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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Colorado Springs, CO
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    1,217

    Default Car vs. Motorcycle

    I was 3 car-lengths behind a Harley full dresser this evening when a car turned left in front of him. I saw the two riders flying through the air when they collided. I was on-scene within seconds. The Harley was on its side wedged beneath the front of the car. The front end of the car was destroyed.

    The Harley driver (male) was unconscious but alive. His passenger (apparently his wife) was conscious but injured. The car driver was hysterical but mostly uninjured. Her passenger (her mother) had a bloody nose and a nasty bump on her head because she was not wearing a seat belt and her head went above the air bag and struck the windshield and dash.

    I did what I could until cops arrived. He asked me to round up witnesses and keep them from wandering off. (I found a number of witnesses for him.) The 10 o'clock news said the Harley driver was in intensive care. From what I could tell he should survive but probably has a few broken bones. (Both Harley riders were wearing a helmet which most likely saved their lives.)

    I have owned a Harley since 1973 but I no longer ride. After witnessing this scene I may never ride in a city again.

    I hope I can sleep tonight.

    Motorcycle crash shuts down part of Academy Boulevard

    Published Fri Aug 21, 2009, 09:49 PM MDT
    Updated Fri Aug 21, 2009, 10:35 PM MDT

    North Academy Boulevard was closed near the Chapel Hills Mall, while police investigated a car versus motorcycle accident.

    It happened at about 8 p.m., near the intersection of Academy and Goddard. Investigators say a motorcycle with two occupants was traveling south when they hit a red sedan, that was turning left onto Goddard. Both occupants were thrown from the motorcycle. They were both wearing helmets.

    The male driver of the motorcycle is in intensive care. He is reportedly 41 years old, but his name has not been released. His female passenger was also transported; her condition is not known.

    Jim Larson witnessed the crash. "All of a sudden we heard this major noise like a truck tire blast, and we ran over here and saw the motorcycle pretty much under the car."

    It is not yet known if speed or alcohol were factors in the crash.


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  2. #2
    Ron Bibler's Avatar
    Ron Bibler Guest

    Default Re: Car vs. Motorcycle

    Thanks for posting this story. Sad to say but a photo like that can open our eye a bit. ( Always look for bikes )

    And now that school is back its a good time to slow down and

    give 2 looks bothways...

    Little KIDS and Bikes don't stand a chance with cars and trucks...

    Best

    Ron

    P.S. Sometimes its not a kid or a biker we did not see IT'S A BIG TRUCK


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Colorado Springs, CO
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    1,217

    Default Re: Car vs. Motorcycle

    Just a couple of weeks ago an off-duty Colorado Springs policeman was killed when a woman driving a van turned left in front of his Harley dresser. The collision was so severe that the woman's young daughter was critically injured by the impact on the passenger side.

    When I ride a motorcycle (which has not been lately) I ride like I am invisible and I assume every car is going to turn or pull out in front of me. I was very hesitant to go through intersections at full speed. And people STILL came very, very close to hitting me - - - including a policeman who nearly nailed me from behind at 45 mph. I was stopped waiting to turn left on a city street. My Electra Glide had a stock brake light and two more 3" brake lights mounted on the rear crash bars, four small tail lights mounted on the tag bracket plus a 3" turn signal. I heard tires shrieking behind me (this was long before ABS brakes were invented) and braced for impact. I looked to my right and watched the cop car come around me going backwards. The cop was white with fear. I make my turn and pulled over and he came over to scold me (if you can believe it). That was a close call for me.

    I don't think I can enjoy riding a motorcycle any more because of being paranoid (deservedly so) about "cagers" hitting me.

    I called the police tonight to see if they would want to talk to me about what I saw (which did not include the actual collision) and the investigating officer called me. The motorcycle riders were injured much worse than it appeared to me at the scene. The Harley driver is in critical condition and "died" at the scene before the EMS guys brought him back. His wife is in very bad condition with a compound fracture of a femur, a badly broken arm and facial fractures. I hope her husband pulls through. It sounds like they both will have a long recovery.

    Here it is nearly 2:30 AM and I have not gone to bed. Usually bad accidents don't bother me too much (and I have seen much more than my share) but this one apparently has. Maybe it is because I have ridden a Harley for many years and was so close to this accident. If I had been 15 seconds earlier I would not have witnessed this senseless carnage.

    Last edited by Bruce Breedlove; 08-22-2009 at 01:34 AM. Reason: spelling
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  4. #4
    Ted Menelly's Avatar
    Ted Menelly Guest

    Default Re: Car vs. Motorcycle

    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Bibler View Post
    Thanks for posting this story. Sad to say but a photo like that can open our eye a bit. ( Always look for bikes )

    And now that school is back its a good time to slow down and

    give 2 looks bothways...

    Little KIDS and Bikes don't stand a chance with cars and trucks...

    Best

    Ron

    P.S. Sometimes its not a kid or a biker we did not see IT'S A BIG TRUCK
    Hate to say this Ron but it is almost always the bikes that do not look for cars and trucks. I will admit that most of the wild ones I see are on the rice rockets. The Harley riders in general are pretty aware of their surroundins. Sometimes you can look as much as you wish but the bikes are just in a blind spot.

    One must remember when riding a bike. Most of the time vehicle drivers just do not see them until it is to late. The bike ways hundreds of pounds and is a narrow blurr in the vision or not seen at all. The cars and trucks are big and fat and way thousands of pounds and are something the bikes should not compete with. A man on a bike must be twice as aware than they would be in a car. Sounds stupid but true.

    I cannot repeat this enough. You are a narrow blob in traffic and most of the time coming up beside cars or someone just in front of you about to turn or change lanes just does not see you.

    Be aware on the bikes. Be aware on the bikes. Sometimes when in the flow of traffic the drivers just cannot see you. It is not like a little kid that jumps between cars into traffic. Most of the time (thank God) they are seen in time. The bikes are moving with and blend into the rolling mob AND SOMETIMES JUST CANNOT BE SEEN

    So

    You folks riding bikes in the mix of hundreds of thousands of pounds of nasty metal surrounding you. WATCH OUT FOR THE CARS AND TRUCKS AND MAKE IT A POINT TO HAVE THOSE NASTY HUNKS OF METAL SEE YOU AT ALL COST.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Columbus GA
    Posts
    3,747

    Default Re: Car vs. Motorcycle

    I sold my bike 18 years ago.
    In one week, someone pulled out in front of me, had to lay it down.
    Next was almost a head on, car pulled out to pass slower cars, passed me ON MY RIGHT.
    I'll stick to flying.

    ' correct a wise man and you gain a friend... correct a fool and he'll bloody your nose'.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Rockwall Texas
    Posts
    4,521

    Default Re: Car vs. Motorcycle

    Talk about an accident waiting to happen. I just about ran off the road from laughing.

    rick

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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    745

    Default Re: Car vs. Motorcycle

    Looks safe to me! He's got the air bag behind him to keep him from getting injured from a rear end collision!


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Fuquay Varina, NC
    Posts
    1,074

    Default Re: Car vs. Motorcycle

    I have been riding since I was a teenager and love to take off when I can. There has been more accidents in the last couple of years then any I know of. Majority of the time is the car driver is distracted and changes lanes. Phones, stereo, make-up etc. 75% of the people I know that have been hit by a car is by a woman driver. I remember when I bought my roadking in jan-04. I just left the dealer wife in tow behind me in the car. 4 lane rd I was in the right lane. Woman flew up beside me, phone in one hand and was trying to merge on me, she stomped the gas and swung in front of me and made a quick whip into the parking lot of Wally World. It took everything I had to lock the bike up and miss her.

    So yes we need to be aware of our surroundings but people need to respect what we are riding and gives us room. I am also a firm believer in loud pipes save lives. many times I come up on a car and hit there blind spot and my pipes will make them aware that I am there.

    I also had a cop almost run me over. I was changing lanes and he flew up the slow lane with no light or siren, he locked it up and just missed me. His fault but he tried his damnest to get me for it.......gave me a ticket for expired inspection sticker I forgot about to make himself happy.

    Mike Schulz License 393
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  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Caledon, Ontario
    Posts
    4,982

    Default Re: Car vs. Motorcycle

    Are motorcycles required to run with their full headlights on during the day? When I had my bike I made it a habit of having the headlight on all the time.


  10. #10
    Ron Bibler's Avatar
    Ron Bibler Guest

    Default Re: Car vs. Motorcycle

    Hey Ray today if you start the bike the lights come on...

    I make it a point to look at Bike / car accidents... Its my understanding that the bike has that point of no return in 99% of the time in every case.

    I have never been down on a bike and I have been on these things all my life. It is how you ride. Some people should not get on these thing.

    RIDE LIKE A GHOST be like "CASPER"...

    Best

    Ron


  11. #11
    Ron Bibler's Avatar
    Ron Bibler Guest

    Default Re: Car vs. Motorcycle

    P.S. Cars SUCK

    Best

    Ron


  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Fuquay Varina, NC
    Posts
    1,074

    Default Re: Car vs. Motorcycle

    It's mandatory here to run lights. Mine doesn't even have a switch to turn them off. Only the fog lights.

    Mike Schulz License 393
    Affordable Home Inspections
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