silly Dreamer HaoleBoy!", she replies.
Dreamer responds, "...we could devise special 'BagHead' helmets for the trip !!"
oh well,
just humoring. God Bless.
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