Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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26 UCW SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2015 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 4624 BRAGG BLVD. COLDEST DRINKS IN TOWN! SEPTEMBER 11 •INFIDELS 9/11 RIDE at Fort Bragg Harley Davidson. Find out more at w w w.fortbraggharley. com or by calling 910- 864-1200. SEPTEMBER 12 • 10TH ANNUAL SHOP WITH THE SHERIFF CHARITY RIDE Registration at 8:30 a.m. Ride 9:30 a.m. $15/rider- passenger. Rain Date 9/19. Benefit deser ving children of Cumberland Co. Call 910-849-7143 for information. SEPTEMBER 12 •OMEGA GYMNASTICS EXHIBITION FUNDR AISER at Fort Bragg Harley Davidson. Find out more at w w w. fortbraggharley.com or by calling 910-864-1200. SEPTEMBER 19 •VISION RESOURCE CENTER FUNDR AISER at Fort Bragg Harley Davidson. Find out more at w w w.fortbraggharley. com or by calling 910- 864-1200. I always get a strange feeling when I pass by a roadside memorial. A few months ago, I came across this memorial about 500 yards away from the Harley-Davidson factory in Kansas City. I won- dered what the story was behind this man's depar- ture, but it was probably the same as many memo- rials. Sadly for this man, it was his last ride. Anyone who rides motorcycles wonders about the possibil- ity of dying on a bike. Let's face it; motorcycling is an inherently dangerous mode of travel. According to the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration, in 2013, motorcyclists were about 26 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash per vehicle miles traveled and five times more likely to be injured. Of course, those numbers are hard to relate to as to why someone dies. Time and the ability of medical personnel have everything to do with your survival. The time it takes for someone to get to you and get you stable is the first step. The ability to transport you (i.e. medical helicopter) to a skilled facility to do lifesaving surgeries increases your odds of survival. Of course, you have a part too. Wearing the right clothing and the proper headgear can decrease the odds of you having a more severe accident. Being a good motorcyclist also requires you being responsible for yourself and your family. You owe it to your family to make sure that all of your legal affairs are in order. You need to make sure your medical Power of Attorney and medical directives are all in order. You need to make sure that whomever you choose to make those life or death decisions for you knows your wishes. I had a friend that did not update his insurance policy. After getting remarried he died and his benefits went to his ex-wife and not his current wife. If you and your spouse ride together and have kids, I cannot express how important it is to make sure that your personal affairs are in order. Sadly, people do get hit and sadly, parents are killed leaving children behind. I would highly recommend that you talk to a family lawyer about your situation. Every person has a different situation and family dynamics that need to be taken into account. We will spend $500 on a new helmet or a piece of chrome, shouldn't we spend that on knowing our affairs are in order? As I look at various memorials across the country, I have often called these memori- als the "point of no return." It is the point that someone has left this life. I wonder about the family and friends that continue to grieve and my heart goes out to them. So as we head into the prime of riding season for the Carolinas, be sure that you gear up cor- rectly, communicate with your family, make sure your affairs are in order, ride safe and return home safely. If there is a topic that you would like to discuss you can contact me at motorcycle- 4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE! The Point of No Return by JIM JONES For the latest News, Views, Art and Entertainment www.upandcomingweekly.com www.upandcomingweekly.com JIM JONES, Motorcycle enthusiast, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. Every ride could bring you to the point of no return. Be smart. Be safe.