SOMETIMES IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH TO BE SAFE!

[Mutt]

I keep bringing up these accidents not as a grim reminder of how dangerous things can be for us as motorcyclist but as a "lessons learned" kind-of-thing. Wait that extra couple of seconds to go on the green light.

There was a bad accident in Fayetteville, NC this afternoon involving 4 cars. A Pathfinder ran completely over an Accord sitting still at the light. The SUV litterly crushed the Accord and sent it in to the path of a left turning motorcycle. A woman, her child and the motorcycle rider all died at the scene. It's all still under investigation but I think it's going to proove that there's times when no amount of rider training could prepare you for this.

Here's the link to WRAL news website. You can page through the picture section to get an idea of the impact.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/1110624/

Mutt

[Tiger]

 >:( What was the driver doing... >:( What speed was the Pathfinder going to create such carnage... >:( Three people died because of this person... >:( This individual has for-ever damaged several families, including his own, because of their action's and must NEVER be allowed to forget what they have done >:( >:( >:( This kind of thing makes me so f*****g angry...Nothing can undo what he has done but I hope the law see's fit to give this person whatever the maximum is for this criminal act.

               

>:(.......TIGER....... :(

[67GTO]

I wonder if the person was talking on a cell phone >:(

[Mutt]

The cell phone thing is what I'm wondering too. Driving while talking seems to be an epidemic. How else can you not see a red light and a car sitting at the light, that is unless your DUI. Witnesses say the pathfinder actually got air born and did a barrel roll before landing back on it's wheels.

Fayetteville is a boooooming town. It's the second fastest growing large town in NC and home to Ft. Bragg 82nd Airborne and Pope Airforce bases. Like so many other towns that grow too fast, the roads can't keep up with the traffic. Just minutes before this accident and only about a mile away a dump truck hit a fire engine head on then glanced off of a semi traveling in the opposite direction rupturing it's fuel tank and knocking down a power pole with a signal light on it.  :-\

Mutt

[YellowJacket!]

My step-daughter was in a minor wreck (nobody was hurt but $5000.00 damage to her civic and another 2500 to the car she "hit") a couple years ago. both she and the witness's said that the BMW cut in front of her and jammed on her brakes.  My daughter had no time to react and ran right into her.  The BMW driver said that she was driving and was going to miss her turn. so she cut around my daughter (who knows why??) and stepped on the brakes!
I actually think it was an act of spite and heres why.  After all was said and done and we got home, I asked her if she was talking on her cell phone which she denied.  A couple weeks later the bill came and there was the evidence: a 20 minute call, then a 911 call, and then a call to us.  All with 1 minute intervals between them.  We grounded her from driving and took away her phone and promised "spot checks" in the future to see if she was talking and driving.  My feelings are that she was on the phone and may have been going a little too slow and the woman that she it saw her on the phone and decided to capitalize on it.  She cut around her and stoped.  Since my daughter was distracted, she hit her.  I think the insurance companies call this a "Modified duck and swoop".
Both our kids have been warned that if they are in a wreck and were onthe phone, the repairs are their responsibility.  :o

David

[MotorPlow]

I just investigated an single car accident where a guy hit a power pole and snapped it off. It turned out that the "toad" had a revoked license, has been found guilty of driving on a suspended license 6 times in the past, and had to cross 4 lanes of traffic to find and hit the power pole. What really pissed me off was that the mid-sized pickup truck was registered in Mom's name because Mom knew that DMV would never allow the "Toad" to have another vehicle registered in his name.  I made it a point to give he power company a copy of the accident report so they can bill appropiately for the repair of the pole, the man power need to replace the pole on a Sunday morning (on overtime) and the loss of income from the businesses from not having power for 6+ hours from about 1/3 of the town. Just the pole and manpower should be over $10K.

Yeah, I know some are thinking it... I can be a dink at times.

[don_vanecek]

Geez, to bad you can't toss the key somewhere it will never be...will you get the idea. Just hope the next time he crosses the four lanes of traffic it's not as I'm coming down the road on my V-I'd kind of like to see watch my grandchildren grow up! We're glad your out there buddy!

[h2olawyer]

Keep up the good work, MP!  At least when he drives again, his wallet will probably be much lighter . . ..  Too bad there isn't a foolproof way to keep drivers like that off the road - other than locking them up.  With the number of bad drivers out there, we'd have to build a whole ton of new jails, though.

H₂O

[YellowJacket!]

I'm sorry butthe only way to keep people from driving on suspended licenses is to either lock them up - which is not feasable because apparently there is an awful lot of them - or cut off their right foot.
There was recently a young couple that had just gotten married earlier this year who were killed - on their bike - by a habitual drunk driver who was driving on a REVOKED license.  This was also his 6th DUI wreck!  I think society is mmuch too much lenient on these people. :-(

David

[Mutt]

I believe it was Saudi Arabia where second offense was the death penalty!  :P

Mutt

[EH]

if you are going to kill someone, use a car. you'll be home in time for dinner. then you can sue their insurance company.

[kiawrench]

Still hoping the idea of making use of cell phone illegal in America if in motion catches on. seems many cant even talk and walk without running into things .

[YellowJacket!]

Still hoping the idea of making use of cell phone illegal in America if in motion catches on. seems many cant even talk and walk without running into things .

Heh Heh.  Funny story.
Theres a particular cardiologist that I work with that thinks people should bow down to him and kiss his feet.  His cell phone is literally glued to his ear and he is constantly talking while walking down the halls.  We have a mixture of automatic doors, doors that you have to hit a button to open and doors that require a prox card to get through.  Anyway, Dr. M was walking down the hall talking on his phone and he elbowed one of the door buttons but only one door opened.  Of course he was deeply involved in his phone conversation and did not realize that the door he was walking towards had only partially opened and he walked straight into the side of the door.  Smacked his arm, head and chest solidly....and the phone went flying.  Of course he had the latest Windows Mobile 5 smart phone that hit the tile floor with a resounding CRACK! and several parts went a flyin.  Now he has a BT headset and walks around looking like a schizo talking to himself.... :o

David

[Mutt]

I drive in heavy traffic nearly everyday going in to and out of Raleigh. I've been tempted to use one of my daughter's florescent markers and write "Hang Up The Phone And Drive Dumb Ass" on my big dark easy to see back window. I probably would get some cheers and jeers.

Mutt

[Walt_M.]

Mutt, why do you think somebody on a cell phone would even see that sign!

[Mutt]

Mutt, why do you think somebody on a cell phone would even see that sign!

Good point....maybe I should do it in flashing Christmas lights. I could blow the horn and point to my back window I guess. I'll make it a point to count how many I pass today coming and going that are on the phone just to get an idea. Just yesterday on the way in there was a Mustang convertible ahead of me driving crazy. At first I thought they were just being indecisive about switching lanes until I got next to her and realized she was trying to dial a number. In a span of about an eigth of a mile she went from 75mph to 55 or less. It's all about her... >:(

Mutt

[plavix]

OK...here goes Tony on his soapbox, because this topic gets me riled.  I don't really mind people talking on their cell phone...as long as they are ABLE to prioritize the tasks at hand...DRIVING first, CONVERSATION second.  I actually see some people that stay with traffic...put the phone down momentarily while changing lanes or when traffic gets tight, and then pick up the conversation again.  What REALLY bothers me are the people who are obviously so absorbed in their conversation that they wouldn't think to drop their phone if a driving emergency were in front of them...they would hang on to that phone to the end.

My wife and I were relating this kind of behavior to the general lack of regard for others in public.  She works at a large book store, and parents will allow their little "precious" to literally pull scads of books out of the shelves, leaving them on the floor with ripped pages, and then calmly leave...expecting Cathy to pick up after them.  Or, they will drop their 3 and 4 year old kids in the kids department and wander off for 20-30 minutes...really.  These kids are running around, screaming, and tearing up the place while mommy chats with her friends around the Cosmo magazines. 

So, I think it's all related...people have a sense of entitlement and don't give a rats ass about how their behavior might impact anybody else (i.e., driving erratically and slowing WAY down because their conversation got interesting...or missing the green turn-light because they are too busy talking...then slip through at the last second leaving everybody behind them stuck at the light and fuming).

OK...now that I am all riled up...I MUST THINK HAPPY THOUGHTS...Ahhh, I am flying gracefully along a perfectly smooth curvy road in the mountains on my perfectly restored Vision with no traffic...ahhh, I feel better now.  See, buying a Vision is good for my blood pressure and health. 

[Mutt]

I have another theory about phone use in public. This applies more to women but maybe some men. I think people are insecure. It gives them something to hang on to so that they don't have to deal with people around them, a sort of security blanket. It's become like a neurotic behavior. Instead of looking like they're alone and open for conversation, they just hang a phone on thier ear. I'll bet many times they aren't even talking to anyone else they just look like they are.

What's scary is if they're riding down the road talking there's a good chance they're talking to someone else driving. In our area you can get from point a to point b in about 30 minutes or less. The conversation can wait!  >:(

Mutt

[YellowJacket!]

Well said Tony.

Vicki and I went out to dinner the other night and had to wait about 30 mins to be seated.  While we were waiting, I made a comment to her about a family that was sitting down eating.  Both adults and one of the children had cell phones glued to their ears while they were eating.  Even when the waitress would come to the table they would keep talking on the phones and then talk to her.  This went on for the whole 30 mins that we were waiting AND THEN for the duration of OUR meal..For cryin out loud....she even walked out talking on her phone!!  Dad and kid put theirs up just before they left.  I hope she was important enough to have been solving a major world problem.
Also, I have a theory.  I think the same people that talk on their phones while driving are the people who pick their noses in their cars (during the short periods they are not on the phones) and don't think anyone notices. :o ;D

David

[Mutt]

Also, I have a theory.  I think the same people that talk on their phones while driving are the people who pick their noses in their cars (during the short periods they are not on the phones) and don't think anyone notices. :o ;D

David

I didn't think anyone saw me!  :-\ As far as I know there hasn't been a wreck caused by a bad case of "rhinohexaphobia".  :D

Mutt