Disclaimer: the author is aware of the existence of responsible cyclists driving all manner of cycles. The following message is not intended for these riders, but rather for the great number of persons who view their motorcycle as some sort of compensatory utensil used to alleviate personal inadequacies — and behave as such.

The world of street bike riders could learn a lesson from Ben Roethlisberger. I am not referring to, “No means no,” although that is a useful lesson to take from the man.

Instead, I hope that John Q. Motorcyclist would learn that if you do stupid things on a motorcycle, you are eventually going to break your face.

In Roethlisberger’s case that stupid act was not wearing a helmet, but I do not mean to exclude you, man who pops wheelie on the interstate during rush hour.

Motorcyclists are already in disproportionate danger when they enter the roadway. Why stack the deck even more by being reckless?

The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety has some startling statistics. While the motorcycle population accounts for only 2 to 3 percent of vehicle traffic, motorcycle fatalities represent 10 percent of all traffic fatalities.

Also from the NETS, motorcycle accidents are 35 times more likely than automobile accidents to be fatal, and an estimated 750 people annually in the United States could have survived their fatal motorcycle accidents if they had been wearing helmets.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 45 percent of motorcycle fatalities occur without the involvement of another vehicle. This means that nearly half of the time, motorcyclists cause their own deaths. Stupid is stupid, and on motorcycles it quickly leads to death.

With this, I have a shameful admission. I not-so-secretly wish a wake-up-call incident on every reckless rider out there. I am not talking about coma-inducing brain damage or going into a vegetative state, but a little road rash would probably cause a change in behavior.

It all comes down to a selfish concern. When you and your rocket scatter like the Challenger, I don’t want to be there to run over the pieces.

That is an oft underrated tenet of the motorcycle safety discussion. Being involved in an accident in which another motorist dies imposes irreparable changes on the surviving drivers. The guilt — due or not — associated with being involved in such an event can be insurmountable.

My humble request is this: When you get on your bike, think about the drivers around you. When you choose to heedlessly risk your life on the public byways, you are not only risking your life but also the life-long well-being of the drivers around you.