Rider Down!

[mcycle-nut]

I had the news on the other night while I was making dinner and heard something about "motorcycle accident." I made it into the living room just in time to see just in time to get a peek at the mangled bike. It was "smurf blue" with highly polished aluminum. I said to my wife, "That looks like Andy's bike, you know, the Hyabusa!" 8O I'm not really friends with the guy, but we say hi to each other in passing and know each other's bikes. I asked around, and sure enough, it was Andy involved in the accident. These details are second hand.

Turns out he and a buddy were out riding, they passed a mini-van missing the sliding door and could see the occupants drinking rye. The van had their turn signal on so they thought nothing of it. They stopped at the light, they buddy reached out to tap Andy on the arm to say something to him. He got his arm whipped foward because Andy got launched into the car in front of them! You guessed it, the mini-van full of drunks rear ended Andy! Apparently, Andy just happened to glance in his mirror to see the van on his ass. All he could do was stand up. I'm not sure if he went through the rear window of the car in front of him or what, but according to what I heard "he had his bell rung really good."

Luckily for Andy he had started wearing the best in riding gear. I think he even started wearing Kevlar underwear! The weird part of it is that he thought it was "his year" to get creamed, that's why he started gearing up.

After the impact, he actually stood up! He was then told to lie down and passed out for a bit. Fortunately for him, the car he got rammed into had a vacationing ambulance attendant in it, so first aid was IMMEDIATE! They took him to hospital, X-Rayed him, and let him go. He took a cab home, as his wife was in England. She called that night, and he lied his ass off when she called so as not to spoil her trip. "Yes dear, everything's ok, etc, etc."

Andy? Well, the doctor told him not to work for six months, he's on pain killers, he gets dizzy spells and flashbacks of that mini-van in the mirror. I was told he may never ride again, but somehow I doubt that. Still, he's lucky to be alive.

[marvinsc]

DAMN! I hate it when something like that happens. I get real Nervous when I take my Daughter for rides because of that Precise situation! :?

[earlfor]

I think the "left turn in front of you" is the most often occurring danger, but a close 2nd, due to severety is being hit from behind while stopped. Its a difficult one to guage from watching in a mirror. I have made it a habit whenever stopping at a red light, to pick my exit and stop lined up on it.
Until I have at least 3 cars stopped behind me, I'm as ready to get outta there as I would be at the dragstrip watching the tree. I once ran a red light I was stopped at because a police car came up too fast for me to sit there and wait and see if he was really going to stop. :-) When the light changed, the cop caught up to me, blue lights and all. :-) I told him why I went through the light. No ticket, no warning, he just checked my license and said have a nice day. :-)

Earl

DAMN! I hate it when something like that happens. I get real Nervous when I take my Daughter for rides because of that Precise situation! :?

[Desolation Angel]

Did the van run or stop? :?

[mcycle-nut]

The van stopped. Turns out the van was uninsured and the driver had a suspended licence AS WELL as being p issed! :?

[Desolation Angel]

D@mn those kinda people make me mad!!!!

[robinjo]

B*st*rds

[LW_Icarus]

the punishments for driving intoxicated, and for driving without the priveledge of doing so ( no license/insurance) need to be ramped up considerably.

they are precisely the people that cause the worst and most frequent accidents out there.

glad your buddy is still with us, hopefully in due time he can get on a bike again, and I sincerely hope the driver of that van gets a punishment to fit his crime.

[scotty]

cages are dangerous as i also found out last year.

Maybe if you get a chance, you could tell him the gs gang is thinking of him.
earls precautions are what i use now in adition to the advice someone gave me last year.Something like this' If you see any possibility of anything getting in your way slow down or stop'
Im trying to do that these days.

[Peppermint Patti]

I second Scotty's motion, to let him know the gs'ers are thinking bout him.
Wish him the best from all of us, and let him know he is in our thoughts.

I rode all weekend. On Sunday, I attended the funeral services of Betty Wilson (Camp Verde AZ.), a member of MMA (Modified Motorcycle Assn.) and CMA (Christian Motorcycle Assn.-Mike Dole's group)...She and her husband were coming home from a run and were hit by a cager. Lovely woman. She was riding on the back of her husband's bike. He is busted up pretty bad, She didn't make it. Lovely Service. They also had a blessing of the bikes. There were A LOT of bikes. VERY few rice burners about 3, mine the only GS. (Sure did get lots of attention from the over 100 Harley dudes there....Must be 'cause it's pink...)

Biker funeral services are pretty sad stuff, when you're standing right there at the church.

Be careful one and all. We need each other. We care about each other.

Luv, pmint 8)

p.s....Is it me, or does there seem to be a lot of threads about accidents lately? :?

[jtcrespo]

p.s....Is it me, or does there seem to be a lot of threads about accidents lately? :?

That's a trend I've noticed on all of the motorcycle forums I frequent. Scares me in a bad way.

I went to TWO in Suches,GA this weekend and on our way up, we saw a rider down in the middle of the highway. There were three people standing around someone who was face down and they weren't trying to help him. My only conclusion about his health was less than optimistic. As I was passing this scene and praying for the fallen rider, four more bikes passed us at speeds in excess of 100mph and continued to accelerate up the highway. Later I sat at a store discussing bikes, lives, and dreams with friends as we were all very moved by what we had just seen. We also discussed the amount of people who ride with no gear and no training as several bikes passed us with T-shirts, and riding wheelies and hauling backside into the mountains. Every time we stopped in the hills, we could hear sirens from ambulances running through the mountains. I've been in more close calls recently than I've ever experienced due to inattentive cage drivers or people who just don't care.

While I've always been a very attentive rider, I've found myself more nervous than ever lately and it has seriously taken away from my enjoyment while riding.

Sorry to lay that on everyone, but it's been a tough weekend for me when it came to riding motorcycles. I have a 3 day motorcycle tour of Civil War battlefields and museums planned for the weekend after labor day, so hopefully I'll get over it by then.

[marvinsc]

]


Sorry to lay that on everyone, but it's been a tough weekend for me when it came to riding motorcycles. I have a 3 day motorcycle tour of Civil War battlefields and museums planned for the weekend after labor day, so hopefully I'll get over it by then.[/quote]

That sounds like a Great Trip JT. There are a lot of Civil War Sites within a half day drive/ride of here. I'd like to do a long weekend tour sometime. Hope you stay safe and enjoy it.

[earlfor]

I can only tell you what I do JT. I figure I need to be riding at about my 99th pecentile. Some days, I get on the bike and in 1 or two miles, its obvious I'm
off my stride and it doesnt feel quite as effortless as normal. I notice, after the fact, small things I didnt see that I should have. Theyre mostly unimportant to my ride, but missing them is important. If you feel like youre not doing as well as you should and you hear the little voices, go home and read the GSR or something. I do. If your concentration is spent on worrying about the traffic and conditions rather than working through them, go home. I have no problem with turning around and parking the bike. If for whatever reason, I dont feel good/right, its best not to go. I want all my focus and coordination, all the time.

Earl

Sorry to lay that on everyone, but it's been a tough weekend for me when it came to riding motorcycles. I have a 3 day motorcycle tour of Civil War battlefields and museums planned for the weekend after labor day, so hopefully I'll get over it by then.

[Peppermint Patti]

I'm with you Earl. There are times when I'm a bit uneasy before riding. :roll:
.......When I know I'm not at my best and I take that as a sign NOT TO RIDE right now.
How true about needing feel 100%...
8O See, Earl...You can't live as long as you and I have, without learning SOMETHING !!! 8O

pmint 8)

[jtcrespo]

Oh trust me, I get "The Vibe" and turn around to go home as well. It's just starting to freak me out that there are so many more deaths this year than normal. I'm now getting "The Vibe" and not leaving home at all! Since my last post in this thread, I've heard that a guy that I knew from another forum passed away last night in a motorcycle accident. Most of the riders that I know of that have gone down, are men and women with experience and knowledge of motorcycles and how to ride them. My heart goes out to everyone, but it's getting ridiculous how many people are passing away lately whether it is their fault or not.

I'm seriously considering taking some time off from riding and starting a frame-up rebuild on my bike when I finish my trip next week. It'll give my mind time for the "Desire To Ride" tanks to fill up, and the "Fear of Riding" tanks to go down. It's just that due to all of the tragedy, the desire to ride is not as strong as it usually is. I'm still hoping that I'll snap out of it soon though. The weird part is that I'm usually the non-emotional and never afraid type and this has me all messed up right now.

Be safe and Be careful everyone!!!!