[CBR_Brutha]

I was on my way home from college today (Michigan to Ohio) and saw an accident happen right in front of me (opposing direction). I'm still a little shaken up. I don't know about all of you, but I just had this preconceived notion that people riding goldwings didn't get into accidents like on sportbikes. I mean, they're so BIG! Sadly, I was proven wrong today, and in a VERY real way.

I'm not sure what happened, but about 1/4 mile down the road coming the other direction was a guy on a Goldwing with one of those little trailers on the back. I didn't notice it until I saw a goldwing going through the air. At first I didn't know what it was, but then I got a little closer and saw the bike land upside-down on the freeway (70mph in Michigan). The trailer just kept slidin'. Anyway, traffic stopped REAL quick. There were cops there in like two minutes, and by the time I got up there, they had the guy under the sheet. The bike was shattered. There were chunks everywhere, and another life was lost. The hardest thing was thinking that he probably has a wife and kids at home waiting for him, and he'll never show again.

I'm sorry for elaborating, it just really HIT me, you know? Anyway, I don't know him from the next guy, but I said a prayer for him and his family right then and there, and I hope you'll all do the same. Thanks...

P.S. This SUCKS!!! What the heck is goin' on lately?!? We really need to take a look at ourselves and the poeple we're riding with and make sure we're not riding outside of our abilities! I love this sport and always will, but we need to check ourselves every once in awhile, I think. Just be careful everyone. I'm glad that some of the poeple who wrecked this week are OK, and let the other ones who won't ride again serve as reminders to the rest of us.

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~Nick
Hey squid, wanna race? No, not down that straight road...we're gonna hit the twisties. Hey, where ya' goin'?

 

[Robert]

My prayers go out to his family and friends.

"It does not matter what you ride, as long as you are on two wheels and having fun"


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Robert Basil
It ain't easy being green - Kermit the frog
But it sure is fun! - Robert Basil

 

[jk6672]

Sad, I pray for all who have gone and all that will. May god watch over all there souls.

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John
http://photos.yahoo.com/jk6672

 

[photobug]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Hawkman:
Point is, you're not safe anywhere outside your driveway.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I haven't brought this up yet because my wife is too embarrassed about it, but you're not even safe in your own driveway. At least Sue isn't in ours.

About a week and a half ago we went out for a Sunday ride. Spent 2.5 hours cruising some backroads and showing Sue the proper line through corners. She was excited to finally get this cornering stuff figured out and was looking forward to riding again the next morning (she had Monday off and I work part time).

We made it home safely. At least I did. I stopped my BMW in the driveway and got off just in time to turn around and watch Sue drop her Ducati while trying to stop. Our driveway is sloped, and she had the handlebar turned a bit when she grabbed the front brake.

The brake lever pinched her little finger against the handlbar, causing a compound fracture. She also had a few bruises we didn't notice for a few days because of the blood running out of her finger.

She's in a cast for a few weeks, but the doctor promises she'll be as good as new. She's determined to get this parking in the driveway issue licked.

The moral is: Never assume you are safe anywhere.

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"I was born yesterday, but I was up late last night."
Gary P. Nunn

 

[RC51racer]

well said Nick

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[Rug Burn]

Sorry to hear about another rider down. A trailer on a bike sounds like a really bad idea to me. If you run over something (tire tread, trash, carpet) with just your bike you may be OK, with a trailer you may not be as lucky.

This made me think of a road trip I was on as a kid from Texas to California. We were driving behind a car pulling what looked like a flat-bed with sides full of crap. We decide to pull over to a rest stop for a second and when we get back on the road traffic is backed up. Come to find out, the car had flipped over with the trailer still attached. The accident looked really ugly and I just kept thinking that we were right behind that guy. If we hadn't stopped to pee, who knows what would have happened.

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"When it rains, we all get wet, the Pope and the prostitute"-Santana

 

[photobug]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CBR Brutha:
What the heck is goin' on lately?!? We really need to take a look at ourselves and the poeple we're riding with and make sure we're not riding outside of our abilities!

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It isn't just motorcycles, it's just that we focus on the motorcyclists because we ride them. San Benito County, CA, has had 17 traffic fatalities that I know of this year. Fourteen of those who died were in cars, two were in tractor/trailer rigs. One was on a motorcycle.

Seeing or hearing about the death of a fellow motorcyclist hits home because we know riding bikes is inherently more dangerous than driving cars. How many people question the sanity of driving to work in a car when they hear of a traffic fatality?

None of this lessens the tragedy of what you saw, and your admonition to look at ourselves and our coriders is excellent advice.

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"I was born yesterday, but I was up late last night."
Gary P. Nunn

 

[Hawkman]

Our plant usually has 10 or so bikes parked out front everyday, and now there's going to be one less.

One of the other daily riders lost his lunchbox riding in last week. He parks on the shoulder, gets his box and gets run over while he's getting back on his bike. Some clown drifted into the shoulder and hit him and then kept on going. Hit and Run. I hope they find him/her and put 'em in jail for at least a few years. They'll probably never find 'em though. This guy has 2 daughters and one more on the way and they're not sure he'll ever come out of the coma.

Point is, you're not safe anywhere outside your driveway. Anytime you get in the saddle you need have your head on straight, and keep your eyes open.

Later,
Eric

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[rponiarski]

There are a lot of losses this year. I am sorry to hear about another one. My thoughts and prayers to his family. Ride safe...



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Richard M. Poniarski
'00 Kawasaki ZR750F2, a.k.a. ZR-7
AMA #674623
NY S666C
ZR7OA #3

 

[TheToy]

This seems like a black year for the sport of motorcycling. We've had a few deaths here in ontario Canada too. just this past week 2 racers died and now just 2 days ago a 23 year old went under a rig. Bike exploded, burnt truck to sh*t and they had to use dental records to find out who he was. much this year.

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Keep Your feet on the pegs and your right hand cranked!

 

[chris_y2k_r1]

I truly hope that this is the end of all the
for this year and the rest of the
year is all !!


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I really should be working...

 

[tigerblade]

God speed to all those we've lost this year...

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Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.