A watering hole in the north suburbs area of Gages Lake, near Waukegan, extended shelter to dozens of local bikers as the skies opened up last week, bringing a deluge down on their heads. Jesse Oaks, the sports bar in question, not only invited bikers to take refuge from the rain under the roof of their popular establishment, they also allowed them to bring their bikes inside the bar, keeping them safe from the torrential rains outdoors. Nearly two dozen people took the bar’s offer. The group was part of a memorial K-9 police ride held earlier in the day, which saw approximately seven dozen bike riders meet at Jesse Oaks afterward.
Jesse Oaks Employees May Have Saved Bikers’ Lives
While the staff members at Jesse Oaks were just trying to be nice to their hog-loving customers, they potentially saved two-dozen lives with their actions. Motorcyclists are 35% more likely to be involved in a deadly accident than their car-driving counterparts. Heavy rains make the roads that much more treacherous for bikers, reducing tire grip on the road and the likelihood other drivers will see them. Rain is such a danger that many services have cropped up over the last few years to teach drivers how to stay safer on the roads when the rain starts falling. All of this to say that by letting bikes and their riders into their bar, Jesse Oaks did much more than keep a few dozen people dry.
Are you a motorcyclist? Is driving in the rain really as bad as they say? Share some of your experiences in the comment section below.