First motorcycle fatality of the year

[Rocky]

It breaks my heart to report that although our riding season has barely begun, we have already had a fatality. Yesterday, a 49 year-old rider collided with a mini-van at a suburban intersection and was pronounced dead at the scene. I didn't know the rider, but out in that relatively calm area with less traffic these things should never happen. But it was at 6:00 PM (sunny and clear) and some people just become too frantic to get home.
The very same thing happened to one of our club members three years ago - a fellow I knew very well and was about the same age as this rider. Whenever I hear about these incidents I think of my friend Gary and the terrible toll his death took on his wife and his teenage sons.

 

[shanered6]

terrible news indeed !
news witch i now to well my self ! i lost 3 freinds to bike accidents in the same year ! and then one of my brothers the year after .
i remember the hell it put my mum&dad through not to mention his wife who was 4 mounths pregnant with there first child .

 

[Rocky]

Yes, this can be a risky hobby we're involved in, but for me the joy, experiences, travel and new friends I've made far outweighs the risk.

 

[shanered6]

well said !

 

[CarlS]

Yes, this can be a risky hobby we're involved in, but for me the joy, experiences, travel and new friends I've made far outweighs the risk.

Hear! Hear! Very well said. Yes, riding a bike is more risky than riding in a cage. But simply living is risky. I don't want to exist in fear; I want to live and enjoy. That said, it is always heartbreaking to hear of the death of a rider, whether or not one knows that rider.

 

[Rocky]

Hear! Hear! Very well said. Yes, riding a bike is more risky than riding in a cage. But simply living is risky. I don't want to exist in fear; I want to live and enjoy. That said, it is always heartbreaking to hear of the death of a rider, whether or not one knows that rider.

100% agree

 

[DaveM]

It is always sad to hear of something like this and we see it far too often this side :y8:

 

[Simmer]

Sorry to hear this. I wish people would concentrate on what they are doing. Even in the cage, I nearly buy almost on a daily bases, because people are not paying attention to the job at hand. Or up here, driving while Mexican.

Dave

 

[avion]

Bad news. It's a war zone out there. I can only hope his family will find their way through this.

 

[Silli]

Some wise words being spoken here. Well said Rocky. tup

In this country cage drivers are not famed for their bike awareness, to say the least. Consequently, if you want to survive, defensive driving is mandatory. I never pull away at a 4-way until I've made eye contact with the other drivers, always slow down and check left and right at a green light.

I firmly believe that 90% of road accidents could (and should) be avoided by forward thinking.

RIP those who lost their lives. :y8:

 

[shanered6]

well to be fair over here its now part of your driving test to look for bikes ! and on well used roads there are many signs telling you to look for bikes.
and are aimed at cages and bikers.
but here the powers that be take bike safety very seriously and promote safe rideing and driving ! (think bike ! ) .

 

[Rocky]

well to be fair over here its now part of your driving test to look for bikes ! and on well used roads there are many signs telling you to look for bikes.
and are aimed at cages and bikers.
but here the powers that be take bike safety very seriously and promote safe rideing and driving ! (think bike ! ) .

Very good That's as it should be.

 

[CarlS]

well to be fair over here its now part of your driving test to look for bikes ! and on well used roads there are many signs telling you to look for bikes.
and are aimed at cages and bikers.
but here the powers that be take bike safety very seriously and promote safe rideing and driving ! (think bike ! ) .

Shane, how do they test looking for bikes?

 

[T-RIDER]

Hi all, this just confirms that defensive riding is a must. We had to do it twice yesterday. Do not trust the cage in front, next to or behind you. If necessary get away fast or slow down a lot so that you can have lots of space away from that car.
T-Riders

 

[CarlS]

You are spot on! Ride like you are invisible.

 

[Rocky]

A little information about the crash has come to light.
The rider wandered into the oncoming lane and hit the mini-van headon. The bike was totally destroyed and shredded into many pieces. He was riding one of those "cool" OCC type of creations with the extended front forks. He was a rider known to not wear any serious riding gear and chose to wear one of those useless beanie helmets.
The speed limit in that area is 60 kph (38 mph) and the road curvy. That's not very fast, but the closing impact would have been a tremendous crash.
Of course there is much specualtion as to what happened and why he went into the other lane, and as in most cases like this, we rarely ever hear the outcome of the accident report.
Regardless, it's a shame to lose a rider that way.

 

[CarlS]

Ouch! that kind of crash is usually a none surviving crash regardless of what the rider is wearing on not wearing. That is a shame it had had to happen.

 

[Rocky]

Ouch! that kind of crash is usually a none surviving crash regardless of what the rider is wearing on not wearing. That is a shame it had had to happen.

I agree. It would have been like riding straight into a brick wall at 75 mph.

 

[hemibee]

Hear! Hear! Very well said. Yes, riding a bike is more risky than riding in a cage. But simply living is risky. I don't want to exist in fear; I want to live and enjoy. That said, it is always heartbreaking to hear of the death of a rider, whether or not one knows that rider.

Well said.

Most Mondays find me posting on a regional forum about a local accident which occurred on Sunday or sometimes the Saturday accident isn't posted until Monday. It's gotten so bad around here that some of the other riders are expecting my Monday reports. I've even heard them refer to them as the MMMM or Quad M, Montgomery Monday Motorcycle Mortality report. I thought I wouldn't have to report one today but I was wrong. A bike/car accident occurred this morning. Life flight was in route at the time of the news report for an above knee amputee victim.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rocky]

It's rather sad when fatalities like these become "routine."