One passanger + one driver on cell phone, + 85 miles per hour crotch rocket = 3 dead.

 

What kind of VW is that? My wife and I drive a VW Beetle. I HATE IT!

 

Needless carnage, I was a service manager for 13 years for one of the largest Honda, Yamaha , Suzuki dealerships in the south at the time. This was from 1981-1994 as the bikes evolved the death count and maiming went up dramatically especially so from the late 80's to just the time I got out.

It was so unbelievable that I gave up riding which was my passion from the early 70's. If you are a responsible rider you still have to deal with the cage (car) drivers. I have had both feet crushed in two separate accidents to prove it.

 

That's gruesome.

Emrgency room doctors call bikers organ donors.

 

My Father-in, who has since passed, received his donor heart from a
motorcycle accident victim. Not sure of the circumstances of the accident. Helped him live another 5 years. I figure once were gone we won't need them and if it helps someone share more time with their family, and there not all wore out, I say give'm up and share.

 

I rode bikes from my high school years up until three years ago. Lost 4 club members to car drivers in a single year. Enough for me, I quit. Some day when I move to a much less populated area way out in the country I will have another bike. It isn't always the cars, when you can go buy a 200 mile an hour bike and get on it and go with no experience its like giving a 5 year old a loaded automatic rifle in a crowded room

 

A good friend rides (rode) a big Honda cruiser with all the fairings and side bags etc. Probably the biggest available. His wife also rides and they were in south Missouri a few weeks ago riding one weekend. It was early on a Saturday and the fog was thick so they pulled off within the first few miles to wait it out when a car came around a corner and plastered him. He was thrown up into the air and landed in nearly the same place, his bike was totaled, he broke his leg in two places and his arm in one place. He always wore full leather, ANSI approved helmet, boots and gloves which probably prevented more injury or possibly death. The driver of the car was on a his cell phone.

 

OUCH! That must have not hurt for long...

Here is the best thing that the MTC taught me...
Whenever you ride, pretend you are invisible - that NOONE can see ya.
In many sad cases, most do not even bother to look.
I have saved my butt in several cases by practicing this method.
Even with the rapid multiplication of moronic drivers, I will not give up on the preasure of riding. You just have to be more defensive as ever (and carry a LOUD horn!)

 

Unfortunately, that crash is a lot more "real world" than that farce the IIHS trotted out with the 59 Chevy.

Every spring, the young bucks here get bike fever and go buy 180mph crotch rockets. By end of July, when a lot of them have crashed and at least one has died, they all put them up for sale. And the cycle repeats every year.

One of my car buddies just bought his first one at 32 years old. He admits he's scared of it. I say, why did you buy it then? Answer? "to get over my fear of riding them"

He's pretty level-headed and respects the power between his knees, but I still worry about some idiot taking him out through no fault of his own. People do not see bikes under best conditions, and when one appears out of nowhere traveling 100 mph or better, even a non-distracted alert driver doesn't have much time to react.

 

Was that your friend that teaches at the VoTech?


The thing is, I see plenty of Harley Davidson riders crusing around without helmets and darting in and out of traffic as well. It just isn't the crotch rockets.

 

No it was not Mick. It is someone named Frank, don't think you ever met him.

 

A lot of the problem is that some guys go out and buy a bike that is way past their capability. when I started riding it was on a Honda 100cc then a 200 twin honda. After that a 400 triple kawasaki my 4th year I had a 750 triple and by that time I was 18 and racing the K1 750 triple for Kawasaki. my last bike I got when I was 29 , it was a Yamaha FJ 1200 and I always had young kids on their ninja's trying to race me but I always knew that racing was on a track , not a road. I always practiced that "pretend you are invisible" style of driving because I have had many , many , many instances where someone has pulled right out in front of me. it happens in the car from time to time but nowhere near as much as when I rode a bike.
So this thread also goes to the point about if it should be a federal law to outlaw talking on your cell while driving. I know they are considering outlawing texting while driving on a federal level. I could never text and drive , I don't even have a cell phone and my last job they required that you pull off the road to answer the phone.

 

In Maine, cops and stop and fine you for distracted driving (ie talking on you cell phone, texting,etc)

 

Couple of days ago I saw a young lady driving through the parking lot while talking on her cell phone and putting on lipstick An accident waiting to happen and we havwe enough of them these days.

 

That lives up to Maine's slogan:
"The way life should be!"

Cops should do that in all states.

 

How true! They are cracking down on cell phones, texting, etc.. in a lot of areas here in Ohio, which I think is a good thing. People just don't pay attention anyhow, and the last thing they need is another distraction! I use my bluetooth if I have to be on my cell when I'm driving.
I try to get it through my daughter's head - who is going to be a new driver - that you really have to watch what other people are doing, and stay focused on what you are doing all at the same time. The traffic has quadroupled on the roads since I learned to drive, and it's rush,rush,rush... road rage... truck drivers that can't read or speak english... it's scary out there these days! God, I worry about these young kids. I keep pointing out to her when I see something stupid: There's another thing NOT to do when you're driving! Hopefully it will sink in!

 

Another thing that I see these days is young girls driving crazy just like the boys. When I was a kid it was mostly the boys that drove too fast and crazy but there are a lot more girls doing it nowadays. scarey cause there are a lot more young people on the road and most of them have cellphones.

 

That pic is very old, and from Europe IIRC.

I ride both scenes,
Got a 2005 Hayabusa I bought new, (been up to 188mph )
and a 2005 Dyna Wide Glide I bought 1 year used fully loaded.



I don't ride in the city much because of the crazy taxi drivers and how aggressive people are.
I drive aggressive, but there's some real lunatics.
Plus once texting came out fughedaboutit. Cages with no drivers.