Frazz by Jef Mallett for August 18, 2013

I once heard that there are only two kinds of motorcycle riders: Those who have been involved in an accident and those who will be involved in an accident. Both my husband and I are in the first category.

I see idiots around here riding motorcycles in sandals and flip-flops.

Before a young friend of mine bought leathers to wear on his motorcycle, he seemed to have more scab than skin from all the falls he took. Of course, he then ripped up his leathers a lot, but bruises hurt a lot less than road rash. Never broke any bones that I know of, so he was “really lucky so far”, unlike my 20-something dad who, back in ’49, was hit by a car which ran a red light. Dad had a compound fracture of his femur and was on crutches for six months.

Around here we refer to Guys riding in Shorts, T-Shirt and Sneaks as “Organ Donors”

Simply put, “As velocity increases, pressure decreases.”

Thanks Jef, nice follow up to Rainbows a week or so ago

There are a few things crazier. Sidecar racing for example.

http://img2.allposters.com/images/VAS/0000-5105-4.jpg

O, to be immortal. Again.

Buy your son a motorcycle for his last Birthday…

I was practicing defensive riding at it’s best. Headlight, taillight x2, bright yellow hat, and the #1 thing: Awareness. I saw the vehicle approaching the intersection, saw it was slowing, AND MADE EYE CONTACT with driver. She was stopped (although maybe not legally stopped, but close enough for all practical purposes), but pulled out and T-boned me anyway.

Drivers tend to look for cars. If it isn’t a car coming, then it’s clear, right? Bicycles, and sometimes motorcycles, don’t register in some people’s heads because they are not cars

He’s got his helmet on so they’ll have something left to identify after the crash.

Always a good strip ! I Thought like a 20 Y O till my 50s …when I realized all my old ridin’ buddys were a LOT younger than I ! I decided I wanted to try to get older !A lot of the guys didn’t have that choice.

I really appreciate the effort Mallett puts into these Sunday strips. The artwork is superb and using a vertical format instead of the normal horizontal one today is surprisingly innovative and fits the theme perfectly.

observations from a cartoonist who is passed on the highway by crotch rocket rider wearing a t shirt.ideas come from strange places , but they do come

a 20 year old is invincible . right up until they find out they are not.

The ultimate irony:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/03/motorcyclist-dies-helmet-protest_n_889427.html

The strip gets the physics SO wrong! Why can airplanes fly upside-down?

And applies to a lesser degree to us bicyclist. I’ve been really lucky/ or just plain cautious for some 30 years/ 125K miles.

Now THAT’s just crazy talk!

In SC he wouldn’t even be wearing a helmet.

And yet no one considers they are wrapping their privates around a 5 gallon gas tank sitting on top of a 500 degree easy bake oven, while racing down the highway of life.

yeah – I been riding 40 years and had time to think about it. current bike has 112000 miles on it.

My personal injury lawyer told me that he would kick his kids out of his house if he ever caught them on or on the back of a motorcycle.

In 2002, I sold all my MC’s.. Fifty years of accident-free bug-killing was enough. Yet, I’m at the age and infirmity enough to be of no more help than to offer advice to wanna-be medicsat the scene of the accident: “DO NOT remove that helmet !!”Speed doesn’t kill, it’s that sudden stop that does.

When I was in college for Aircraft maintenance/flight training that is what the instructors always told us. Accidents don’t just happen they are caused by carelessness or negligence.

Also, there’s also the sun and windburn factor when riding a scoot while wearing shorts and a t-shirt for any extended length of time on a sunny day.

When I went down to purchase my first motorcycle, the salesman had the nerve to ask me what kind of biker I was… one that has or one that will. When I asked what he meant, he simply said, “Ever been pavement surfing?”

The accident I was in was caused by an idiot who turned left right in front of us. Luckily, none of my injuries were life-threatening, but I have a permanent limp.

Yes, as soon as I read the strip I knew he would be complaining today! Frazz is such a breath of fresh air in this dumbed down world, and the artwork is terrific.

Not when a large dog runs in front of you. Nothing to do with “equipment” failure …

No matter how well you drive, you’re still at the mercy of every idiot who doesn’t notice you and might run into you. That’s why air bags and seat belts and crumple zones are so nice.

I was on a bicycle, crossing the street with a stop sign to stop a car. The car stopped in the middle of the crosswalk, hit my bike, and flung me over the handlebars. Thank goodness for helmets!

Only 70 mph — they are buzzing down the I75 at over 100 mph. I just read that “invincibility” ends at about age 25 — if they make it — and who is right or wrong doesn’t matter when you’re on a cycle.

bigpuma: Please go away. Way far away.

exaltedwombat: Thank you. I wasn’t sure anyone wasgoing to say this. It is the old theory but not the new.

Thanksthanksthanks! This is the kind of observation that make my life as an illustrator easier!

Even riding a 150cc scooter, I have never ridden without helmet, leather jacket with padding, and leather gloves. I have heard people ask if it was necessary on such a small bike (especially since it was a scooter and therefore not a “real” motorcycle). My response: “If you hit pavement at 45 mph, pavement doesn’t care if you’re riding a 50 or an 1150.” (One small advantage of a scooter over a motorcycle: if you lay it down, the scooter won’t pin your leg.) (I did say small advantage.)

That might have saved Duane Allman’s life.