The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
General Category => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: Bob_Roller on May 26, 2007, 11:24:38 AM
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I was informed this morning that the supervisor for day-shift this morning never showed up for his 5 am start. Left his home at 4:30 am on his Harley. We were notified at 7:40 am that he had been involved in a fatal collision on Interstate 10 about 6 miles from his home. He was hit from behind by a vehicle traveling at an estimated speed in excess of 100 mph, the vehicle swerved but still hit him, and the rider and bike were sent into barrier cables that separate the east and west bound traffic. Initial police report was that he didn't survive the first impact with the cables. The bike had to be cut apart to remove it from the restraining cables.
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Damn, Bob. I am very sorry.
If I may ask, what became of the operator of the other vehicle, traveling at 100+ mph at 4:30 a.m.?
I could speculate, but won't.
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The driver of the cage ( Cadillac pick-up truck) was in his late teens-early 20's. That's all the information DPS ( Department of Public Safety, Arizona's version of Highway Patrol) doesn't release any information other than basic facts in a fatal motor vehicle incident, until a final report is made public usually in 4-8 weeks, depending on the complexity of the incident. No mention of an impaired driver has been made.
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I assume he must have been on the west side, only place on the 10 I can think of that still has cables for a barrier. Small world. I was on the 10/60 at 7am. Nary a soul on the road.
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Yeah Rich, it was at 83rd Ave and I-10.
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hate to ask but i notice that 99% of the HD riders around these parts dont wear a helmet, was he wearing a helmet? sounds like one of those that nothing but a steel cage would have helped.
sorry for your loss. i have never liked to hear when a rider goes down.
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Jon, he was one that preached AGATT incessantly to the riders here at work, as we reside in a climate that is conducive to riding all year long, and have a fair amount of riders in the work force (about 75). He always wore proper protection, full leathers in cool weather, and the Joe Rocket mesh type during the hot season, and always wore a Snell rated full face helmet. There's just some situations that you just can't protect your self from without steel around you. These barrier cables have become controversial in the last 5 years or so, a lot of horrific incidents have resulted because of their use. They were installed because it was less costly than installing concrete barriers between opposite direction traffic on urban expressways here in the Phoenix metro area.
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Bob,
Steel cables are not motorcycle friendly. For that matter if you ever ride up Hayden around Jackrabbit they have these huge stones for the median landscaping. A friend tangled with the curb there and went flopping around in the boulders at speed. He survived but 2 years later he's still not right. Ride safe, minimize your risk by choosing your time and place to travel (I was taught this in flight school) and always use appropriate gear. Then realize all this may not be enough.
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This incident has me contemplating installation of more lighting to the rear on both bikes.
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:'( Terrible news. Sounds like he was doing all the right things, but it didn't matter this time. I firmly believe that when you're time is up it doesn't matter what precautions, protective gear, etc you've prepared with. But I ALWAYS ride ATGATT. Have to do what you can anyway. I can think of worse ways to leave this world. You know he was doing what he loved and he might not have even seen it coming...
The problems around here with young drivers are getting worse and worse. It's hard enough to learn the skills it takes to drive without all the present day distractions (cellphones, high-tech vehicles, etc.) They installed the cables around here years ago touting their safety - keeping the cages from crossing over into the opposite travel lanes. They are supposedly better than the guard rails (which they replaced) but I've just recently begun hearing the horror stories with these and motorcycles... :(
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Major bummer, it's probable that if a hit at that speed would be an iffy proposition even if enclosed in a cage...
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We found out this afternoon just before I left work, that the driver of the Cadillac, has been formally charged with murder, and his bail was set at $2,000,000 , so there must be more to this story. These cables have cut cages apart in some instances, but 'they' claim that these cables save more lives, by preventing head-on collisions, than they take .
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Stolen/car-jacked vehicle?
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Sorry to hear that, Bob. I hope he never felt it. God knows he must not have suffered long.
I would be raising some MAJOR F....ING noise over those cables. I have never heard of such a thing. Sounds like another lame government idea.
I saw two crazy drivers while I was out riding today. And one of them came up from behind me at a high rate on the interstate!
The other one was oncoming on a curvy minor road, and he was testing his cornering prowess right in front of me!!! >:( >:( >:(
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So terribly sorry to hear this news. I sure hope he didn't know what hit him but the fact is he should, could, whatever..have had many more years of doing what he loved. As I prepare to leave for NC on Sunday just maybe some good.(hard to figure though) will come out of this tragedy if it even reminds me once more to look behind me to see if some horrible event if unfolding with me in the cross-hairs! I know there are just some times that nothin' but nothin' will save me though, no matter what! If one is the praying type then do that...just hope that my luck isn't up yet. God rest his soul in peace and to his family, please ease the hurt with whatever you got.
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His wife's not taking it very well, her first husband was fatally injured in a motorcycle collision about 7 months after they were married, in Rocky Point / Puerto Penasco, Mexico, about 250 miles from Phoenix, on the Gulf of California. If any 'good' comes out of this, it makes you more aware of what's happening around you. And maybe makes you aware of some of the bad riding habits you have acquired over the years. It's a wake up call on the hazards of the past time we have willingly involved our selves with. Safe riding to all !
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Damn, there is nothing I could think to say to anybody that had that happen to them. :o I just hope the bastard gets what he deserves... [smiley=behead.gif]
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Heads should roll, indeed. Might straighten up this country real fast!
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A few weeks ago a married couple riding their tourer on the freeway at 100kph (the speed limit) were rear ended by a boy racer doing in excess of 180 in his souped up cage. The skid mark as he rolled over the top and pushed them was about 200 metres. They both died instantly.
As there is anti bike sentiment over here at the moment, it was reported on the front page that they weren't wearing helmets. It turned out they had been, but rescue crews had removed them. There was no retraction but one of the club members is a member of the Motorcycle Riders Association which liaises with the police in such accidents, and found the truth.
Nothing else has been heard as a couple days later some biker idiots were caught, doing stupid hi jinks on their bikes, by police speed cameras. THAT story went for almost a week.
Now if a bike rear ended a cage and killed the occupants, that would run for weeks! Where's the justice?
Bill.......................;-)
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I get the general feeling, that motorcyclists are regarded little more than road-kill. On average here in the Phoenix area, you can get more jail time for killing your dog, than killing a motorcyclist !
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Bob, if you kill your own dog you might be OK if nobody saw you. But bicyclists or pedestrians are fair game, and apparently so are motorcyclists.
Cars and big trucks are cool. You can kill people, essentially legally, by repeating the mantra "I didn't see him!"
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"Cars and big trucks are cool."
And you don't have to bother with nuisances like turn signals and the like, either...
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That is very sad news.
It seems that not just cage drivers are not looking for/seeing motorcycles on the highway - as
we just recently had a tragic accident involving a motorcyclist and a BIcyclist a few days back:
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070602/NEWSBLOG/70602002/0/newsblog
Unfortunately it appears neither one was wearing a helmet. In our "Live free or die" (State motto) libertarian
style state, there are no laws requiring helmet usage for motorcyclist, and I find that I am usually in the minority
on the road here with my full face helmet and leathers, all the time. We DO actually have a state law requiring
kids under 16 (or maybe it is 17) to have helmets when riding bicycles though.
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We just had another one last weekend. Young 16 yo riding a dirt bike off road with a pillion and without helmets, decided the other side of the road was a better option so diagonally cut across a traffic light intersection. Miss timed everything badly and was creamed, he was killed and the pillion suffered multiple breaks to a leg and other injuries.
The media treated it like he was a regular rider, ignoring the fact he was underage to hold a license of any sort (17 minimum over here), and riding off road but taking a shortcut on road. It was maddening hearing them say he was unlicensed, without a helmet and ran a red light at speed. In actual fact he was a kid with a toy who made a stupid, stupid mistake.
Like I said previously, any excuse to run down (not literally) a motorcyclist in the press and media is jumped on over here at the moment for some reason. We seem to be flavour of the month (Year??) for newsworthyness, and biased reporting.
Bill..........................;-(
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Got word this morning that the driver was sentenced last Thursday to 18 months in prison. The official investigation by police stated that the driver of the SUV never made contact with the motorcycle . But eye witnesses to the incident, claim that the SUV was turned 90 degrees as it went past the motorcycle, then continued in front of the motorcycle and then started to roll. Police guess the motorcycle rider applied the brakes too much, and the front tire skid marks showed a severe 'wobble' and then the rider lost control and went into the barrier cables separating opposite direction traffic. The driver of the SUV had just turned 18, had a blood alcohol content of .06, .08 is the legal limit for a DUI in Arizona. There were 3 other occupants in the SUV, and they were all above the limit for a DUI, and 2 were not wearing seat belts, and incurred serious injuries. The riders widow is pursuing a monetary claim against the insurance company of the SUV driver ( don't know which one ) , and has filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit against the SUV driver, but realistically doesn't expect to see a settlement.
I saw in a local paper, that a man got a 28 month prison term for shooting his dog, go figure !!!
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Sorry to hear about your boss, Bob. I hope his family is well taken care of and I'm glad they got the guy who did it.......Dew.
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Very sad story guys! Yet another story of people being given a driving lic and not knowing how to drive! Car drivers dont look out for bikes of anything smaller than them to be honest. As for the Cheese wire barriers we have them over here in UK in places but on the sides of dual carriage ways... WHY? they always send shivers up my back really what can one do to protect against it!?
From what i read turns out he wasnt rear-ended but it does remind me of Long Way Round when Ewan was rear-ended in Alaska...! lucky he had turatech panniers!
Just a not from my other post- has anyone installed the LED tail lights? if so are they brighter?
only one thing that scares me more than Cheese wire- man-hole covers they are around every corner down here in cornwall!
Ride Safe Guys(and Gals)- and remember treat every car as if they are trying to KILL YOU.
Ben