Playing Safe

It was an afternoon I'll never forget. My friends and I went to the local dunes in our Jeeps, and as we aired down the tires, we heard two dirt bikes blasting along. The bikes were heading up the same dune from opposite directions, and they collided in mid-air.

Both riders were knocked unconscious with multiple serious injuries. The paramedics said they were lucky to be alive. Protective riding gear saved their lives. But had they used some common sense, the accident could have been avoided.

In another incident, a longtime friend was cruising downriver in a bass boat when another boat came around the bend, heading upstream. Unfortunately, the boater running upriver was on the wrong side of the river and turned the wrong way when the two met bow-on.

Although my friend did his best to avoid the other boat, they collided. The other boater didn't know the maritime rules of the road, and one of his companions paid the ultimate price.

Safety gear, common sense, and weekend fun go hand-in-hand. Accidents and mishaps can happen at any time; in the blink of an eye, a serious injury or even death can occur. If you want to play, by all means, play it safe.

Know Your Equipment
Before taking your new toy out for the weekend, familiarize yourself with it. Read the owner's manual and go over the equipment from end to end until you know where the controls are and how they operate. Only after you're completely knowledgeable with the basics of maintenance and operation is it time to play. The test ride or shakedown is one way to test your basic abilities and familiarize yourself with how the machinery handles. Take it slow and easy. Start with basic maneuvers; then you can build up speed and complexity over a period of time. Remember, one test drive doesn't make you an expert. It may take many outings before you're capable of handling the machine under all speeds and conditions.