Big Ben=Big Bang

[MJZiggy]

Right now in canada we are facing the consequences of operators of auto's using cell phones and one hand on the whell and with the inherant distraction that comes with that now common practise. This is taking innocent lives. and will soon be dealt with in Canada ,I believe.

Headsets are cheap and much safer than having to hold up the phone. Voice recogition/autodial software means you shouldn't have to hunt down numbers in your cell phone book - also, a much safer alternative. There are already laws in some areas of the US requiring headset use.

I must be horridly old fashioned. I just let it go to voicemail and call back when I get there.

[Fosco33]

It was nice to read that Troy Vincent's bikes have collected plenty of dust over his career. It brings me back to UW days - my football friends all had these little scooters and never wore helmets. Most helmets only help in low speed crashes and generally you can go more than 30 or 40 (Gibson couldn't get that thing above 20!). Should these college athletes wear some type of helmet?

[Packers4Ever]

OK getting in on this late, but check the report. Ben was going through a green light down a straight road and he hit the left front fender on a car coming from his left? Either she ran straight through the red, or she turned far too wide and into the incoming traffic.

Bike, car, unicycle....you can get hurt doing anything. This is hardly his fault.

* * * * * * * * *
Oh but Zool, it's no one's fault but his that he failed to wear a safety helmet. Granted, he'd still have injuries but maybe not as intense or
requiring that much surgery.

I think he falls into the group who feels like 'those things happen to
other people.' It's a large group.

[Little Whiskey]

This is hardly his fault.

But, Whiskey, in the end he's the one that got "jacked up". Not wearing the helmet WAS his fault. Not having the proper license WAS his fault. He's no victim.

I've been misquoted and taken out of context!!!!! RetailGuy please retract your statement, I demand an apology!!!

OK getting in on this late, but check the report. Ben was going through a green light down a straight road and he hit the left front fender on a car coming from his left? Either she ran straight through the red, or she turned far too wide and into the incoming traffic.

Bike, car, unicycle....you can get hurt doing anything. This is hardly his fault.

this is exactly why you must wear a helmet!!

[packerpete]

Talk about inconsistent and stupid laws.

I live in Cali.

There is a helmet law in effect here.

It is also LEGAL for motorcycles to drive between cars in lanes of traffic.

Even doing 90 mph on 5 lane highways. Even the CHP does it.

Like that is safe. If you dont give a shit about the safety of cycle riders (the between lanes allowance) why make them wear helmets??

Cali is one screwed up place.

[woodbuck27]

Big Ben Upgraded To Fair Condition
Roethlisberger Is Awake And Oriented

POSTED: 4:14 pm EDT June 13, 2006
UPDATED: 8:35 am EDT June 14, 2006

PITTSBURGH -- Doctors held a news conference Tuesday afternoon at Mercy Hospital to provide an update on Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s medical condition.

The hospital officially updated his condition from serious but stable to fair on Tuesday afternoon.

Ben was transferred from the recovery room to an undisclosed unit at the hospital. He is awake, alert, oriented and resting with his family by his side.

The upgrade means Ben’s vital signs are stable and his recovery is progressing as expected.

If all goes as planned he could be released in the next three to five days.

The family permitted his doctors to release a list of his injuries.

It includes fractures to his upper and lower jaw, mild concussion, a fractured nose, fractured facial bones, multiple head lacerations, multiple abrasions/contusions, loss of two teeth, chipped several teeth and no evidence of any major structural damage to either knees. A CT scan of the brain showed no injury.

Roethlisberger underwent seven hours of surgery Monday to repair the injuries he suffered during the accident.

The hospital said the next update of Ben’s condition will be Wednesday at a yet to be determined time.

Channel 11’s Rick Earle learned Tuesday afternoon that Ben did not have a motorcycle license at the time of his accident on Monday.

Earle’s source also said that Big Ben did not have a motorcycle learner's permit.

Pittsburgh and PennDOT police did not comment.

The crash happened under the Parkway East as Ben was traveling east on Second Avenue downtown near the Armstrong Tunnel.

The other car was traveling inbound on Second Avenue, and made a left turn onto the 10th Street Bridge. That's when it collided with Big Ben's bike. Police say Ben was not wearing a helmet.

Right now, the driver of the other car – a 62-year-old woman -- has not been charged.

The sport bike Ben was riding was a 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa.

The motorcycle is said to be one of the fastest on the market, with top speeds of at least 200 mph. The bike lists for just over $11,000.

A safety inspection of the car and motorcycle involved in the accident was completed Tuesday at the old Engine Co. No. 11 Fire Station in Troy Hill.

It was concluded that the bike was safe for the highway. Nothing abnormal about the car was found and was transported to the Pittsburgh toy pound.

Ben's accident put plans for Campbell's Chunky Soup up in the air. The ad was supposed to film this week.

The company is coming up with a new plan.

"...The ads will now focus on an expanded number of Steelers players due to our continuing partnership with the team," said Lisa Farynyk, Campell’s Vice President.

Stay with Channel 11 News and WPXI.com for continuing coverage of this major local story throughout the day.

[Guiness]

Gota put in my $0.02 here.

A few people have said that it's really too bad it happened, they feel sorry for him, etc.

Well, I DON'T. I could care less if he makes it through the night.

I'm a long time motorcyclist, and any one who bombs around on one w/o a helmet is an idiot. In my experience, guys who do that are 'too cool for school', which fits right in with a pro athlete, unfortunately. Anyone who does that is doing it purely for cool factor, or misplaced bravado. People like that just piss me off. I classify them right up there people who still talk about the time they hit a walk off homer at the church picnic when they were in grade 8.

There is no advantage to not wearing one, and it isn't more comfortable. You are just too vulnerable on a bike. I can't believe someone would get on a serious sports bike and drive around a city without a helmet.

I flipped my bike once. Some jackass realized he was missing his turn, and pulled made a hard right from the center lane. I was in the curb lane, hit the front of his jeep, and went over the hood. I ended up on my back, slid along the pavement, and went head first into a curb, flipping over and landing on a patch of grass.

All I had to show for it was a scratched up back, and a sore neck. Without a helmet, I expect a skull fracture would've been the result.

The moral is, I did nothing wrong, was doing all of 20 miles an hour, and could've landed up in bad shape without a helmet.

[Rastak]

Gota put in my $0.02 here.

A few people have said that it's really too bad it happened, they feel sorry for him, etc.

Well, I DON'T. I could care less if he makes it through the night.

I'm a long time motorcyclist, and any one who bombs around on one w/o a helmet is an idiot. In my experience, guys who do that are 'too cool for school', which fits right in with a pro athlete, unfortunately. Anyone who does that is doing it purely for cool factor, or misplaced bravado. People like that just piss me off. I classify them right up there people who still talk about the time they hit a walk off homer at the church picnic when they were in grade 8.

There is no advantage to not wearing one, and it isn't more comfortable. You are just too vulnerable on a bike. I can't believe someone would get on a serious sports bike and drive around a city without a helmet.

I flipped my bike once. Some jackass realized he was missing his turn, and pulled made a hard right from the center lane. I was in the curb lane, hit the front of his jeep, and went over the hood. I ended up on my back, slid along the pavement, and went head first into a curb, flipping over and landing on a patch of grass.

All I had to show for it was a scratched up back, and a sore neck. Without a helmet, I expect a skull fracture would've been the result.

The moral is, I did nothing wrong, was doing all of 20 miles an hour, and could've landed up in bad shape without a helmet.

Guiness, you could care less if a 22 year old dies just because he didn't wear a helmut? That's colder than cold dude. Unless he was mugging someone I certainly hope he recovers and learns his lesson well.

[Fosco33]

Talk about inconsistent and stupid laws.

I live in Cali.

There is a helmet law in effect here.

It is also LEGAL for motorcycles to drive between cars in lanes of traffic.

Even doing 90 mph on 5 lane highways. Even the CHP does it.

Like that is safe. If you dont give a shit about the safety of cycle riders (the between lanes allowance) why make them wear helmets??

Cali is one screwed up place.

I hear you brother. I'd only 'ride the dots' in heavy traffic. Some of these guys have no issue flying between a bunch of moronic drivers - absolutely nuts. And its kinda crazy to have someone pass you like that - especially with the narrow width of these freeways in Cali.

[retailguy]

Talk about inconsistent and stupid laws.

I live in Cali.

There is a helmet law in effect here.

It is also LEGAL for motorcycles to drive between cars in lanes of traffic.

Even doing 90 mph on 5 lane highways. Even the CHP does it.

Like that is safe. If you dont give a shit about the safety of cycle riders (the between lanes allowance) why make them wear helmets??

Cali is one screwed up place.

I believe that the motorcycle is not supposed to be doing greater than 15 mph faster than the traffic they are passing.

But, overall you're correct. That law is NUTS. I used to own a bike. I sold it when I moved to California. Never again. Would NEVER bike like that. Never. I don't live there anymore, but will never forget the first time a bike passed me on the dots. Freaked the shit out of me....

[retailguy]

This is hardly his fault.

But, Whiskey, in the end he's the one that got "jacked up". Not wearing the helmet WAS his fault. Not having the proper license WAS his fault. He's no victim.

I've been misquoted and taken out of context!!!!! RetailGuy please retract your statement, I demand an apology!!!

I humbly apologize, SIR, I meant no disrespect. Just ask Red.

[Tony Oday]

Big Ben got out of the hospital last night.

[Guiness]

Guiness, you could care less if a 22 year old dies just because he didn't wear a helmut? That's colder than cold dude. Unless he was mugging someone I certainly hope he recovers and learns his lesson well.

Nah, not really. I know I worded it harshly, and it's not that I wish him badly, it that I won't shed a tear over whatever happens.

The guy was acting like a total moron in order to look cool, and paid the price. The guy put an incredible future at risk in order to look like a rebel. When I first heard of him doing this, I thought at least he was cruising country roads on a cruiser. But he was bombing around on a Suzuki Hey-Bush. I've dumped bikes with less punch than that because I leaned on the throttle a bit too much.

[Rastak]

Big Ben got out of the hospital last night.

Smart move sneaking out, can you imagine what he looks like?

[Fosco33]

Big Ben got out of the hospital last night.

Smart move sneaking out, can you imagine what he looks like?

I don't imagine they're are any press conferences scheduled in the next, say 8 weeks. If you want to hear a guy talk who can't move his lips, watch the Simpson's episode where Homer's jaw is wired shut....

Duffman: What beverage brewed since ancient times is made from hops and grains?
Lenny: How about "Ancient Hop Grain Juice"?
Homer: (trying to say Beer) Brr! Brr! Brr!
Moe: Wait wait wait, Homer's trying to make a guess…
Homer: Brr Brr Brr! (turns the beer tap on)
Moe: What are you doing? You're getting some kind of booze all over me.
(Homer cries)
Duffman: Time's up, the answer is... Beer! Ooh, duff luck!
Carl: I never would have figured that out.
Lenny: That's the kinda thing you just gotta know.