Ben Roethlisberger

First Kellen Winslow trying to emulate the Star Boyz right after one of their shows and now Big Ben messing his face up on a Busa.  Winslow might be the brighter of the 2 players because at least he was wearing a helmet. Football stars don't make great bike riders. Apparently someone made a left in front of Ben and he wasn't wearing a helmet so he lost some teeth, broke a jaw, a nose, and got a 9"long cut on the back of his head. I believe Ben said that because he rides in groups he is safer and PA repealed their helmet law so he shouldn't wear one.  I don't know about others on here but I'd much rather go out on a football field without a helmet than even thinking about going out on the street without a one.  I hope no more negative light will be shed on motorcycles because of such a high profile star was hurt.  Well here is the link.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2480830  

This subject has been beaten to death in bike forums across the web, so not much more to say.

He's a tool, that's about it.  

I'm not usually one to comment on things like this but... A guy that gets paid to wear a helmet and pads for protection should know better. Well done Ben!!! Way to be smart!!! I hope he pulls through but that was dumb. Now I'm not going to say I've never got on my bike without a helmet but I don't refuse to wear one either. In fact you could count on one hand the times that I've ridden helmetless. So again I say that's good work Ben. Way to let your team and city down.  

If I were getting paid Millions, there is no way I would risk my career riding in the first place.  Just like Terry Bradshaw said, ride it after you retire.  And what is the retirement age for Football, like 35-36?  I rode with a guy that went down Friday night and he did wear a helmet, but he also had on a wife beater.  He lost skin on 30% of his body.  If he was wearing a jacket he would have been fine.  

I bet insurance companies all over the country are scheming about raising our rates  

We in the sportbike community would like to extend a big THANK YOU to Ben Roethlisberger for making the rest of us look like hellians. Thanks buddy we appreciate that one. Next time wear a helmet *** I know he's probably never going to read that but I would say if he had just a helmet on he wouldn't be laid up in the hospital right now. All the injuries that put him in the hospital are to his head. Again I would like to repeat. Well done Ben, Well done.  

I am on Ben's side of this.  Wearing a helmet wasn't a law, so he didn't need to if he didn't want to.  His freedom to choose.  Unlike say speeding (which is the law wether or not a cop is there) which most of us do to some extent most of the time....    He accepted the risk and now he has to deal with the consequences of what happened.  He is lucky that he wasn't killed.  I hope he fully recovers.  And I hope he rides again, and decides to wear a helmet from now on...    

I wonder if that 62 year old lady is going to get a slap on the wrist like every other car driver who injures a motorcyclist??  I guess if a governor gets off with some community service for blowing thru a stop sign at 100mph and killing a rider, she will probably just get a $75 ticket for 'failure to yield right of way' or something.  Reverse that senerio, and I bet the rider get life in prison.  

The only thing that is a little annoying...  Is that Ben is apparently too busy or too big of a star to bother getting licenced.  Just like Arnold....    I wonder how many other celebs ride without a license?  Leno?  Cruise?  Shaq?  Anyone know?  A license wouldn't have prevented the accident necessarily, but minimal training may have had him slow as he approached the intersection...  Maybe cover the brakes...

I'll take Ben's brains over Kellen Winslow's...  Or Jayson Williams' (Bulls).  Both those guys were noobs trying to do stunts.  So far all we know is that Ben was riding the bike when a blue hair turns in front of him.  (Which I believe is a top 3 cause of bike accidents, speed and drinking the other two.)  Now if it turns out that Ben was weaving in and out of traffic at 100 mph...  Then I'll change my mind on who is smarter.    That'll make it a lot tougher choice too.  



Chris  

He may have the right to not wear a helmet, but I have the right to call him a tool for doing it.  

That is still dumb.  I bet if they gave him an option in wearing a helmet in the NFL he would choose to wear it.  

If I recall, Winslow either did not secure his helmet with the retention straps or it was ill-fitting because it allegedly popped off during the accident...

Either way you cut it... the vehicle is only as dangerous as the person behind the bars- typically it's lack of skill/experience, ignorance or failure to consider consequences/idiocy.

In these cases, it seems like a combination of all three.  

Quote:

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I wonder if that 62 year old lady is going to get a slap on the wrist like every other car driver who injures a motorcyclist??  I guess if a governor gets off with some community service for blowing thru a stop sign at 100mph and killing a rider, she will probably just get a $75 ticket for 'failure to yield right of way' or something.  Reverse that senerio, and I bet the rider get life in prison.  

Chris

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By Cristina Rouvalis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Stunned Steelers fans are shaking their heads at the maddening judgment of the Super Bowl quarterback, whose decision not to wear a helmet cost him dearly in an accident on Monday. But those exasperated groans overlook the essence of the risk taker -- the person who for better and for worse always goes for the gusto, psychologists say. "They want an exciting, interesting and thrilling life," said Frank Farley, a Temple University psychologist. "At the end of their lives, they want to say they lived it. ... They tend to be natural-born rule breakers. You can look at these people and say, 'They are stupid.' I might say, 'That is their personality.' "


This guy says it's something in our genes.    

Some would say that's a bunch of psycho babble generalizing bullsh*t.

In my case, I guess I'm making up for the fact I work a desk job as software quality assurance. Finding and reporting bugs by day, knee dragging risk taker by night.  

The fun is in riding as long and often as possible. Can't ride if you are eff'ed up in the infirmary.

Gotta manage the risks to keep playing.  

I think far too many people spend far too much time thinking up lame-ass excuses for people to act like idiots. I think people need to just take responsibility for thier own actions. If I do somethign stupid, it was because I was being a dumb-ass, nothing more, nothing less.  

Well I guess you're right Chris it was his choice not to wear a helmet, stupid as the choice may be. Hind sight 20/20 I guess. While the wreck it self may not have been his fault the poor judgement to ride helmetless was. Therefore I am glad he's going to make it but feel no sympathy for him at all. If it were me that went down without a helmet I would expect the same reaction from all of you. "Sucks man, but you should have known better".