George Clooney's Harley Crash Begs the Question:
Are Celebs Good, Bad, or Irrelevant to Motorcycling?
Last week's accident involving actor George Clooney has pushed the topic of motorcycling into the news, and mainstream media are abuzz about the misfortune that befell the star of Ocean's 11 and ER (irony only partially intended.)
Clooney was reportedly riding his Harley-Davidson in the right lane when he was clipped by a 1999 Mazda Millenia, and while he claims that the driver attempted to pass him and turn right, the driver asserts that Clooney was attempting to pass him on the right, which is illegal in New Jersey, where the wreck occurred.* The unfortunate incident resulted in a fractured rib and road rash for Clooney, and a broken foot for passenger and girlfriend Sarah Larson. Both were wearing helmets.
Celebrity motorcycle accidents go back to the days of T.E. Lawrence's infamous fatal crash, and the inevitable helmet debate has been revitalized by everything from actor Gary Busey's life-changing wreck to athlete Ben Roethlisberger's two-wheeled brush with death.
While Clooney's crash will probably go down as a minor footnote to the long list of famous people to fall off a bike, it does-- at least for the moment-- beg several questions: Do celebrities ultimately draw positive attention to the dangers faced by motorcyclists every day? Do they trivialize them because their personalities overshadow the issues themselves? Or, do they simply have no effect on the day-to-day existence of the average motorcycle rider?
Sound off by posting a comment.
* It appears that charges won't be filed against either party since it has effectively turned into a "he said vs. he said" case.
Photo © Mike Carrillo / Getty Images
Comments
For me it just reinforces the practical – wear a helmet and protective gear, obey the traffic laws and ride defensively. Interestingly, someone spotted Clooney before he left Manhattan and reported it on gawker.com
Scottie,
Strangely, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a shot of a celebrity wearing an armored jacket, and a skullcap-style lid hardly qualifies as a helmet.
Reminds me of how Marlon Brando once warned James Dean about motorcycling by saying that, as an actor, he was risking his greatest asset: his face. I’m glad Clooney is OK, but it’s staggering what he– or anybody, for that matter– risks when not wearing a full face helmet and armor.
Basem
I must confess that I have an open face helmet (which is Snell rated), but now that Shoei has their Multitec flip face, I may soon choose to protect my chin.
If this were any other schmoe we would not have heard about it. From this account it’s really hard to say who’s at fault. It’s probably a little bit of both parties involved. But now all the motorcycle naysayers have one more posterboy for them to say, ‘See, See, See’ to all of us motorcycle enthusiast.
For christ sake, if these celebrities want to help motorcycling get some training and get some gear.
I’d like a flip-up helmet someday; full faces can be a hassle. I’ve just heard too many horror stories about dislocated jaws to go without a full face. I’ve even heard about a rider’s eye orbit getting crushed by debris because the visor was up in a crash; anything can happen, and the best we can do is protect ourselves.
Regarding Lucas’ comment: the gear argument is fair ground, but Clooney could be an excellent rider for all we know. Accidents can happen to anybody, especially when cars are involved.
Basem
I don’t think the “celebrity” of a person is as much a factor as how they respond to it. If Clooney comes out of this a “changed man” and begins to call for new helmet laws or changes to existing laws then his fame may have an impact. Accidents can (potentially) happen to anyone in any situtation and the media these days seems to delight in showcasing the bike accidents. Because of the increased injury potential, because of the “shock value” of the photos or what I don’t know, but they love bike crashes. Whether the rider was famous or not. Though fame does seem to have an effect on how a wreck is reported. I am a bit of a celebrity in my town (Disc Jockey) and when I had an accident it made all 4 local news broadcasts and both papers. (For several days!) In all my years here, I have never seen any other accident warrant much more than a one day newspaper article!! To recap, I don’t think the rider’s status carries as much weight as the medias bloodlust for any bike accident! All of which can be used to fuel the debate over laws and regulations.
It seems most of the time, only the negative news (accidents and injuries) gets the limelight in the mass media… so the majority of the time, the effects only highlight the negative aspects of motorcycling.
C’est la vie.
Always wear a helmet. For the record the motorcycle (with Clooney aboard)pictured with this article is not a Harley Davidson.
Mbluz,
You’re correct: the photo shown here is a file photo, and shows Clooney on an Indian.
You’re also right about helmets, IMHO
Basem
I use helmets like i use tp. Sometimes i do, sometime i don’t and either way, i never wash my hands…
I’ve only heard the news accounts of Clooney’s accident. I haven’t heard if he had a license to ride. That only matters to me because I’ve heard before that some of the high profile folks do not bother to get a license or take a safety course. Protective gear on the head and body are no brainers to me. The broken foot, means she probably didn’t have on proper motorcycling footwear. If people choose to take these risks, so be. Unfortunately, it does, I think, fuel the negative stereotypes about motorcyling.
I would like someone to tell me how any type of safety gear would avoid an accident and a broken hip. As for the broken foot, it doesn’t matter if you have on boots or tennis shoes if you get hit by a car or SUV and your foot is crushed by a cager. Over 65% of MC accidents are right of way of the motorcyclist being violated. The press gets a hold of motorcycle accidents and the first thing you hear they were not or they wearing a helmet.
Even when a illegal alien, drunk driving, with passed convictions hits a motorcyclist hear-on after crossing into the motorcycles right of way. It it a false staement that helmets will save you. If you want to waer one more power to you, but it will not save your life at road speed in an accident. Dale Andrus A.B.A.T.E. of Northern Nevada
If I can remember correctly on some Biker show a while back it showed Clooney with a group of riders for a fund raiser trying to ride his “First Harley”………..in other words maybe his first motorcycle. Of course his PA made the most of it and didn’t allow too much footage of him duck walking all over the parking lot. I bet he didn’t take a safe driving course and had no idea what he was doing in the right lane and how to avoid trouble. Typical “star” who gives all bikers a bad name. To even try and relate guys like this with experienced, safe bikers is so bad……..too many idiots being described as a “biker” when they are just “posers” and “losers”………don’t give this guy any more press as it will probably give the insurance companies even more ammunition to gouge safe bikers out of their cash!!!!!!!!
This is a good news bad news scenario. The good news – A motorcylist made the national news, raising everyone’s awareness level .01% higher. Will it eliminate cagers from not recognizing there is a motorcycle in front, beside or behind them? Probably not! Will it catch some Safety Zealots eye and get promoted up thru government channels? No! Will it be remembered next week? Probably not.
The bad news — no one followed up and investigated the accident to determine if the motorcycle was in fact trying to pass illegally or was it a case of the automobile not realizing that what he saw beside him was a Motorcycle and not a Bicycle just as he turned into the bike?
Celebrities bring public awareness for a blink of an eye, but if the press coverage is by an Non-motorcyle minded journalist, it will never be favorable for those of us that ride responsibly.
it says that the charges were dropped, so in my mind clonney must have been in the fault. if someone turned into me and hurt my lady and broken my ribs, charges would be pending……
First I am glad that the injuries to him and his passenger were not major. But it brings up the issue of armor. Motogp riders fall off at 160 mph and walk away unhurt. I wear leathers, a full face helmet, armored gloves, and a balistic race jacket. It keeps rocks, bugs etc from breaking my concentration preventing the accident all together. If he had been wearing armor he would probably had less injury. We feel invincible but history has shown we are not. We ride to live, and armor allows us to live to ride.
awwww so sorry george clooney and his friend, my thoughts and prayers are with them……be strong…….i can image how scared that accident could been ive had 3car accidents and thank the lord im still here…….by the way i am singe-george if yu just like to chat..on myspace olga from carlsbad new mexico…..GODBless to Both of you!!! take care
I thick al bickers shud only hav to ware whud they want to, and iff he had loude pipes it nevr wud have happened! — Seriously, if George had taken the basic riders course, he would have known never to be in a cagers blind spot near an exit. He also might have had a full face helmet. Body armor may or may not have saved his ribs. Certainly, I bet his girlfriend would have fared better if she had been wearing motorcycle boots.
People of fame don’t spend anywhere near the “real” time riding with clubs where safety is ultimate. You can go in and buy a 165 horsepower bike and no one asks you if you know how to ride a bike. Honestly, I spend more time talking about bike safety with my club than I have ever talked about with car drivers. Just listen to the morning auto accident report and you’ll know why. And the accidents that seem to exact the greatest amount of attention are sport bike riders doing 120 mph standing straight up. Go figure!
Clooney is “used” to being seen. Every motorcyclist SHOULD know they are invisible regardless of their social status. The he-said/she-said will only truely be known by the guilty party. Unfortunately on my bike I’ve seen both scenerios happen, the passing on the wrong side and turning without looking. Both can prove fatal for a m/c’ist if they think for amoment they are beyond the law OR visible! Remember WE ARE invisible and need to ride accordingly, with(hopefully) or without protection.
Clooney was lucky – a “skid” lid is just to avoid the law – I dont wear a full face helmet because I live in NY and there is LAW , I wear it cause your insane or have a death wish ( or both) if you ride without protection on your coconut.
As for the CE armor , carbon fiber ankle protection in my boots, Bellstaff jacket , I wear that cause I love riding and want to live to ride another day – anyone who rationalizes that the gear doesnt make you safer is fooling themselves
As for celebrities riding , they can ride 100,000 miles with no incident, but as soon as they have a problem , its front page news. Most celebs ( ex the governator) think they are too cool to wear proper gear, and will forever be bad press for bikers.
When I see those dopes from OCC riding those snap together POS death traps they make with no helmet ( IN NY no less ) I just wonder when one of em goes down , what will it do to our sport.
I hate to hear of anyone celeb or average joe biker crashing and getting injured. Clooney’s celeb status will bring to light motorcycle safety to the general public, but since it was not a near death or fatal accident, the rush to bring safety to the foreground of the news will be short lived. It still boils down to being MAJORLY careful while riding. You cannot just be watching what you are doing, but what everyone around you are doing as well. Regardless of who is at fault in Clooney’s accident, (and it is possible that the accident was totally unavoidable) had Clooney been a little more watchful, he may have been able to minimize the injuries or avoid the accident altogeather.
Ken K – MD. I hope to God ‘MD’ doesn’t stand for Medical Doctor. Witness the grammar & spelling ….
“I thick al bickers shud only hav to ware whud they want to, and iff he had loude pipes it nevr wud have happened!”
PLEASE??!! Don’t re-start that crap about loud pipes saving lives. There’s only one thing that saves lives … riding well and keeping your eyes open.
So Clooney scraped up his bike…Who the hell cares??? If it was you or I, no one would have heard about it.
Pete – Yes it does. The first part was a spoof just to get you all to read the second part.
First, there are only 2 types of bikers. Those who have had accidents and those who are going to. Second, if God says times up, ain’t nothing (Shoi, Snell or Bell) going to stop ol’ Grimmy from your appointment. Third, I can’t count the times I’ve been crusing with traffic and my loud pipes saved me from some bluehair coming into my lane when I grab a handfull and let them know I’m there. Fourth, Carbon fiber? I’ll wear my Langlutz leather thank you. Fullface Helmet? There isn’t a company that makes one that fits my big head and that doesn’t interfear with my side vision or hearing. I want all my senses unimpaired when I ride. So I wear a skull cap (see comments 1 & 2). Fifth Skills, riders safety and for gods sake get on a dirt/trail bike so you can learn “how to” react, control and fall without to much injury. And Finally Laws. Join the AMA (American Motorcyclist Ass.) strength in numbers and get together with our cousins on 2 wheels (yes the bicyclist) as we have the SAME problem. Idots in cages doing eveything but paying attention to their driving of a 3000 pound potential weapon. Laws for holding people accountable for their stupid actions like not using turn signals or making a right hand turn from the inside lane. And insurance rules that won’t cover motorcycle accidents.
As for Clooneys wreck. Was the driver alone in the car? If so, then it’s 2 (Clooney and passanger) to 1. And OCC has done more to mellow the publics view of Harley styled choppers as The early Honda advertisement of “You meet the nicest people on a Honda” did after all the Hollywood crap biker movies.
Keep the rubber down everyone!
He does not appear to be riding a Harly. Looks like an Indian to me. Check the headlight and fender light. He violated the important rule. Stay away from cages. Don’t let them get close.
I still find it a article of little help. Accidents can always happen. However we will never know how dangerous motorcycles are or how stupid the riders are. As human beings to this date have I ever heard “I was being careless and the car ran into me or I ran into it. ” I have been riding for a long time and have yet to be passed by a motorcyclist following the letter of the law or speed limit.
Food for Thought
Sincerely,
Dr. David C. Cox D.C.
only nonriders would care what happens to those johnny come lately yeppie on a harley do or say about obout anything!
It’s funny how a lot of the above posters ‘assume’…They assume that since he’s a celebrity, he doesn’t have a license; he’s never taken a safety class; he started riding yesterday. Of course the driver will say one thing and the rider something else. I’ve had drivers pull into my lane without even looking first. When Clooney was asked if he’ll ride again, he answered, ‘I’ve been riding for twentyfive years, what do think?’
For the rest of you, know the facts before speaking (or typing.)
And don’t forget that in 1902 there were 2 cars in OHIO. And they had a wreck.
Geezzz … “celebrities” put their pants on one leg at a time just like the rest of us. It’s the press that dramatizes EVERYTHING. It’s their job. Clooney’s cute, BUT I REALLY DON’T CARE. “I” just want o ride safe as “I” can.
In the long run what happens to celebrities on motorcycles is irrevelent. I was hit from behind two weeks ago by a driver who knew I was in front of her. She had been following me for 8 miles yet when she decieded to watch a large truck rather than me who had slowed for the same truck she hit me going 50 mph. I wear full protection and walked away from the crash. It is the others who wearing only “brain-buckets”, no shirt,shorts and sandles who crash that give our passion the bad name. Simply put…”they,re idiots”!
Why was this described in the media as a “WRECK”? Photos of the bike showed only minor damage. The injuries we minor. Why WRECK? If it was 2 cars it would be a fender bender. Descriptions such as this in the medis draws undue attention to motorcycling safety issues. It leads the public to believe every accident that occurs on a motorcycle is a wreck ( near fatal or fatal). I have been a licensed motorcyclist for the past forty years and the medis is always shown motorcycling in a bad light.
Most people who were a skull cap are very experianced riders. Its the ding dongs who at 18 or 40 and never been on a bike that decide to go out and get the baddest bike then decide to ride in their $500 helmet, tank top shorts and flip flops. I have been riding for 30+ years and will never wear a full face for safety issues. there isn’t one on the market that doesn’t interfears with my side vision and hearing. And why are so many of you so pro cage? Yes there are stupid people on motorcycles but then again there are stupid people everywhere. Most of them drive a car while talking on a cell, putting on make up, reading the newspaper, shaving, watching the clouds float by, ect… Again when god calls you. Ain’t nothing going to keep you hear.
What are inexpierenced riders doing on a Harley? Next time George ventures out on a motorcycle maybe a Honda 250cc would be better.
To Mr. John S Thomas…when your eyes are transfixed on the action infront of you there is no way you can see behind. Experience has NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT type of an accident. It’s clearly “wrong place at the wrong time”. Your brain will be squashed if wearing a “brain bucket” helmet and your face if not scrubbed off will never look the same. Ride safe!
What’s absolutely astounding about the fact the George Clooney fell off his bike, is that so many people feel compelled to comment!
I don’t know whether Dale (comment #12) is naive or ignorant, or both, but he sure is misinformed. His personal opinion on helmet safety has absolutely nothing to do with real-life statistics. I wouldn’t be surprised if he also believes in other fairy tales, such as “loud pipes save lives” or that “laying the bike down” is a crash avoidance technique (both deadly wrong). The only thing he is right about is that statistically, 66% of car/motorcycle collisions are the fault of the car driver.
Helmets and riding gear, of course, do not prevent crashes. And even the best gear will not do much good if a rider hits a fixed obstacle at 60MPH. But most impacts have been documented to occur at less than 25 MPH. This is where protective riding gear can prevent injury or reduce the severity of injury. This has been proven by decades of research in the U.S. and other parts of the world (”Hurt Report”, USC Los Angeles, 1981; University of Auckland, NZ, 2004; MAIDS, Europe, 2004).
In every state where the existing helmet law was rescinded, the death rate for motorcyclists rose an average of 80% within two years, much faster than the rate for new motorcycle registrations.
Sorry Dale, you obviously are misinformed and don’t have the slightest clue what you’re talking about. Your comment is not only misleading, but you are just plain, downright wrong.
Full-face, DOT-only (not SNELL – too hard!) Helmets save lives; riding boots prevent broken feet (tennis shoes and flip-flops don’t!), armored jackets , armored pants (not jeans!) and full-fingered armored leather gloves prevent road rash and other injuries. I hope all of you reading this are intelligent enough to recognize the facts (do your own research!) and ignore such absurd comments as Dale’s. Whether you wear the gear or not.
Get trained and ride smart!
Btw, some celebrities DO take safety courses. I had one in my MSF class last weekend.
To John S. Thomas, Comment #34: Wow! That’s all I can say…wow! Incredible! Won’t wear a full face helmet “for safety reasons”! I find it absolutely amazing that there are still some diehards out there who refuse to open their eyes and see the light. He obviously doesn’t know that the front section of a helmet (i.e., the rider’s face) is 50% likely to hit something in a crash and the top of the helmet only .4% (that’s zero point four!). Without something to protect his face, he might very well be on God’s list when He calls. As for me, God can wait a little longer. I won’t ride without a DOT-approved full-face helmet.
And if John turned his head instead of just his eyes, he might find out that a full-face helmet does NOT impair peripheral vision. Oh… I have the “quietest” helmet on the market (Schuberth S1) and I still wear earplugs. Haven’t missed a horn or siren yet.
George, hope you and your girlfriend make a quick recovery. Glad you were wearing a helmet.
1. Is there anything that proves or shows that wearing a Helmet contributed to less injuries.
2. Helmets in cars would be a good Idea as most car injuries are head injuries. This will never happen.
3. How cares about what Celebrities do or don’t do, driver motorcycles or get drunk, do drugs etc. they should be treated same as the common public would be and is, though in most cases.
FWIW,
I’ll have to disagree with dale on helmets don’t save lives at road speed. I dumped my ‘Wing in a tunnel on a corner where the road was completely covered with oil.
There was no way to see it until after I was already leaned over. Even WITH the helmet I had four stitches above my left eye. I would hate to see what my face looked like if I HAD NOT worn a helmet.
I had lots of road rash because I wasn’t wearing leathers. I hobbled, REALLY HOBBLED around on two canes for two weeks, then one cane for ANOTHER week.
As for gear leather isn’t really necessary. I still have a 30 year-old jacket made from something 40 material and dumped a bike because I was thinking about a WOMAN. THAT one was MY fault. The arm was shredded, but my arm only had a few scratches.
People saying helmets won’t save you and similar things are just rationalizing their own incredibly stupid choices. If they would say,”I know not wearing a helmet is really dangerous, but I accept that risk and choose to do it anyway” I would have alot more respect for them.
Actors are folks that someone else tells what to say, how to say it, how to dress, what the background will be, what they will look like and who they are supposed to be while they are working. They shouldn’t have any influance on anyone.
To me helmets are like airbags a false sense of security. Ride and drive like an idiot. It’s ok your protected. I love these stupid news stories the guy was mowed down by a semi truck. He was not wearing a helmet. I can see wearing one at a slow rate of speed it may save you. I personally don’t care for the distraction. when it’s my time it’s my time. Flame away.