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Another article noted that this was a Harley. Neither person was wearing a helmet...

26-year-old Woman Killed in Motorcycle Accident

Last Edited: Monday, 22 Dec 2008, 10:38 AM CST
Created: Sunday, 21 Dec 2008, 2:20 PM CST

AUSTIN -- 26-year-old Angela Lyn Watson was killed Saturday night at about 2:30 a.m. when she was thrown from a Harley Davidson motorcycle on N. Lamar. The driver of the motorcycle, a 26-year-old man, was taken to University Medical Center at Brackenridge with life-threatening injuries. Both Watson and the driver flew off the motorcycle after the driver crossed the median and lost control. An oncoming Mazda Tribute SUV hit the passenger and she was later pronounced dead at the scene. Police do not plan to file charges against the driver of the SUV. Neither one of the riders were wearing helmets. The cause of the crash is still unknown, and there’s no word on whether alcohol was involved.

A very hard way to learn, with no second chances for the pillion. Any loss on a motorcycle is bad. I feel for this couples parents and family.

Sounds to me like another propaganda statement about helmets. Not to take away from the tragedy though, I don't mean that. The fact that the passenger not wearing a helmet probably has very little to do with why she died. If you are thrown from a cycle and then hit by an SUV chances are helmet or no helmet you aren't gonna make it. You never see these articles where there was an accident where and the rider wasn't wearing a helmet but was OK and the article states " The rider was uninjured and wasn't wearing a helmet" and it does happen. I am not saying that in some cases a helmet is a life saver, it is just as in other cases it causes severe neck and back trauma due to it's multiplied weight in an extreme deceleration situation.

I have never seen statistics that can't be slanted either way. If they are going to give the rise in deaths since the helmet law has been repealed then they need to be accompanied by the rise in motorcycle licenceing and sales. I don't believe helmets save lives in all cases and in fact think in certain cases they cause injuries and death. It all depends on the circumstances of the accident. As far as it being legislated to wear one, I agree, there should not be a law to protect a man from himself in this case and he should be free to choose.

Well, I agree with ya in principle too there Jackson, however I don't want the government tellin' us to wear a brain bucket for ANOTHER whole reason ALTOGETHER. Ya see, I don't want those bad boys takin' away any edge I have at spottin' those riders who ain't all that good at figurin' out statistics!

Yep! 'Cause ya see, the way I figure it, those who choose to not wear one, well...THAT'S a guy who could do ALL MANNER o' really dumb stuff out there on the road, and so I usually know to stay well clear of folks like that!

Yep, and I ALWAYS make a whole lot o' friends tellin' my "little secret" to all the fine folks around here whenever I give that "little secret" out TOO, ya know.

BUT HEY, I don't care, 'cause I'm ALSO figurin' that maybe, just maybe, SOMEBODY out there on the ol' internet just might figure out that I'm just a little RIGHT here, and so THEY WON'T have to experience havin' one o' them there brain buckets savin' THEIR life...JUST like it did MINE once a few years back!!!!

Anybody UP for hearin' the grisly details here??? HUH???!!! Well, let's just say that that ol' D.O.T. approved brain bucket o' mine had a real nice CRACK runnin' right down the ol' middle of it after it was all said and done!!!


(and for those folks out there wonderin' if I was 'like this" before I cracked that ol' helmet o' mine...well, the answer to THAT is, YEP! I've ALWAYS pretty much been "this way", thank you very much!!!)