Got Some Not So Good News This Morning

[Bob_Roller]

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 !

[Justin B.]

Damn, there is nothing I could think to say to anybody that had that happen to them.    I just hope the bastard gets what he deserves...   [smiley=behead.gif]

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Heads should roll, indeed.  Might straighten up this country real fast!

[airhead]

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.......................;-)  

[Bob_Roller]

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 !

[Ed Miller]

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!"

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

"Cars and big trucks are cool."


And you don't have to bother with nuisances like turn signals and the like, either...

[nhmaf]

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.

[airhead]

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..........................;-(

[Bob_Roller]

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 !!!

[dewjantim]

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.

[benlawlor85]

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