Columnist Calls Motorcyclist Organ Donors
10-12-2004, 08:22 AM
#1
Biker
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SW Houston
Posts: 16
Columnist Calls Motorcyclist Organ Donors
Chicago Sun-Times Columnist Calls Motorcyclist Organ Donors
September 23, 2004
Chicago, IL. - (MCNW) If you believe Chicago Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg, motorcycle riders are pretty sure bets to become organ donors simply because they ride motorcycles.
As a motorcycle rider, you know that's not true. But if you're not a motorcyclist, like most of his readers, you may take the ill-informed comment to heart. What's worse, Steinberg thinks it's a joke.
In a column with the headline "Hop on a motorcycle, fill out your donor card," that appeared in the September 22 issue of the Chicago Sun-Times, Steinberg wrote: "Why are there many more heart transplants performed in the summer than in the winter?
"It's one of my favorite brain teasers, good to toss out at parties. It almost always stumps people." he wrote. "I like to give them a moment to think hard, squirm, then give up, before I spring the answer -- so obvious in retrospect:
"Motorcycles."
Steinberg goes on to say in his column that he has daydreamed about getting a motorcycle but abandons the thought when he thinks about hitting "the twig, or pothole, or whatever" that would "send me flipping into the guardrail, the flash of which would be my last sight on Earth."
Steinberg added: "Besides, there are already too many dumpy middle-aged guys racing on motorcycles, dreaming they're something they're not."
Outraged, AMA Public Information Director Tom Lindsay dashed off a quick e-mail to Steinberg to set him straight.
"Speaking on behalf of this nation's seven million motorcyclists, we found your characterization of motorcyclists-as-organ-donors insulting and ill-informed. Perhaps your intent was dark humor or tongue-in-cheek commentary -- but comments like yours are irresponsible and promote a malicious and unjustified bias against motorcyclists.
"Motorcyclists are doctors and lawyers, office staff and factory workers, and probably your colleagues at the Sun-Times. We're among the most safety-conscious motorists on America's highways," Lindsay wrote. "And while you're making light of the recent increase in fatalities, responsible motorcyclists -- and responsible journalists -- are joining us in an effort to reduce them.
"Please set the record straight with your readers. We look forward to reading your retraction."
Steinberg's response: "Thank you for your comment. There will be no retraction."
If you would like to let Chicago Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg know how you feel about his column, you may e-mail him at nsteinberg@suntimes.com.
To read the entire column visit the Chicago Sun-Times web site.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/stein...s-stein22.html
September 23, 2004
Chicago, IL. - (MCNW) If you believe Chicago Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg, motorcycle riders are pretty sure bets to become organ donors simply because they ride motorcycles.
As a motorcycle rider, you know that's not true. But if you're not a motorcyclist, like most of his readers, you may take the ill-informed comment to heart. What's worse, Steinberg thinks it's a joke.
In a column with the headline "Hop on a motorcycle, fill out your donor card," that appeared in the September 22 issue of the Chicago Sun-Times, Steinberg wrote: "Why are there many more heart transplants performed in the summer than in the winter?
"It's one of my favorite brain teasers, good to toss out at parties. It almost always stumps people." he wrote. "I like to give them a moment to think hard, squirm, then give up, before I spring the answer -- so obvious in retrospect:
"Motorcycles."
Steinberg goes on to say in his column that he has daydreamed about getting a motorcycle but abandons the thought when he thinks about hitting "the twig, or pothole, or whatever" that would "send me flipping into the guardrail, the flash of which would be my last sight on Earth."
Steinberg added: "Besides, there are already too many dumpy middle-aged guys racing on motorcycles, dreaming they're something they're not."
Outraged, AMA Public Information Director Tom Lindsay dashed off a quick e-mail to Steinberg to set him straight.
"Speaking on behalf of this nation's seven million motorcyclists, we found your characterization of motorcyclists-as-organ-donors insulting and ill-informed. Perhaps your intent was dark humor or tongue-in-cheek commentary -- but comments like yours are irresponsible and promote a malicious and unjustified bias against motorcyclists.
"Motorcyclists are doctors and lawyers, office staff and factory workers, and probably your colleagues at the Sun-Times. We're among the most safety-conscious motorists on America's highways," Lindsay wrote. "And while you're making light of the recent increase in fatalities, responsible motorcyclists -- and responsible journalists -- are joining us in an effort to reduce them.
"Please set the record straight with your readers. We look forward to reading your retraction."
Steinberg's response: "Thank you for your comment. There will be no retraction."
If you would like to let Chicago Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg know how you feel about his column, you may e-mail him at nsteinberg@suntimes.com.
To read the entire column visit the Chicago Sun-Times web site.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/stein...s-stein22.html
10-12-2004, 08:46 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 1,268
Sounds like a moron writing a moronic statment. In reality, everybody could be an organ donor. Motorcycling is an acceptable risk in my mind, and personally being a motorcyclist makes me a better driver no matter what I'm on or in. I'm more conscious of the traffic and road conditions around me than most asshats on their cellphones or watching TV.
10-12-2004, 08:53 AM
#3
Biker
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: North Dighton, MA
Posts: 167
Taken from the October 18th 2004 issue of Newsweek Big Business section.
"So how many miles are left in this cycle craze? Well, silver-haired boomers could eventually be scared off their rides by the alarming rise in motorcycle deaths, up 70 percent since 1997."
Hard to argue with the numbers. Poor driving education (on either car or motorcycle end of the stick) is probably to blame for 99% of those numbers. But, they're right, there are a bunch of unqualified people buying and driving bikes these days. Its just too easy to get your license. You make a mistake in a car and you get a new fender. You make a mistake on a bike and you're all done (at least for a while).
"So how many miles are left in this cycle craze? Well, silver-haired boomers could eventually be scared off their rides by the alarming rise in motorcycle deaths, up 70 percent since 1997."
Hard to argue with the numbers. Poor driving education (on either car or motorcycle end of the stick) is probably to blame for 99% of those numbers. But, they're right, there are a bunch of unqualified people buying and driving bikes these days. Its just too easy to get your license. You make a mistake in a car and you get a new fender. You make a mistake on a bike and you're all done (at least for a while).
10-12-2004, 09:09 AM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 1,268
I agree with that and add....that most inexperienced riders buy bikes that aren't right for them. Guy walks into a shop and immediately goes to the souped up larger than life machine and the salesperson sells them that....even though the guy has only ridden a 250cc bike before...or nothing at all. People need to pick a bike no only based on looks, but also on ability.
10-19-2004, 10:21 AM
#5
Biker
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Flanders, NJ
Posts: 148
Here is a copy of the email I sent to this pin head at the Chicago Sun Times.
Mr. Steinberg,
I recently had an opportunity to read you column "Hop on a motorcycle, fill out your donor card." In your article, you wrote "Besides, there are already too many dumpy middle-aged guys racing on motorcycles, dreaming they're something they're not." Well, I am middle aged, though not exactly "dumpy". As far as racing, I'll leave that to the professionals. Dreaming something I'm not? I'm not totally sure where you're going with that one. The main thing I dream about is having enough free time to enjoy motorcycling. That, and not being run off the road by some preoccupied, inattentive driver yapping on his/her cell phone, eating a Big Mac, putting on make-up, reading a newspaper, or just daydreaming as they shuffle through their numbing daily routine. Ever see a motorcyclist doing any of the above? Didn't think so. Sure, there are the bone-headed among us who ride recklessly, and most of those will eventually wind up as statistics. However, the vast majority of motorcyclists pay far more attention to the task of operating a motor vehicle than most automobile drivers ever do. Have you ever considered how many fatal accidents per year are in fact caused by automobiles, not motorcycles? Remember Randy Scott's murder by U.S. Rep Bill Janklow? That's right, I called it murder. Janklow, an admitted traffic scofflaw, ran a stop sign at 71 mph, and effectively murdered him. Mr. Scott's only fault was wanting to enjoy a motorcycle ride. I guess you'd think that pretty irresponsible of Mr. Scott, wouldn't you?
Lumping all motorcyclists together as organ donors waiting for an accident is short sighted, and narrow-minded. As far as making light of people killed on motorcycles, and using that subject as a "brain teaser" at parties is just plain sick. By the way, do you also view the fine men and women in our law enforcement community who patrol on motorcycles in the same dim light as the rest of us?
Another fact you fail to grasp is the enormous amount of money raised by the motorcycling community for worthy causes, such as breast cancer research. Last weekend I joined several thousand other motorcyclists on a charity ride to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In September it was a benefit for the families of firefighters and police officers injured of killed in the line of duty. And this winter we'll raise money for Toys For Tots. All this from a bunch of dumpy middle aged guys dreaming of something we're not, right Mr. Steinberg?
The fact that you write a column for the Chicago Sun Times does by no means qualify you to pick on a segment of society you know nothing about. All you did in your article is offer your readers a biased opinion and malign motorcyclists. If you had a small amount of common sense, you'd see the real danger in operating a motorcycle is not the motorcycle. It's who we must share the road with. I also understand you wouldn't retract this piece of garbage you wrote. That doesn't surprise me. People like you are only concerned with perpetuating your own twisted view on a subject, and nothing more. Instead of writing a useless story such as this, you could have wrote something constructive. Why not write something that would have a positive impact on the safety of motorcyclists? Not witty enough, or sensational enough for you to waste your time with, right? I guess you think it's more entertaining to poke fun at people than to help them.
In closing, here's a little food for thought, Mr. Steinberg. One day you, or a member of your family may owe their life to an unfortunate motorcyclist killed in a traffic accident, who also happened to be an organ donor. Think about that for a while. And please, do us all a favor. Please don't ever act on your dream of buying a motorcycle. With a narrow-minded view like yours, you might not see that twig and hurt yourself.
Oh yes. One last thing. I happen to be an organ donor as well. Are you?
Mr. Steinberg,
I recently had an opportunity to read you column "Hop on a motorcycle, fill out your donor card." In your article, you wrote "Besides, there are already too many dumpy middle-aged guys racing on motorcycles, dreaming they're something they're not." Well, I am middle aged, though not exactly "dumpy". As far as racing, I'll leave that to the professionals. Dreaming something I'm not? I'm not totally sure where you're going with that one. The main thing I dream about is having enough free time to enjoy motorcycling. That, and not being run off the road by some preoccupied, inattentive driver yapping on his/her cell phone, eating a Big Mac, putting on make-up, reading a newspaper, or just daydreaming as they shuffle through their numbing daily routine. Ever see a motorcyclist doing any of the above? Didn't think so. Sure, there are the bone-headed among us who ride recklessly, and most of those will eventually wind up as statistics. However, the vast majority of motorcyclists pay far more attention to the task of operating a motor vehicle than most automobile drivers ever do. Have you ever considered how many fatal accidents per year are in fact caused by automobiles, not motorcycles? Remember Randy Scott's murder by U.S. Rep Bill Janklow? That's right, I called it murder. Janklow, an admitted traffic scofflaw, ran a stop sign at 71 mph, and effectively murdered him. Mr. Scott's only fault was wanting to enjoy a motorcycle ride. I guess you'd think that pretty irresponsible of Mr. Scott, wouldn't you?
Lumping all motorcyclists together as organ donors waiting for an accident is short sighted, and narrow-minded. As far as making light of people killed on motorcycles, and using that subject as a "brain teaser" at parties is just plain sick. By the way, do you also view the fine men and women in our law enforcement community who patrol on motorcycles in the same dim light as the rest of us?
Another fact you fail to grasp is the enormous amount of money raised by the motorcycling community for worthy causes, such as breast cancer research. Last weekend I joined several thousand other motorcyclists on a charity ride to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In September it was a benefit for the families of firefighters and police officers injured of killed in the line of duty. And this winter we'll raise money for Toys For Tots. All this from a bunch of dumpy middle aged guys dreaming of something we're not, right Mr. Steinberg?
The fact that you write a column for the Chicago Sun Times does by no means qualify you to pick on a segment of society you know nothing about. All you did in your article is offer your readers a biased opinion and malign motorcyclists. If you had a small amount of common sense, you'd see the real danger in operating a motorcycle is not the motorcycle. It's who we must share the road with. I also understand you wouldn't retract this piece of garbage you wrote. That doesn't surprise me. People like you are only concerned with perpetuating your own twisted view on a subject, and nothing more. Instead of writing a useless story such as this, you could have wrote something constructive. Why not write something that would have a positive impact on the safety of motorcyclists? Not witty enough, or sensational enough for you to waste your time with, right? I guess you think it's more entertaining to poke fun at people than to help them.
In closing, here's a little food for thought, Mr. Steinberg. One day you, or a member of your family may owe their life to an unfortunate motorcyclist killed in a traffic accident, who also happened to be an organ donor. Think about that for a while. And please, do us all a favor. Please don't ever act on your dream of buying a motorcycle. With a narrow-minded view like yours, you might not see that twig and hurt yourself.
Oh yes. One last thing. I happen to be an organ donor as well. Are you?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post