FWD: I witnessed a horrible motorcycle accident this weekend

[Optimus Prime]

Just passing it along.
http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthread.../page/0#130425

Originally Posted by TonyM315

I was debating on whether or not to post this, but I felt there may be some lessons in it for all of us... if not humbling reminders, if not some discussion. Plus I think it will be therapeutic in a way for me to share what I experienced and what I'm feeling.

Yesterday, (Saturday) I had to run up to La Quinta and stop by my office to take care of some odds and ends before Monday. While I'm there, I get a call on my cell phone from a local riding friend who asked if I wanted to meet for lunch in Downtown Palm Springs and then take a ride somewhere. Sounded good to me. This particular friend just acquired a new Honda ST1300, which I was curious to see on the road, and maybe get a chance to ride. So, I wrapped up the stuff at the office, hopped on the K-RS and made a bee line for downtown Palm Springs (about 30 minutes due west with traffic on Interstate 10).

At any rate, I jump off the freeway and am heading towards Palm Canyon Drive - the main road running through Downtown Palm Springs.

I make it into town, traffic was light, and it was a perfect day. Directly in front of me is a brand new 100 year anniversary edition Road King with a male and female riding it. Their gear consisted of black leather vests, short sleeve t-shirts, jeans, and black beanie helmets from what I could see. Bike didn't have a plate on as of yet.

There was a point on the road where traffic totally cleared, and the Road King sharply accelerated as the road curved (blindly) to the left. I'm still behind him - but they are way ahead of me now - going (in my opinion) a bit too fast for this stretch of urban road and this curve. Next thing I know I see a car pull out from a driveway to the right, the Road King locks up his rear tire (smoke), they slam into the left fender of the car, and both rider and passenger are catapulted up and off the bike, over the hood, and land some distance away on the ground.

My stomach sank, and everything seemed to be happening in slow motion.

Immediately I pull over, grab my cell phone, instinctively grab my first aid kit out of my system case, and call 911. I run over to the two victims and both are semi-conscious. The driver of the car is an elderly woman who is staying put and is sobbing. She appeared to not be hurt.

The female rider is bleeding badly from her forehead, and the male rider's face and jaw looked like they took a huge impact. Both are laying on their backs. I will spare you all of the gory details but there was little or no chin left that I could see on the male, and on the female, she had a compound fracture on her left arm with bone exposed on her bare elbow. Torn jeans, soaked in red, road rash everywhere, mangled fingers, and so on.

They both looked like they had been through a bomb blast or something. Unreal.

I checked for pulses on both (which they had) and could tell that both were breathing on their own thankfully - although the breathing was labored. I asked each of them if they could hear me, what their name was, what day it was, where they were, etc... and they each managed to get out a few groans - that was it.

I told them to lay still. The woman was losing a lot of blood out of her arm, so I dove into the first aid kit with the plan of applying some sort of turniquet.

At that moment, a police officer arrived (R1150RT-P) and I explained to him what I had just witnessed. Seconds after EMT's arrive and two other ambulances, fire truck, and more police. Thankfully the fire station and police station were blocks away.

I step back and am continuing to tell the motor officer what I saw. Some time passes, I call my riding friend, (he's wondering where I am) and he rides down to the scene to meet up with me.

As they were preparing to transport each victim, it then dawned on me. The male rider looked familar - and when I saw his name on the form that the officer was filling out, my heart sank. This male rider was someone who I taught the MSF Beginner course to about a month ago. He was just getting back into riding after a 15 year hiatus. Now this happens.

At first I felt guilt in that I was in fact the instuctor that taught this guy the basics of riding again. Wondered if I did something wrong. The motor officer reminded me that other people who saw it happen (including me) agreed that the guy was 'flying' down this street, (only a 35 MPH zone and the guy was going MUCH faster than that) - and crashed. It was also the officer's opinion that they were not wearing adequate protective gear.

Still though, this was a very very bizarre coincidence.

Long story short, the male rider will recover from his injuries (after facial reconstructive surgery amongst other things), but the female rider is now in intensive care with a severe head injury amongst other things. I hope to visit the guy this week to re-introduce myself. Not sure what I am going to say. On one hand I'm grateful he survived, but on the other hand I'm absolutely furious.

I saw their helmets, and they were those black novelty ones. Very little (if any) protection. Next to no gear. No gloves.

Allow me to rant a bit:

I'm very angry. I'm angry that a certain motorcycle manufacturer allows helmets of that sort to even be sold in their dealerships. I'm angry that many of 'their' marketing materials (and brand specific magazines and television documentaries) show people riding 'their' motorcycles with very little protective gear in order to 'fit' with the image. I'm also angry that in the state of California, if you're under 21 you're required to take and pass an MSF course, but if you're over 21 it's optional.

This guy was just getting back into the sport and on that day he was careless in my opinion. Judging by the way he was riding - I have no idea what he was thinking. Judging by what he and his passenger were wearing... well... it was pretty much what I see most people wearing on those bikes on 'warmer' days and it infuriates me.

It infuriates me because if they had been wearing more protective gear I would have to believe their injuries MAY NOT have been as extensive.

At any rate, there's an old movie called "Tucker - the Man and His Dream". This movie is based on the true story of the Tucker automobie. At one point in the movie, Preston Tucker is pitching his idea for a revolutionary car to potential investors. This revolutionary car has things like seat belts, disc brakes, shatterproof glass, and other safety features that cars made by the 'big three' didn't even think of having at that time.

There's a line during his presentation where he says, "The big three should be indicted for manslaughter because they tend to ignore the concept of true safety in an automobile." Make your own analogies here.

People are re-entering this sport more and more. Some are doing it for the first time. They're dropping over 20K on that custom cruiser, they take the MSF course, they're educated on what to wear and what not to wear on a motorcycle, they're educated on the type of 'first bike to get'.

Then they go to their neighborhood dealership, and get caught up in 'it'... and want to look cool and want to look like everyone else. They're sold a bike that's great for what they want, but it's WRONG for what is RIGHT for their ability. Sorry, I see it all the time .

It's my opinion this guy didn't know any better and was in way over his head on a bike that big. They then buy the gear and rely on a salesperson's opinion on what to get gear-wise in many cases. They tend to get what looks cool and not what protects best. This is just my opinion, and if somebody has another take on it I'm all ears. They don't get the 'big ugly bulky heavy helmet' - they get the inexpensive lightweight beanies that everyone wears and decorates with stickers.... one of the stickers being a fake D.O.T. sticker that I've seen many of 'their' dealers sell. If you don't believe me, I'll take you to my local 'motor company' dealer on a Saturday and we'll evesdrop for awhile.

Granted, it all boils down to the choices a rider makes... but what I have a problem with are some of the outside elements that no doubt INFLUENCE, AFFECT, and ultimately EDUCATE (read: brainwash IMHO) a relatively new rider into thinking what the best and adequate choices are. Really gets my goat.

Sorry for the rant, but that about sums up my Saturday.

BTW - I did end up riding the ST1300 and didn't really care for it - but that's for a whole other post.

Thanks for listening, and I'm open for discussion if you think I'm way off base in my opinions or not. I think I'm just a little emotionally supercharged right now after witnessing something as horrific as this. Jamie (KMG_365) I have a new repect for what you do for a living.

--------------------
Tony
Rancho Mirage, CA

[rumatt]

ug

[dredmo]

Originally Posted by rumatt

ug

This story, while horrible, is not the kind that worries me. I can think of several things that the motorcyclist did wrong that I would not do.

The things that worry the living daylights out of me are a bit different.

A week or two ago, I saw a customized (softail I think), fresh out of the paint shop it looked like, and I commented to myself, damn that is a sweet bike.

I went on my way to work on some deisel generators I maintain.

About an hour later, I come back, and about 20 cars in front of me everyone locks up.

7 cars approx managed to turn around, but since I'm paid by the hour and U-turns are illegal, I keppt my nose forward. When I got to the scene, the harley ride was, thankfully, propping himself up while paramedics helped him. His bike was the first crash heap. Bent in two and separated partially from the frame. If you can picture a normal bike, then someone picks it up, bends it over their knee to where the two tires are touching, this is what it looked like.

(This is the accident I talked about earlier in brief)...

Just ahead of it was a riced out civic hatchback. The hood was crumpled and the bumper was detached.


I think the civic pulled out and T-boned the bike. Another possibility is that they both merged into the turn lane and collided. Either way, I think this was something the biker never saw coming.

Those are the ones that scare me; and by doing so, make me a more aware biker.

Someone once told me, if you think that everyone on the road is trying to kill you, you'll do fine.

That is how I drive, at least in the city.

Originally Posted by dredmo

Someone once told me, if you think that everyone on the road is trying to kill you, you'll do fine.

That is how I drive, at least in the city.

Yup, it works. That's how I was when I rode and while I still had minor incidents I was prepared

[kognito]

I used to have two friends that I road with all the time (when we were kids)

Long story short, about 15 years ago friend #1 bought friend #2 one of those piss pot beanie helmets as a Christmas gift. Few months later friend #2 is in a 5-10MPH accident, but hits his head on the curb of the road. Friend #2 dies from head injury, wearing helmet that friend #1 gave him. (if he was wearing his full face helmet, he would have survived this accident)

Friend #1 still has not gotten over the loss of friend #2. He had a good business (3 bay car repair shop) Wife and two kids. His depression cost him his business, and his marriage.

Luckily I am friend #3 and I have done what I can/could to help friend #1 and his family. But to this day he still feels responsable for friend #2's death.