Fallen fellow rider

[sundog]

Just read in my local paper about a K rider who lost his life on Friday. Silver K1200S

http://www.jv.dk/artikel/964846:Soender ... ge=2#image

You won't understand it, but basically a cager turning left from a side road did not see him and he hit the front side of the car, killing him instantly.

I read some of his blog this morning where he used to make ride reports and give safety advice about riding defensively and how every other driver is a potential threat. Such irony

May you rest in peace fellow rider.

[Mirage_ZA]

Very sad
RIP

[SHIVA]

that's very sad. thanks for sharing the info. A car making a turn in front of the bike. is one of the major causes of crashes between cars and bikes.

[Eka]

Bikes are hard to see and silver is the worst colour. Peoples eyes moves in steps. If eyes jumps over bike, it might get unnoticed. Lights helps a little.

I just had one scary moment couple days ago. I was behind a truck at mountains, when short straight opened and i look to next corner, that there is not anyone coming. It was like small valley. Then i start to overtake that truck. Suddenly there was a car in front of me. Thankfully i didn't get panic, brake hard and look all the time side to truck and when rear bumper passed i just get away from that car. I can't believe i didn't notice that car. That car was exactly the same grey as asphalt, no lights as you don't use those in Spain daytime, grill was also painted lamellas and so on. It was so well hided in road and i didn't notice it as my eyes jump over it from rear of the truck to next corner. I was couple months ago in eye test as i get spanish driving licence and saw all the rows. My eyes are as good as can be. What a wake up call. Anything like that had never happened to me. You don't really need more than one mistake in your life and someone dies.

Peoples have started to use bright safety wests with motorbikes. Those works actually very well for visibility, but as a lazy guy i don't like the idea of wearing anything extra. At least Rukka has couple models of jackets with neon parts. I think to buy something like that next time for touring jacket. Problem is that i already have few good ones (but black) and it's a pity to invest again. My leathers have bright colours.

[sundog]

Shiva, perhaps this should move to the new crash section.

[thebigblue]

This is indeed very tragic and sad. This is the biggest concern of mine riding the bike, a car that drives in front of me.
My K13S is a metallic grey, I´m not sure a Red or any other more visible color will make a difference, you just don´t see that mush of bike form the front compared to the headlight, I´m considering buying an other Shuberth helmet to a Racing Red, my present is a Glossy Black C3 World Graphic. This autumn on a dark night a car with a trailer puled out in front of me turning right, I was behind a car turning right on the same road, luckily there were no cars in the other lane so is was able to drive by in the opposite lane, scary though.

Rest in peace.

[johncrosby]

I really don't think the colour of the bike makes any material difference at all. There are so many other factors that come into play and they are all more important for avoiding collisions. Colour of helmet is statistically the most important visual marker, next comes the lights from the bike, then what the rider is wearing, and above all these things is actually where and how the bike is positioned. Here's a clip demonstrating how a bike becomes moving camouflage for a car waiting to pull out. A gentle weave breaks up the effect allowing the biker to become visible to the car driver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqQBubilSXU

In many thousands of miles of commuting into, and around some of the most dangerous places in Europe for bike fatalities (Rome, Paris, London, Madrid, Amsterdam) there are very few circumstances where the biker isn't in some way responsible for their demise. We need to take responsibility for being seen and not delegate our survival to unknown third parties, whether that's other drivers, a mistaken belief in luck or karma or some other nonsense. The only statistically common bike accident that I can't envisage avoiding is an animal leaping out from the side of a road into the bike. If it's a deer it's often fatal for both animals. (Deer and homo sapiens). There's always more we can do to increase the chances of survival.

I was thinking about this very post whilst riding home and how sad this accident was. It was 2am in the morning with the temperature just above freezing, a full moon and lots of rabbits camped on the side of the country lane. I've lowered my speed but have this deep sense of unease, I can't explain why. I am in no way a superstitious person but I have to say got a shiver down my spine on seeing my odometer read 6666 miles. A very tentative 10 miles to home, one fox running across the bike and then home to a warm garage and a cool beer. You don't have these kinds of experience driving a four wheeler home, at least I never have.

[throttlemeister]

I agree with what John is saying. Something like 90% of accidents involving a car and a motorcycle, the car is legally at fault. At the same time, also about 90% of those accidents could have been avoided by the motorcyclist by paying attention, anticipating behavior, reducing speed to decrease brake distance, etc.

So we have to ask ourselves, do we rather insist to be right but dead, or do we see grey mitts the black and white and survive?

It's also smart to remember that "right of way" is not something you can take, it is something that needs to be given.

[FreedomRider]

I agree with what John is saying. Something like 90% of accidents involving a car and a motorcycle, the car is legally at fault. At the same time, also about 90% of those accidents could have been avoided by the motorcyclist by paying attention, anticipating behavior, reducing speed to decrease brake distance, etc.

So we have to ask ourselves, do we rather insist to be right but dead, or do we see grey mitts the black and white and survive?

It's also smart to remember that "right of way" is not something you can take, it is something that needs to be given.

I recall back in Drivers Ed class in 1974( Long Island NY) while driving with the instructor; he chastened me in front of the other pupils for slowing on approach to an intersection where I had the "Right of Way" .

We had some rather dubiously accredited Driver's Ed instructors back in the day