"I didn't see him"

[rockworm]

Be careful out there.

 

I just got back from the scene of a collison. I witnessed a young rider on a sport bike get hit head on by a van making a left turn in front of him. The young man appears to be OK. He had a good helmet and leather jacket. Unfortunately he did not have proper riding pants or boots and got a good case of road rash.

 

I was stopped at a red light, first vehicle in line. I was waiting for the light to change, not really paying attention to anything other than the stop light. The rider and van had a green light. The next thing I hear is a bang and see a guy flying about 15 feet straight up in the air then land in front of me. It was the eeriest thing I have seen in a long time. I got out of my truck and went right to him. Others came and I made sure that no one took his helmet off. One said she was calling 911 so I did not have to. A physical therapist then came up and asked the rider if anything hurt. He moved his legs a bit and he said his ?alls hurt. I wanted to laugh, only because it meant he had feeling in his lower extremities. That is a good sign.

 

I went over to the bike and it was still running. I hit the kill switch. The bike was in pretty bad shape. Next I went to the van that hit him. The driver was a young girl who was visibly shaking. I convinced her to get out of the van and off to the side of the road. I spent time with her to help calm her. She was in the wrong and she knew it. At this point, she did not need anybody to tell her. She just needed someone to be there until her dad arrived. I stayed with her and talked to her.

 

The front of the van was damaged and the windshield was completely shattered. i would say that the helmet hit the windshield top on. The angle of the van front sent the rider straight up in the air.

 

I just had to talk about it to someone and this group is the best.

 

Ward

[Cougar]

Glad the kid is alright!

You did a good thing and all the right things!

Nice to have somebody like you around when things like that happen!

GOOD JOB!

 

I need to find those bumper stickers again, saying..

Be Careful Out there -- There Are Motorcycles Everywhere!

Jeff

Edited April 16, 2009 by Cougar

[RandyR]

ouch.

 

Hopefully no serious internal injuries for the rider that show up later.

[ToRide1]

Should have taken her cell phone and looked to see if she was talking ot texting just then.

We are seeing a lot more of this and all to many are getting away with because no one stops to think about it.

[rockworm]

You are right about people not thinking of it. I never thought of it either. Maybe the police will take a look. There is always that possibility that she may have been on the phone. She was on it when I got to the van, but she was calling her Dad.

 

Should have taken her cell phone and looked to see if she was talking ot texting just then.

We are seeing a lot more of this and all to many are getting away with because no one stops to think about it.

[rockworm]

Thanks Jeff. When I got back on a motorcycle a few years back I did a lot of reading and knew what had to be done. I was surprised at how quickly I knew what to do. I think the kid will be OK. They took him by ambulance to the hospital. As much as we Canadians like to moan about our "free" health care system, emergencies are taken seriously and I doubt he will be leaving the hospital tonight. My wife is a nurse at a hospital and she told me this. And I always believe everything she says.

 

Glad the kid is alright!

You did a good thing and all the right things!

Nice to have somebody like you around when things like that happen!

GOOD JOB!

 

I need to find those bumper stickers again, saying..

Be Careful -- There Are Motorcycles Everywhere!

Jeff

[Marcarl]

Our best defence against this happening:

1) Use your high beam at all times, except with oncoming traffic at night.

2) Ride the speed limit, especially in built up areas

3) Ride the left track on a two lane, right track when in the left lane on a 4 lane and if there are more lanes than 4, ride the outside lanes and in the proper tracks.

4) Never veer to the right when going straight through an intersection.

JMT

Carl

[Monty]

That is one reason I carry a full medical pack with me. I even have a C-collar.

[autopilot]

Glad it wasn't more serious for the rider (really, for either of them). It's a hard way for the girl to have to learn a lesson, to be sure. Hopefully, she will take the experience forward and ALWAYS double and triple check when making turns.

 

Rockworm, ya done good, brother! I'm sure both the biker and the girl appreciated what you did for them. I'm also sure the girl's dad appreciated your tending to his daughter, the way you did. Both of my sons are grown now, but if, God forbid, they were involved in an incident, I would hope that someone like yourself would be there and take it upon themselves to help them the way you helped that biker and the girl. For what it's worth, you scored high in my book, buddy!!!:happy34:

[VTirelli]

Should have taken her cell phone and looked to see if she was talking ot texting just then.

We are seeing a lot more of this and all to many are getting away with because no one stops to think about it.

 

 

Putting on my 'cop hat' here, but that's not anyone's job. If his lawyer chooses to subpoena her records later, they can.You might only screw up any civil case he might have later. And in most cases, unless an officer PERSONALLY sees an offense, he can't issue a summons,

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Putting on my 'cop hat' here, but that's not anyone's job. If his lawyer chooses to subpoena her records later, they can.You might only screw up any civil case he might have later. And in most cases, unless an officer PERSONALLY sees an offense, he can't issue a summons,

 

Folks this is absolutely true. In my line of work, if you are involved in an accident, especially with injuries, there is a post-accident test for alchohol and drugs, engine and vehicle telemetry is downloaded, and cell phone records are checked (later). Its the age of cover-yer-ass litigation.

 

For my riding buddies who use bluetooth cellphone headsets while riding, if you are involved in an accident, and could otherwise prevail in a lawsuit, you may find out your cell phone calls just previous to or during an accident will nullify your case. Riding and cell phones dont mix.

[juggler]

Should have taken her cell phone and looked to see if she was talking ot texting just then.

We are seeing a lot more of this and all to many are getting away with because no one stops to think about it.

 

 

This kid on the motorcycle is lucky to be alive.

 

 

Side note - I was driving home today and saw a kid texting and walking. He walked straight into a parking meter. BONK! I had a good laugh.

[saddlebum]

It isn't just kids you see text messaging it's older and so called wiser people as well inc mothers. In Ontario it is illegal to use a cell phone while driving so more and more people text message keeping there cell phone below the steering wheel of course this means they are looking down not ahead:bang head:

[bongobobny]

Just mlike drinking and driving don't mix, cell phones and driving don't mix. In New York state she would have been ticketed for using her cell phone while driving...

[timgray]

It's a hard way for the girl to have to learn a lesson, to be sure. Hopefully, she will take the experience forward and ALWAYS double and triple check when making turns.

 

This is not always true. My sister in law has rolled her car 4 times, hit a motorcyclist, been in several accidents that were her fault.

 

None of those have her driving any safer, she just rolled her Yukon again a month ago, took a turn at 50mph while on the phone and not paying attention while in a "hurry".

 

P.S. she is not dumb, she has 2 masters degrees. It's just that some people should not be allowed to drive, but it's really too easy to keep your license when you are wreckless and a danger to everyone around you. My sister in law is one of them, and she will hurt someone again.

[timgray]

And in most cases, unless an officer PERSONALLY sees an offense, he can't issue a summons,

 

Yup, Had a family plow into the rear of me at a stop light at nearly 30mph 4 years ago. rearended me and nailed the car so hard I was 30 feet past the intersection. when the officer arrived I pointed out that the 3 tiny kids in the car, and asked, where's the car seats?

 

He said that he cant write them a ticket because he did not see the kids in the car when it was going down the road, I could not believe that.

[Guest seuadr]

it's a shame, but thank God the rider was OK.

 

I hope both the rider AND the girl tell everyone they know about it, and it inspires a little more awareness out there.

[rockworm]

seuadr, I agree completely. I have been telling people here at work, both riders and cagers, just so they are aware of what can happen. Maybe, just maybe, they will be more careful out there.

 

it's a shame, but thank God the rider was OK.

 

I hope both the rider AND the girl tell everyone they know about it, and it inspires a little more awareness out there.