A young man lost his life here in a tragic accident on Thursday evening, he apparently ran wide going into a sharp turn on FM455 near Anna, TX and struck a truck head on. I was about 150 feet in front of him going into the turn and never realized there had been an accident behind me as I was focused intensely on the road ahead. I returned on the same road about an hour later and came upon the scene of the accident.

I did not know the young man but had a brief conversation with him at a gas station only minutes before the accident where he said he was going to follow me down that road. I gave the police a brief witness statement but was unable to add any detail as I did not witness the actual accident.

From the evidence, he was traveling at an excessive speed relative to that corner and had locked his brakes and skidded out of control at the corner entry. That particular corner is well known locally due to numerous fatalities there over the years. It has a sharply decreasing radius jog at the end and everyone tends to go wide there unless you keep your speed in check.

This is the first time in my lifetime of riding where anyone was killed or injured behind me and it's shaken me up. I've lost the desire to ride anymore. Has anyone else had such an experience and do you ever get over it? Motorcycling has been a large part of my life and I don't want to give it up.

I had a close friend crash and die right in front of me, a few years ago.
I'm pretty sure it has slowed me down some. He wouldn't have wanted me to quit riding though.

So sorry to hear this Kruz. My good friend had a guy crash into a tree right in front of him on a group ride my friend was leading. Dude decided to pass the leader and screwed up. He felt real bad, felt responsible somehow. I reminded him that we all ride only one bike. You can't make anyone else safer or better when they are on their own bike.
It is a sad thing to have happen but it does. Take some time, think about it and when you are ready, get back out there if that's what you want to do.

Mad

Very sorry to hear this Kruz. Your post helps remind me to be careful when opening the throttle.

That's awful. Having been on a fairly adventurous group trip last month the possibility of that was always on my mind, and there were a few close calls, but at the end we could all congratulate each other that there had been no accidents or police involvement for anyone, for the entire trip. I guess the point of it is that even though we had a good week, it was on everyone's mind, in a deeply personal manner. I would describe my group as a healthy balance between experience and fatalism/realism though, and I know that if one of us went down it would be horrible but there is a shared understanding that it could happen and we are all individually responsible. "Something can only be fun if there is at least an outside chance of being killed" kind of attitude, though ATGATT and generally experienced folks.

I hope this experience will help you to keep making good decisions in the future, and that you get back on it. If you had read about this in the news you probably wouldn't think twice about it, maybe pause to consider that you knew the road, but it wouldn't get you off the horse I bet.

* Last updated by: tooncinator on 7/28/2015 @ 1:45 PM *

I have never experienced someone dying on a ride, but had a person crash pretty bad once.

We kept telling him to cool it, as he was riding above his head, but he was young and knew it all. That we all can relate. Any way he unloaded his rear tire and went off the road into the side of a mountain. He could have gone off the side, which would have ended with a stop at the bottom. The bottom was at least 1000 feet down. He had some bruises, scrapes etc. His bike was totaled. We all reflected a few on our own mortality, as usually happens when something happens.

It reminds me of the last sentence before Dad turned me loose on my first bike, "When yall think you know it all, get ready to crash." That has always stayed in the back of my mind, and helps to keep me from riding over my head. So far the only really bad crash I have had, was due to a "box" turning on a red light. That convinced to assume nothing while riding. My assuming he'd stay stopped at a red light earned me 3 weeks in hospital, and some permanent disabilities.

Hopefully yall will not experience this again Kruz. It sucks, but at the end of the day we can only truly be responsible for ourselves, and even then, circumstances sometimes take that ability away also.

* Last updated by: zxinit on 7/28/2015 @ 2:05 PM *

It's been really bothering me, I keep thinking if there was anything I could have done to prevent this tragedy. I checked my rear view mirror for the last time about 1/4 mile before that turn and he was about 150 feet back and started slowing down to a safe speed for the corner entry. The driver of the truck survived the impact and said that he saw two bikes running side by side coming into the corner, at least that's what local law enforcement at the scene told me. I was stunned by this revelation as that meant the guy had possibly tried to overtake and pass me in the oncoming traffic lane in a blind corner. If true, I could have been easily killed. That kind of move is beyond risky and borders on suicidal, I just can't wrap my head around all of this. The tire marks show he was in the oncoming lane as he entered the curve and apparently swerved hard across the white line back into the right lane then lost it and skidded back into the oncoming lane where he struck the truck head on at high speed. All of this happened so fast and I was completely unaware of what was happening right behind or to the side of me. I never heard the impact or remember seeing anything unusual in that corner, just a normal turn focused on the road ahead. From head on it would be difficult to tell if two bikes were side by side or staggered but the corner is tight enough that either way, he had gotten very close to me in the turn entry or the truck wouldn't be able to see us both at the same time due to trees blocking his line of sight. This whole episode borders on the insane.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 7/28/2015 @ 3:08 PM *

Maybe the kid was trying to impress you, not your fault. No point contemplating that he might have caught you up in it, because he didn't. He was riding over his head, he messed up and got killed, and your focus was exactly where it should have been. You're OK.

Thanks Toon, we'll probably never know for sure but I was thinking along those same lines, a grandstand play or Hail Mary pass kind of thing that went terribly wrong. I feel bad for his family, this was a completely avoidable accident.

Nope, been around a couple minor accidents but never death. I hear you Kruz. It'll be a long time before you forgive yourself for not being able to help prevent this but clearly there was nothing you could do. Unfortunate all around.

Whose to say he wouldn't have overridden the turn if you weren't in front of him?

It's OK to be empathetic toward his ending and mourn him, but this notion or tug of responsibility needs to end.

Immediately.

I agree with Hagrid. You feel horrible because you're human, and any of us would be emotional if the same thing happened.

I've never had anyone die, but I had a close friend go into the tree line at over 100 mph and mess himself up severely with broken spine, wrists ,arm , and leg as well as horrible tendon damage from road rash. I was supposed to ride with him that morning but had to cancel. The very first thing I did after going to see him was go for a ride to just get it out of the way. It was a slow ride, but a ride.

Whose to say he wouldn't have overridden the turn if you weren't in front of him?
It's OK to be empathetic toward his ending and mourn him, but this notion or tug of responsibility needs to end.
Immediately.

I hear you Hagrid, my friends have all been telling me this, it wasn't my fault, he tried to take that corner at a speed way beyond his skill level. I did the exact same thing 10 years ago when I road with 1Bad, he was experienced and I was a squid, almost ended up with me in a ravine. I lived though, didn't drop it although I came close and learned something that day I've never forgotten. I guess I'm wondering why I got a second chance and this young man didn't. These kinds of things can drive you crazy, I've got to stop second guessing all of this, there is no answer.

Just time. Time seems to be the only thing that helps.

Kruz, not sure if you saw my post but on the last ride I was on we lost a mate.
Excessive speed, missed a corner, straight into tree's.
I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy to see what we saw.
What can I say?
We get through in our own way.
Or we don't and simply give it away.
I cant help you though I really wish I could.
Only you can figure out how to get through this and how long it will take to do so.
Only you can decide if you feel right to get back on the horse again and if you do how long till you get back into the game.
What I am trying to say is no one can give you the magic answer here.
We are all different and get through these things in our own way and time.
I wish you all the best with what you are going through.

Trust me.
I understand...

Thanks Yannih, I remember your post, you understand what I am feeling as you have been there. None of my friends are able to relate....or help, they can't see any possible way I should feel any remorse or regret. To them, it's simply case closed, the guy made a bad decision and paid the price. I came to the conclusion last night that I am not God, I had no way of knowing the outcome beforehand.... if I had I would have turned and gone home, this gives me peace in the storm. I can mourn this young life cut short but in the end I couldn't prevent what happened, only God is ultimately in control of our destiny. I'll ride again, it's too much a part of my life to quit but I need time to heal and grieve the loss in my own way and time. Thank you.

I cant help you though I really wish I could.

You have helped me.

Sounds like all of us are thinking along the same lines, now you have to convince yourself Kruz. In your way, and your time you come to grips with it. Really sorry yall are having to figure out how. As Grn said, time will help.

Reminds me of why I am sooo picky about who I will ride with. Is a great thing that their lack of control did not get yall, or someone else hurt or killed. I will not ride with Squids, or anyone trying to prove to me they are better, faster, etc. Accident looking for a place to happen to me.

kruz go get laid by a Asian girl . trust me you'll forget everything for a few days!!!!

ask for the 2 for 1 special.

* Last updated by: Badzx14r on 7/29/2015 @ 4:09 PM *

Lol...1Bad, you never change buddy...

* Last updated by: Kruz on 7/29/2015 @ 9:56 PM *

I rode my previous Honda RC51 with a local group of mostly cruisers; anything for a ride, right. 9 of us that day, about an hour from home. Lazily cruising around a conservatively marked 30 mph big rural curve, group prob doing 40-45; shoulda been no big deal for any of the bikes. I was 2nd-to-last. Next thing I know the group is stopping fast and I see a bike laying in the road and lady who had been riding the 3 spot laying in the ditch to the right. As I stopped and got to the scene she was out but still breathing ... barely. Leader was on his headset with 911 already & following directions to try to resuscitate her, but no.

She had apparently gotten distracted and drifted off the road, and slide marks in the grass show the bike went sideways as she prob tried to correct back onto the road. The bike hit the pavement already in a slide, tires gripped, and high-sided. She appeared to have landed on her shoulder / head. Her cruiser had soft saddle bags ... and her helmet was in the right side bag.

Eerie feeling riding an hour home as a group knowing one is gone for good.

Like you Kruz, I wondered for a time if I was at all at fault. I had the only sport bike in the group, and riding in the back I hope I hadn't been "pushing" the group to ride faster than they really intended just to appease a sport biker. I decided that that was unlikely. To this day seeing others I care about ride makes me cringe at times, since now I know just how easily a bad mistake can happen.

Oh, and the group had actually started many hours earlier and I caught up with them at their lunch place. It was all I could do to make it there in time before they took off again, and unfortunately that meant I was pretty low on gas. I told the leader that it wasn't an emergency but if he saw a place to fill up in the next 20 miles or so, that would be good. He said, 'OK after we do this little detour through the forest there will be some stations.' Well, instead he spots a place prob not 2 miles from the lunch spot, and stops. I'm the only one that filled up (embarrassed), so I do so as quickly as possible ... what a pain I am ... and we were on our way. Just a few miles away, the crash happened. Had I not needed gas, would her fate have been different? I've just had to decide that it was out of my hands as I cannot predict such things.

* Last updated by: extrapolator on 7/30/2015 @ 11:11 PM *

Thanks for sharing your story Exrapolator and no, you had nothing to do with it. Sounds like a low speed crash that could have been survivable if she had only worn her helmet, I don't get that. I'm slowly coming to grips with my experience, I couldn't have stopped him from following me or trying to catch me in that corner, he made the decision. I rode this evening, it was eery going through that corner and probably always will be. It's going to be a long time before I feel normal again, it's a process with no shortcuts but I'm taking the first steps.

but I'm taking the first steps.

Asian girls FTW

I'm really sorry to hear that. It won't be an easy to overcome and will take a very long time.
I have been riding for 45+ years and never lost anyone on a ride.
But
On a couple of occasions in the early years the boys testosterone got the better of them. Requiring an ambulance ride. That was Before cell phones, having to find a pay phone to make the 911 call only increased the tension.
In the end they fully recovered and continued riding, with an additional scar or two.
That became one of the main reason I stopped riding with groups. The other being the police were always stopping us to check for sh*t.

hi Kruz,
sorry to hear what you are going through! its impossible to explain to those who havent experienced it and way beyond the comprehension to those that 'dont get' the whole biking thing!
ive had those times of questioning my love and desire to ride bikes, through losing friends in road racing, losing friends in road crashes and losing friends while riding out, most recently during last years Cannonball, but the worst time was last year after my own crash and the time during recovery when i couldnt hug my 2 yr old son!
you are what you are and if you deny it you may be ultimately safer but you will be unhappy....is that any good to you or anyone else? at least thats how it feels to me!

you will find your way again. im back riding in the last couple of months and was out on the race track last week beating back the 'demons' that like to torture our minds!

take care my friend

jafo