Everyone Be Carefull

blue900 · Posted: April 5, 2009, 11:42 pm Post subject: Everyone Be Carefull

Finely some nice weather Today not real warm high 40s but decent beautiful day!.
y neighbors went by on their Harley's His and hers, both red they got them last year and rode as often as they could, she even rode hers to work most days last summer. I waved as they went by.
He Died today, 53 , a car turned in front of both of them. It was in town 35MPH speed limit. Neither where wearing Helmets today.
It makes me very sick and sad.

Everyone Take is easy and stay on your toes!

oldskoolcool · Full Member Joined: Sep 08, 2007 Posts: 372

It is sad.... Especially since a HELMET would have maybe saved his life. now thats even sadder.

Barbara · Posted: April 6, 2009, 12:46 am Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

Thanks for sharing, Blue. We are all one stupid cage driver away from Eternity---helmet or not. I'm really sorry to hear that your neighbor was a victim of another driver's mistake, and you are absolutely right: "Take it easy and be on your toes!"

I hope his wife will be OK, and live to ride again.

pamcopete · Posted: April 6, 2009, 6:45 am Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

Barbara wrote:

I'm really sorry to hear that your neighbor was a victim of another driver's mistake, and you are absolutely right: "Take it easy and be on your toes!"

That was not a mistake. That was careless stupidity. As for the helmet, from personal experience, your head is the first thing to hit the pavement, and it bounces, so you get smacked hard about 3 or 4 times, so without a helmet, you will either be a vegetable or dead.

blue900, sorry to hear about your neighbors. That's pretty close to home.

jimmythetrucker · Full Member Joined: Mar 12, 2008 Posts: 1283

My personal, all-time favorite punchline: "Honest, Officer! I didn't see the moder sickle!"

Too bad about the casualties. Coulda been you. Coulda been me. It happens several times, every day of the year.

blue900 · Posted: April 6, 2009, 11:22 pm Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

The wife is ok, mostly broken ribs ouch! came home today.
A warning to us all do our best not to get distracted. But sadly even that doesn't always help. All it takes is for us to mess up or someone else and we are gone.

Xumi · Posted: April 7, 2009, 12:03 am Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

RIP to the fallen brother, and peace to his wife.

I'll keep my passenger pegs down for him on my next ride.

BigGeorge · Full Member Joined: Apr 13, 2008 Posts: 267

In my 40+ years of riding I have noticed that springtime is especially dangerous to motorcyclists here where it snows almost 6 months out of the year.. It seems motorists have all but forgotten about motorcycles over the long winter until one is implanted in the side of their vehicle...Its like the first snow of winter. People are still driving like its sunny and 70 degrees till they hit that patch of ice..............BG

dpmphoto · Posted: April 7, 2009, 7:53 am Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

Today with every jackass text messaging and holding their starbucks its very dangerous. I'll ride hard to stay away from the evil 4 wheeling, grocery getting, text messaging,whopper eating,latte drinking fools that dont pay attention to anything but themselves, the American way.

jayel · Posted: April 7, 2009, 7:53 am Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

no to mention the little extras like the sand in the corners and the wheel eating potholes, you really have to keep your head focused on what's going on around you

Dunbar · Posted: April 7, 2009, 8:27 am Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

BigGeorge wrote:

In my 40+ years of riding I have noticed that springtime is especially dangerous to motorcyclists here where it snows almost 6 months out of the year.. It seems motorists have all but forgotten about motorcycles over the long winter until one is implanted in the side of their vehicle...Its like the first snow of winter. People are still driving like its sunny and 70 degrees till they hit that patch of ice..............BG

i've noticed the very same thing here in North Dakota...they're so used to NOT seeing them, they're too busy trying to keep their car from sliding off the road. takes 'em a bit to get out of that frame of mind.

jimmythetrucker · Full Member Joined: Mar 12, 2008 Posts: 1283

I always pretend I'm invisible, and I act accordingly.

pamcopete · Posted: April 7, 2009, 10:20 am Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

People only see what they expect to see. That's why a white helmet is effective. It's not that white is necesaraly more visible, but people are on the lookout for a motorcyle policeman.

That was the first thing I did after they scrapped me off the pavement...went and bought a white helmet to replace my black one. The lady cell phone talker in the giant SUV payed for it....

woodman · Full Member Joined: Oct 12, 2008 Posts: 256

I ride expecting everyone around me to do the worst possable thing. Also in cold country they arent used to looking for motorcycles yet. Theres also the problem of cinders at every intersection , like stopping & turning on ball bearings. I limit April to just test runs until they sweep all the streets. The cell phone and worse texting is getting out of hand, thnaks for the reminder

wesleyonoel · Full Member Joined: Oct 02, 2007 Posts: 60

Gents
I adopted the philosophy of jimmy many years ago - after crashing head-on with a '63 Impala with my H.D. ....... Both car and motorcycle were totaled. I was broken in many places and left some parts in the surgical parlor but was repaired back to "normal" function. I am ambulatory and able to work with no problem. I am very fortunate to be alive according to witnesses. Helmet? Nope! Personal choice - the way I still ride. Can't argue with the safety aspect of either a helmet or seat belt - just don't particularly care to be regimented........ Neither advocate for or against safety apparatus. Allow me the courtesy of managing my risks...........that's all. In the mean time, you can't see me and I know it!........................Wes

xjwmx · Posted: April 7, 2009, 1:13 pm Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

pamcopete wrote:

That's why a white helmet is effective. It's not that white is necesaraly more visible, but people are on the lookout for a motorcyle policeman.

There aren't many motorcycle policemen around here, and I can't remember what color helmets they wear. But I chose a white helmet because once in very heavy 55 mph traffic I noticed at random a white helmet way ahead through all that, when it was only about the apparent size of a pinhead. Red, black, etc., I suspect would have just blended in somehow.

Remember to try stay on your toes and in control of the changing situation at all times. Find your potential danger at all times. Also, before you start riding for the season, consider a little parking lot practice to shake things out. Do some quick stops, and make sure you aren't making rusty wide turns and so on.

Best wishes to the friends and family of the victims. We're all sorry.

Barbara · Posted: April 7, 2009, 2:01 pm Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

Hi Guys,

No matter what, it really is dangerous out there--Jimmy's right: we are indeed invisible. I asked a motorcycle officer not long ago if there was a secret that enabled everyone for three miles around to see him on his cop-bike, and he grinned and said that no, it was just people not wanting a ticket. When he is off-duty and riding his own bike, he is invisible, just like we are.

y sidecar helps, because people think it's cute and look at it. Additionally, I have extra lights and that helps, but on the down side, I am much less agile in traffic, and therefore vulnerable.

I hate rain, I hate cars, and I don't much care for the dark of night, either!

(But it won't stop me riding!)

Be Safe!

650skull · Support Staff Joined: Jul 19, 2007 Posts: 1186

A study as done on car drivers who have had an accident with a motorcycle.......In every case the driver of the car said they never saw the bike rider..........The conclusion that they come to was. In general as the majority of car drivers have not ridden a motorcycle, then while they are driving on the road they are looking out for other cars and not motorbikes and because the brain is wired to look for cars and not bikes then the drivers do/will not see you on the bike.

xjwmx · Posted: April 7, 2009, 5:55 pm Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

650skull wrote:

...car drivers who have had an accident with a motorcycle.......In every case the driver of the car said they never saw the bike rider..........The conclusion that they come to was... never ridden a bike....the brain is wired to look for cars and not bikes.

Plenty of people who've never ridden a bike see me. In addition they see dogs, cats, and UFOs. They've never ridden any of those either Idea

David Hough explains the belief that the drivers don't see the motorcycle by asking what would you expect the driver to say to the cop who shows up at the scene? Officer, I wasn't paying attention? These same people would have hit a car under the same circumstances for the most part, I believe.

Now, they did another informal study where they compared bike accident rates in different traffic density, in other words the number of cars present during the ride. The accident rates were similar, which might indicate the rider has a lot to do with whether he has an accident or not, rather than the cars.

wesleyonoel · Full Member Joined: Oct 02, 2007 Posts: 60

In my situation, the driver of the vehicle said he saw me coming and thought he had plenty of time to make the turn in front of me anyway. Didn't work that way...............Wes

xjwmx · Posted: April 7, 2009, 6:58 pm Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

I've encountered drivers who seem to sort of consider me a bicycle, like he can do anything and I can do anything to get out of the way.

Just actively use your head - think of it as skiing but with moving trees all around Smile

jimmythetrucker · Full Member Joined: Mar 12, 2008 Posts: 1283

I've seen an awful lot of teen-aged sport-bikers in heavy traffic. Bermuda shorts and T-shirts, the girlfriend on the back in shorts and a halter top, probably barefoot, four or five of 'em all bunched together, tailgating cars and raising hell in 4-lane, two-way, 50 mph traffic.

I sometimes try to imagine what the girlfriend will look like after Johnny lays it down at 50 mph in heavy traffic with her pretty legs underneat the thing and no clothing above the waist except her bikini bra. I was pretty crazy when I was a kid, but I took better care of my women than Johnny does.

oldbikenut · Posted: April 7, 2009, 8:43 pm Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

650skull wrote:

A study as done on car drivers who have had an accident with a motorcycle.......In every case the driver of the car said they never saw the bike rider..........The conclusion that they come to was. In general as the majority of car drivers have not ridden a motorcycle, then while they are driving on the road they are looking out for other cars and not motorbikes and because the brain is wired to look for cars and not bikes then the drivers do/will not see you on the bike.

I second this! Most automobile drivers look for other autos as motorcycles make up a very small percentage compared to autos. I personally(probably most of us)look for motorcycles because it's a big part of my life and it is always great to see other motorcycles out on the road!

A friend told me a long time ago when I first started riding on the streets, he said RIDE LIKE EVERYONES TRYING TO KILL YOU! and this was well before cell phones and texting. So things are only more dangerous for us!

penn71911 · Posted: April 7, 2009, 8:57 pm Post subject: Re: Everyone Be Carefull

I've had numerous close calls as well... one of my favorite ones... I'm in the left lane of the expressway, doing 70 in a 65 on my xs... Had a woman come from behind and squeeze past me in MY lane... so close I could have kicked the car... probably should have.

Just last week, 2 blocks from my work, I had a car pull out of a gas station right across my path. I had to swerve into the oncomming lanes to avoid it. I wonder if the guy even knows what could have happened or how close we came to having both our lives altered forever? Probably not.

You are right Jimmy, we are invisible, no matter how many lights, bright colors, reflectors.. or whatnot. I am invisible, and I ride that way.

Sad thing is, we can do everything right and still get creamed... wear your gear guys (and Barb!), you never know.

I am sorry to hear about your neighbor blue900, thank you for sharing.

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