Saw a guy make decision that killed him

Only two kinds of riders. Those that have crashed and those that will

 

dont discount inexperience. Ive known a few inexperienced SOBER people that have wrecked, knew of one guy that wrecked speeding and lost control hit the curve sign so hard it snapped his neck--he did have a helmet but didnt matter, saw one guy dead in the median speeding--I dont know if alcohol was involved in that one. So not just alcohol and inattentive drivers. Ive seen experienced drivers also dump a bike showing off...

 

Sure, lots of reasons, but over 30% of deaths are due to alcohol and almost 50% are due to vehicles turning left in front of a bike.

 

One or the other would have more than likely died being minus a helmet . Just my opinion

 

Complete idiot!

 

Definitely. I don’t understand helmet laws. Cars must have seatbelts and drivers must use them. Bikers should have to wear helmets. I personally never have a rider, and don’t have bikes with pillions, but at the very least the rider should be required to have a helmet.

 

Kind of a shame that helmet/seatbelt laws are needed requiring you to do something that should be common sense.

Makes you think of the adage of why is common sense so uncommon.

 

Agreed. I had fun for 10 years when I was in my twenties with some nice Honda's and BMW's, but got to a point where it was more worry than fun.

 

Update;

Come to find out they guy, approx 26 had a rap sheet a mile long. Several felonies of intent to distribute, possession, driving while under influence of drugs multiple times.
Suspended license, no insurance, no tag on bike.
The girl is in a medically induced coma and also has a similar past.

Rumor is (just rumor) that there were drinking at a friends house before going on the ride.

The girl they hit turned out to be a friend of mines 16 year old sister.

 

I took the MSF course in 1992, showed up on my own motorcycle ( ‘79 Yamaha XS1100 Special) and had to ride the bikes in the course (Honda 125 with special light bars so the instructors could see which controls you were operating)
I learned a lot, and felt better for having taken the course.
The instructor rode a full dress Goldwing, had the flashing brake light and he had just installed the flasher on the headlight. had all the gear.
Month after i took the course he was stopped at a light around the corner from the lot where the course was held, some one creamed him from the rear.... he didn’t have a chance.
Educating the rider is only part f the battle.

 

Damn, hopefully the friends sister wasn’t at fault and looking at charges. And hopefully the female rider pulls through

 

They piss off people in front of you, sometimes those people try to take you out.

 

I've ridden motorcycles for 35 years. Are they more damgerous than sitiing on your couch or driving around in your 4-door grocery getter wannabe truck? Probably. At least I'll be doing something fun when some senile bluehair idiot pulls out in front of me and kills me. Way she goes...

 

People don't always see bikes, due to size, speed or blind spots. Hope the passenger pulls through and the young lady driving the car rocovers emotionally from this.

I've been riding for 35 years, some cruisers, but mostly crotch rockets. My last bike was crazy fast - Kawi Z1000... Never dropped it or hit anything, although every single time I rode it (or any other bike for that matter) someone cut me off. That's a reality of motorcycle riding.

When you ride, you have to drive like everyone is trying to kill you. You have to assume no one can see you.

I couldn't imagine riding without a helmet!

 

Yeah, even before cellphones I got tired of competing for roadspace with larger vehicles in urban areas. Left-turners in front of you on the street, lane-changers coming at you left and right on the freeway.

As a rider you have to accept that most of the burden for safe riding is on you. That's just how it is. Out in the boonies, what a blast. Urban, what a PITA.

 

Yup.

You use the modulator judiciously, don't keep it on all the time. Don't bother people with it, click to lowbeam and the modulator is cut off. http://www.americade.info/modulator.htm

"While use of a modulator is indeed legal, some common sense should be used while it is in operation. Since it can be switched on and off at will using the headlight dimmer switch, there are times and situations in which it is reasonable and proper to turn it off."

 

Education is knowing where you are at risk. Intersections are kill boxes. The MSF course should teach to leave an exit when stopped and always watch your mirror for someone about to run you over. It should teach you to stop on the driver side lane so you are in their vision, flash brakes, always be in first, and be prepared to move quickly if your about to be hit. It won’t always save you, but it should teach you where the biggest dangers are and how to deal with them.

I control the people behind me and always slow them down before I have to stop. If someone wants to tailgate me, we go really slow until they get the point or go around.

 

Whether it's driver carelessness or biker stupidity it's usually the biker that pays the higher bill. Over a million die around the world every year from so called accidents. Some of us survive our stipid moments and others don't or cause other deaths instead. Be grateful you weren't either party, it's not like it won't happen again a thousand times tomorrow.

 

It's also traumatic for the person that turns in front of the bike. Generally, they really did not see the oncoming bike. They saw the car behind the bike, thought they had room to turn, then blam.

Those tips and many others you learn with experience. I won't slow down for a tailgater though. Move over and let them through. Staying in a lower gear on the freeway, yes, so you can accelerate out of trouble if need be.

Head swiveling all the time on freeway, checking your mirrors, looking ahead three vehicles, planning your empty spots. The object is to maximize your roadspace.

 

My approach with tailgaters is my safety. If I have to stop suddenly, I want that to happen at a lower speed and not faster. I want them slow when they are 10 feet off my fender. I also don’t move to the right of the lane as that encourages lane sharing, which is dangerous to the biker.

I ride the same route every day and have 3 intersection I know are problems. I plan my escape route before entering. Speed is my friend and my enemy, knowing when to use it and when not to is important. Lane selection is important as there are times to be left, right, or center. Curve setup with an outside, inside, outside approach and understanding when and how to brake in a curve. On and on...

My son and daughter both ride. Both took the MSF course, and the Daddy course, plus I ride with them and discuss issues all the time. They are in their 20s, but are willing to listen.