Every week, I and my teammates make the arduous trek from the Tulsa metro to the wilds on the very edge of Wagoner County, there to indulge in the epic highs and lows of amateur league bowling. The voyage, lengthy and regular as it is, provides an excellent opportunity for sober reflection and meditation upon our fellows.
You know: people watching.
In my time I’ve seen it all: bumper sticker collages, multiple pairs of truck nuts decorating a single vehicle, all kinds of obtuse religious messaging, and of course the ever-present thin blue line sticker and accompanying Punisher skull. But one type draws the attention more readily than any other, even the compact cars covered in borderline-pornographic anime stickers. This is the passively-suicidal motorcyclist.
The reader will likely be familiar with the type, as diverse as it is. Sometimes it’s two people huddling together on a crotch-rocket. Sometimes it’s a small group using the highway as a racetrack and cars as obstacles. Sometimes it’s a group of aging suburbanites doing their best to look like meth traffickers in the 70’s. You may see protective equipment, or even a helmet, but seldom together on the same person.
Apparently others have noticed this too. This week the Tulsa Police Department released a statement asking residents to be on the lookout for speeding motorcyclists, particularly on Oklahoma 51. This comes after a 24-year-old man killed himself while going 150 mph as his friends recorded for social media. Last month an 18-year-old pulled a similar stunt, this time being arrested at a QuikTrip before he could find a concrete wall to decorate.
In fairness, most motorcyclists aren’t like this. As with the recent spate of shootings downtown, the problem is largely with unsupervised young people. The cops can’t really do much to prevent harm. They are directed not to chase motorcycles unless they are suspected of a violent crime, since this often leads to an even more dangerous situation.
It’s on us to protect ourselves. Give motorcycles extra space on the road. Don’t be afraid to report reckless riders. Even if the police stop them right away, they need to know where and how often this happens. Lastly, if you love someone who rides like this, do the kind thing and shame the living shit out of them.
Tulsa News
- Tulsa City Council has enacted a curfew of 9 PM to 6 AM, Thursdays through Sundays, for everyone under the age of 18 in the area within the IDL. Community members continue to gather in Greenwood to discuss longer-term strategies to support youth and reduce violence after the shooting on Juneteenth weekend that left one dead.
- Local State Rep. John Waldron got deepfaked(!), according to The Black Wall Street Times, who initially bit on the fake but quickly realized they were wrong. Wow!
- The Department of Justice has charged a Tulsa doctor as part of a sweeping national fraud investigation.
- After a lengthy hiatus, the Tulsa Reggae Jamdown is coming back! Check out the (landlocked) island sound at WOMPA on July 12th.
State & Regional News
- Governor Kevin Stitt has directed the Oklahoma State Department of Health to stop recommending fluoride in public water systems. This is likely to impact rural communities, particularly low-income people who don’t have many ways to access oral hygiene. RFK JR himself has acknowledged that this is likely to result in more cavities, but don’t worry: it’s not gonna happen anywhere important. Just here in Oklahoma. Contempt for the poor and disenfranchised? Just one more twist in the downward spiral toward the Oklahoma Standard.
- The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Texas law requiring adults to verify their age before viewing porn websites. The ruling is likely to affect Oklahoma, which has a similar law in the books. More importantly: How is Ted Cruz gonna like porn on Twitter if he has to remember his password and social security number?
- NBA Champion, MVP and Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a new, 4-year contract extension with the team worth $285 million.
- The Oklahoma Highway Patrol killed two people in Mannford during a high-speed chase that started over a paper tag. Not only that, two officers involved from the Mannford Police Department filed reports claiming that the driver had struck one of them with her car; a claim that body-camera video shows to be false.
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced budget cuts for the next fiscal year, a move that will delight small-government conservatives and cause much consternation among those who will lose their homes, loved ones, and lives when meteorologists are unable to forecast deadly storms.
Jobs & Opportunities
- Tulsa Performing Arts Center seeks a Full-Time Events Manager.
- 918 Security LLC is hiring personnel to help protect the Tulsa Arts District and Gathering Place.
- JusticeLink LLC is hiring a Resource Navigator to help those caught up in the criminal justice system get the assistance they need to break the cycle of incarceration.
- The Tulsa Fire Department is hiring firefighters.
- The City of Tulsa is hiring School Crossing Guards on a seasonal basis.
- Ascension St. John is hiring a CMA/RMA Medical Assistant for the General Surgery department.
