Letters to the Editor
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Yes, of course you can die from just about anything.
Yes, of course you can die from just about anything. I admit that. I never said otherwise. A married person's family is going to be sad when that person dies, no matter what the cause of the death. That's true. However, that’s not the point I’m making here.
My point is that 1.) the odds of you dying or being seriously injured during motorcycle racing are high (much, much higher than everyday activities), and 2.) since motorcycle racing is a hobby or sport for most and therefore not necessary, the family is going to struggle with understanding that death or injury. They will wonder if you loved racing more than them. This struggle will be the direct result of the fact that motorcycle racing is so dangerous.
A number of folks argue that motorcycle racing is no more dangerous than riding on the street, or even less so. I think this is bunk. I understand the hazards of riding on the street (the other clueless drivers, the hard obstacles, etc) and the advantages of a track for riding fast. However, I argue that the very high speeds involved in racing make it more hazardous. Tracks are trying to improve their safety, but bikes are also getting faster.
Also, this is a matter of how you interpret the statistics. It may seem that deaths at the track are rare to those that participate. In an absolute sense, they are rare. However, in a relative sense, they are not. You have to consider how few people race motorcycles (as compared to how many ride on the street) and how little time is actually spent racing (compared to hours on the street). Also, to be fair, you need to factor out drunken motorcyclists and those not wearing helmets (those two problems don't exist at the track). When you do all of that, there is no way racing is going to be safer.
The problem with the difference between absolute and relative statistics is why those that work with statistics do not consider anecdotal evidence when judging the likelihood of any event occurring. One person’s story or experience does not a statistic make. What you know to be true may not be so on average.
If you want to race motorcycles, more power to you. Despite the fact that I think it is very dangerous, I think anyone who wants to race should do so. No one is guaranteed a long, healthy life. However, I also think that those who race should not dismiss how dangerous it really is and what affect their death or debilitating injury will have on those that love them.
I will try to find some more data on motorcycle racing. I doubt tracks will be wiling to give up that data (what's in it for them?), but I will try.