In a Hurry? Don't be Stupid

[Wheeln]

This post obviously isnt about me because the rider was killed instantly.

In May of this year a young sailor in my area was on his way to work in the early morning going somewhere between 45-55mph in a 35mph zone and the weather was very cold and wet (but just above freezing). A police car comming in the on-comming lane noticed him and turned on his lights as he attempted to turn around and attempt to catch up to the bike to pull him over for a speeding violation. The rider apparently saw this and instead of pulling over which would mean he would be late for work and possibly UA (Unauthorized Absence) in Military terms, apparently decided to try and evade the cop by hitting the throttle and taking a sharp corner at the top of the hill at high speed. He did not make the turn, the bike went down and hit a telephone pole which threw him into the guy-wire, by the time the police car found him the rider was dead, cut in two by the guy-wire.

I dont care who you are or how stiff the penalty may be for being late to work, nothing is worth your life and never try and exceed what you or the bike is capable of, especially in bad weather. It does not matter how many times you have taken a safety course if you refuse to use any of that knowledge for even one instance, be careful, ride safe and never try to go beyond your limits.

[airforce1]

Originally Posted by Wheeln

This post obviously isnt about me because the rider was killed instantly.

In May of this year a young sailor in my area was on his way to work in the early morning going somewhere between 45-55mph in a 35mph zone and the weather was very cold and wet (but just above freezing). A police car comming in the on-comming lane noticed him and turned on his lights as he attempted to turn around and attempt to catch up to the bike to pull him over for a speeding violation. The rider apparently saw this and instead of pulling over which would mean he would be late for work and possibly UA (Unauthorized Absence) in Military terms, apparently decided to try and evade the cop by hitting the throttle and taking a sharp corner at the top of the hill at high speed. He did not make the turn, the bike went down and hit a telephone pole which threw him into the guy-wire, by the time the police car found him the rider was dead, cut in two by the guy-wire.

I dont care who you are or how stiff the penalty may be for being late to work, nothing is worth your life and never try and exceed what you or the bike is capable of, especially in bad weather. It does not matter how many times you have taken a safety course if you refuse to use any of that knowledge for even one instance, be careful, ride safe and never try to go beyond your limits.

So.
Good post.
Good message.
Didn't help the swabbie, too late.
Where did this happen?
In a way, it doesn't matter, could happen anywhere.
I rode like a fiend in Seattle years ago, was lucky, didn't get killed.
Oddly enough now, with fewer years ahead (according to the actuarials), I am a lot more careful.
One has to respect youth and skill and know that the "need for speed" does not mean that anyone is bulletproof. He found the bullet.
Good for you for (pretty much anomously) posting this safety message.

Kudos to those who ride and carefully, for they may live to ride another day!

[capncalyx]

theres a guy who rides that works on the same floor as me. We were in line him behind me, me in my cage and getting ready to turn left into the pking garage one morning and im waiting on traffic being real patient...too patient for him so he pulls out left and guns it around me. About 5 seconds later i pull in behind him. God i wanted to say something to him so bad like - i would be a little more patient especially on a motorcycle...i mean we're not saving peoples lives up here in our little cubicles. MAN! Have some patience ya'll cause u can die a lot faster on a bike!

[Musgofasa]

I have ridden with a bunch of idiots over the years. No respect for their machines or for the stupidity of other people. I have been lucky enough to ride fast on the track. You do not EVER need to ride like that on the street. The safety precautions on the track only make it so safe even for experienced riders. There are no such measures on the street. People still die under the best of conditions. Don't take unnecesary risks.

That certainly doesn't mean to not have fun, but it sure does mean don't be stupid.

This public safety message brought to you from graveyards all around the world.

Sorry couldn't help myself, got carried away.

Take care,
Robert

[Courage314]

Hey. It's America. We have the right to stand on a soapbox and shout to the masses. Feel free anytime.

[Smokymtnvulcan]

Great message!
It's like I commented about putting a clock on your motorcycle. This usually means you have scheduled places to be. One thought I had was what my son told me about learning to fly. His instructor said folks trying to be at certain places at certain times, to either keep a promise or schedule, often had them spend less time on doing things safe and more on beating the clock.

Being UA is not that big a deal where you need to risk your life, other people's lives, or that of the law enforcement officers by launching a 300-750 pound semi-guided missile into the mix.

I've done stupid chit like that but was lucky enough to survive, I suppose all of do/have at one time or another.

I read an article about helmets that the front face part lifts up along with the shield. The article went on and on about how the pivot point for these helmets was in line with the temple. Long story short, a young man wrecked and the writer stated he died, austensibly because the pivot point impacted his brain. I was really concerned, as I had recently acquired one of these helmets. Then they showed a picture of the motorcycle. It was pushed in to about half it's original length. There was enough energy transfer indicated in the picture to estimate the speed in excess of 100 mph. I don't care if you are wearing a full body helmet and a Goldwing airbag, it's difficult to survive these types of crashes. I know because I looked at these type things for 27 years until I was fortunate enough to retire.