Two deaths this week

[Rocky]

Our riding season has barely begun and we've had several deaths already - and two this week.
As far as I know the earlier deaths were due to single-vehicle crashes - losing control and going off the road.
This week a 59 year-old man was riding on a rural road that has no serious curves, is well maintained, and one we ride on all the time. He went off the road and died at the scene.
Yesterday, a 49 year-old man hit a deer and died at the scene.
It's very sobering to hear about this, but I don't ride beyond my skills and it doesn't cause me to consider giving up riding.
Deer are a problem here, as in many places, so you just have to be alert as possible and hope for the best.

 

[ChrisAnglophile]

Our riding season has barely begun and we've had several deaths already - and two this week.
As far as I know the earlier deaths were due to single-vehicle crashes - losing control and going off the road.
This week a 59 year-old man was riding on a rural road that has no serious curves, is well maintained, and one we ride on all the time. He went off the road and died at the scene.
Yesterday, a 49 year-old man hit a deer and died at the scene.
It's very sobering to hear about this, but I don't ride beyond my skills and it doesn't cause me to consider giving up riding.
Deer are a problem here, as in many places, so you just have to be alert as possible and hope for the best.

In Australia its being hit by "4 W.D. wandered onto Opposite Side of Road" and "car driver didn't see you" and sometimes on purpose!

 

[DaveM]

Animals are always my big worry as they just come out without any warning at all. The worst crash I have had was because of a dog running out in front of me.

 

[ChrisAnglophile]

Animals are always my big worry as they just come out without any warning at all. The worst crash I have had was because of a dog running out in front of me.

Back in the late 50's, Works MV Agusta Rider and World Champion " John Surtees " , almost Cut a Cow in Half, when it wondered onto the TT Race Course in Early Morning Practice. Though effectively an Accident, the Local Farmers were protesting about the difficulty they faced with Road Closers.
The 500 cc MV was broken beyond repair!
There have been incidents since, but luckerly, no injuries.

 

[Rocky]

More details have come out about the deer crash.
It happened at 10:30 PM on a high speed, four-lane road. I was on that very same road and the very same spot yesterday afternoon in my car.
With only his bike light to see by, it would have been very hard to see the deer.
The forests are cut well back from the road and visibility is good, but at night you still have to have good lights.

 

[DaveM]

I never did like riding at night and always made sure that none of what I did was out of town

 

[CarlS]

When I lived on the preserve, I had no choice but to ride through wild animal country. I kept my speed down and my senses on hyper. I never had an accident. I was more worried abut feral hogs than dear. We had plenty of both

 

[Rocky]

Well, if there is any kind of silver lining in these tragic events, it has made the news and the incidents finally got some media exposure about riding and safety from long-time riders.
May was motorcycle awareness month and there was barely a whisper about it then

I don't ride at night outside of town away from well lit streets. I always try to get home before dark.

 

[CarlS]

I try not to ride at night outside of the well lit suburban area, However, I do ride over to the coast for night space launches. But two pr three of us ride together and we take the main roads avoiding our usual back country roads.

 

[Rocky]

I try not to ride at night outside of the well lit suburban area, However, I do ride over to the coast for night space launches. But two pr three of us ride together and we take the main roads avoiding our usual back country roads.

That's a good plan if you have to ride at night. Those dark rural roads are to be avoided unless your surrounded by steel and air bags.

 

[CarlS]

That's a good plan if you have to ride at night. Those dark rural roads are to be avoided unless your surrounded by steel and air bags.

You are spot on!!

 

[Qship]

A former co-worker of mine used to ride at night and eventually his luck ran out as well. Was on a dark, isolated rural road when he hit a moose. Don't know if that killed him or if it was the police cruiser that ran over him as he was laying in the road. Details were not made public.

 

[Rocky]

I think I remember that incident.
I had an arms length encounter with a moose on my bike on the Cabot Trail a few years ago.
It was early morning and I was heading east into the sun.
The next thing I knew I heard hoofbeats on the pavement and a huge moose was running along beside me.
I was riding quite slow because of the blinding sun and the moose was keeping pace with me. It was so surreal I could hardly believe it! I could have reached out and touched it!
I hit the brakes hard and let the moose run on by and into the forest.
I can only guess that the moose was waiting to cross the road and when I got too close it jumped onto the road but didn't crash into me.
Thanks Mr. Moose, you saved me from serious consequences!
Let me tell you, that gets your heart rate up

 

[Qship]

Dang, Rocky that was close. Good thing you slowed as it is often thought that a moose has this tendency to need/want to always cross in front of vehicles. Think that's why there are so many moose/vehicle collisions, 'cause they're dumb!
I saw this myself last year where I work where I was in a crewcab pickup and a moose came out of the woods just slightly behind us, ran along side of us, my coworker braked and the moose ran in front of us and into the woods. We were travelling about 40 kph at the time. Sounds very similar to your encounter.

 

[Rocky]

You make a good point.
When I slowed the moose immediately crossed in front of me and beat it for the woods.
I have often seen moose from a distance, and knew they were big, but to have one that close and see how big they really are, is very shocking.

I was heading for a family restaurant that was up ahead a few km's when this happened.
I told the waitress about my encounter, but she wasn't impressed and said, "Sure, that happens all the time around here. What'll you have."

 

[CarlS]

I think I remember that incident.
I had an arms length encounter with a moose on my bike on the Cabot Trail a few years ago.
It was early morning and I was heading east into the sun.
The next thing I knew I heard hoofbeats on the pavement and a huge moose was running along beside me.
I was riding quite slow because of the blinding sun and the moose was keeping pace with me. It was so surreal I could hardly believe it! I could have reached out and touched it!
I hit the brakes hard and let the moose run on by and into the forest.
I can only guess that the moose was waiting to cross the road and when I got too close it jumped onto the road but didn't crash into me.
Thanks Mr. Moose, you saved me from serious consequences!
Let me tell you, that gets your heart rate up

That would definitely increase the pucker factor!