Truly they are. Alcohol slows reaction time and that's a bad thing.

I don't know how many times I or our friends yanked his bike keys.

He moved out of state and was killed on the bike.

My brother's wife was killed last year while riding on the back of a motorcycle. The guy driving the cycle slammed into an oncoming car. She was thrown off and killed instantly.

I was never a member of a "gang", rode alone. But every now and then I'd catch up and we'd talk about who was no longer with us.

So young.

Commiserations to all who have lost family and/or friends.

A couple years as a teen I'd get blasted and ride with a friend on a series of logging roads. Once I started riding on "real" roads, I quickly realized that the people in the cages provided way more than enough excitement and challenge. Although I ride a lot, whenever I start feeling complacent on my bike, I let it sit in the garage a few days.
I know riding isn't as safe as being in a car, but the risk is worth the benefits. Being messed just lowers the benefits and totally skews the risks into near suicidal. I'm glad I learned that early enough. Sorry to hear about your friend.

Too much to drink, an ex-GF, and a ZX-11. When I woke up the next day and realized what I had done, I actually got the shakes. Never again.