Yesterday, not more than 1/2 mile from my house, a rider was sitting at the stop light, behind a car in the right lane. With a car behind him.

Two cars in line in the left lane.

Along comes a drunk 26 year old kid in his truck, and slams into the the back car in the right lane.

The force was so great, every vehicle sitting at the light got damaged.

The rider got pushed UNDER one of the cars. Before emergency and fire arrived, some citizens grabbed some railroad ties sitting along the road (contruction being done along the road) and levered the car off the rider enough to pull him out.

The drunk actually was able to drive away from the scene, hit and run.

The motorcyclist died last night at the hospital.

I actually pity the 26 year old drunk, because he has ruined his life, and will never get over it. And he will be lucky they don't charge him with manslaughter!

This was a case when there was absolutely nothing the motorcyclist could have done to save his own life, other than decide not to ride that day. If I ever get to the point I won't ride because of the chance some drunk might play cue ball on me, though, it might be time to not own a bike anymore.

* Last updated by: privateer on 10/8/2011 @ 9:59 AM *

Sad story.Very.You never know.I try to stay out of city traffic as much as possible.Lots of drinking drivers here for sure.Someone is ALWAYS losing it on a curve,overcorrecting,then flipping.That's the majority of fatalities here...you know...they hit someone in the oncoming lane deal as they're doing this.It's scarey sometimes riding...well...not actually scarey,but,when entering a curve with an oncoming vehicle,I don't like it much.I try my best to 'beat' any oncomers to the curve...even if that means gassing it beforehand to make it there first.You've got little chance to survive gettin nailed by a vehicle headon or sideswipe.I always try to avoid anything even remotely looking like it could be trouble ahead.Yeah,I ride way past the limit sometimes...but it keeps me away from other vehicles.They just don't see bikes like we do.If they rode a bike,they'd most likely drive much safer.You can tell the ones who most likely ride..they're the ones who will put their brakes on BEFORE or AS you initiate a passing maneuver...so you can get by em more safely.They'll be watching behind em,usually can see your blinker back there,and the'll pull over even moreso to let ya go by.I always make a point to wave to those ones...or...the ones waiting at an intersection 'out there' to make a left turn in front of ya.I always give up a wave 'thanks' as I go by.They normally wave back.

I ride in all kinds of situations. Traffic in a small city. Highway (as little as possible), mountains, farmlands, valleys. Traffic in big cities.

I think the lesson of this story was if your number is up, its up.

I always say we have a lot we can do to avoid accidents, from slowing down to taking MSF Experienced Rider classes. Track days if you can do them. But sometimes, your number is up, and nothing you did leading up to that had anything good or bad to contribute to it.

You say you always try to do this, or that, blue07, but take those videos you posted. At the speeds you were going, if an old lady pulled out of a side street or parking lot, or a drunk swerved partly into your lane, you'd have had a high speed accident.

And other than on the track, and even still there to a degree, high speed accidents do not turn out well.

* Last updated by: privateer on 10/9/2011 @ 6:17 PM *

I fully agree..I KNOW there isn't anything gonna basically save me rollin at those speeds and the 'unavoidable' happens.Yup.That's why I say...I try to be aware of what's ahead...so when you see those faster velocity vids...I'm not just riding along.I've already scanned the road ahead..WAY ahead unless there's a curve I can't see around...then...if someone pulls across or whatever...I know I'm DOA.If you noticed...you saw I'm rolling at posted limits around all city stuff.I NEVER ride through any part of any town except at the posted limit.Gotta remember..that's a 170 wide lens.It does make the road and all look different than in real vision with your own eyes sitting on the bike and scanning ahead.I know you've seen those info stickers on the car side view mirrors.."Objects look farther away than they are"....same deal with that 170 lens.Except the other way around.They are actually farther away than the vid would appear.But I wholly agree...excessive speed certainly lowers your chances of being able to take evasive action in time.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 10/10/2011 @ 1:37 AM *