quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:

quote:

Originally posted by Dead_Eye:
Motorcycle has one passenger and is speeding into slowing traffic in a lane that requires two passengers per vehicle.

There's plenty of fault to go around here.

"Motorcycles are allowed in the HOV lanes," said Sgt. Terry Liu, express lane supervisor for the CHP in Los Angeles County. They are not required to have any "clean air vehicle" stickers or to be carrying passengers, and there is no stipulation on what time of day or night they use the lanes.

That bike was traveling at a speed at least 20 mph FASTER than the other lanes of traffic. I've been riding motorcycles since the late 70's and one lesson I learned early was that you need to exercise good judgement. Something this idiot was NOT doing, because when you are traveling that much faster than all the other traffic it's guaranteed that at some point you will have someone pull in front of you. I'll also point out that biker was rather asleep at the switch because motorcycles are one of the hardest braking vehicles on the road. To put it simply he had PLENTY of room to get slowed down and avoid hitting that turkey.

I've watched the video several times.

Hit pause on the video when I identified what could be (and what eventually was) the hazard. Time was 0:20 When I paused it.

I agree that the car was at fault, but the rider going too fast, as well as not identifying the potential danger, and then taking what I feel was no evasive maneuver, also contributed.

Time of impact was 0:22... can do a lot of braking in 2 seconds, or maneuver to left edge of lane near concrete divider.

Another contributing factor is the Illinois driver...

But one word immediately came to mind: SIPDE

quote:

Originally posted by mod29:

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
There were a multitude of reasons why that accident occurred and I can assure you a loud pipe or not had zero relevance.

Agreed.

The rider in the video was not technically at fault, in my opinion.

However, I believe the accident could have been (and should have been) avoided by better defensive riding skills.
For example, he did not anticipate a slower vehicle coming into his lane, and he should have.

Loud pipes on your motorcycle won't keep you from being involved in an accident.
To believe that they will is silly.

Ultra-defensive riding, along with the proper protective gear, gives you your best chance of arriving at your destination in one piece.

Loud pipes annoy everyone.
Try having some respect for your neighbors and the people around you.

Couldn't agree with you more. Your words are definitely from a motorcyclist with real solid experience instead of magic fairy sayings people regurgitate over and over again and end up on t-shirts. Those defensive riding skills come from MSF, the track (road course not a drag strip), many years on a motorcycle, or a combination of all 3. 20 years ago, before all my track days and instruction, my first MSF instructor, was a cop, bike cop. Did the MSF instruction on the weekends for extra money, and because he loved riding, and teaching. Someone would cry an exercise was too difficult and he'd fire up his Goldwing and do it effortlessly, then that person whining would shut up. He said, and I'll never forget it, any accident is YOUR fault. He talked power to weight, brakes, training, the whole 9. He didn't mean every single solitary situation but said MOST ALL situations could be avoided, and he meant and believed 99%. You've got a better power to weight ratio, a smaller more maneuverable vehicle, and 24/7 SIPDE. This rider in the video was not using SIPDE, mainly the I and P, but failed at every word in that acronym. That MSF instructor drove home that acronym, and reiterated it over and over, and any accident is your fault, to try and drive the acronym home, and save lives. Like you said, legally this rider was not at fault, but personally he is every much to blame as the stupid cager not paying attention. Educated motorcyclists know never to let your guard down, EVER, constantly scan, identify, predict, decide, and execute. If unwilling, find another hobby because you will end up in the ER, the ground, or in the fire, choose. I believe my first MSF instructor, it's always MY fault because I could have avoided it with common sense. I've had a tire go from full psi to nothing in 3 seconds at 80 on the highway in the fast lane. Because I didn't panic, was using that acronym, I made my way over to the service road, as quickly and efficiently as I could, across three lanes of traffic to get there. Rim ruined, bike and me, OK. I've had various animals jump out in front of me, avoided, 75 mph in a blind right hander someone pulls out and starts driving 5mph, avoided. 100+ such stories. So many incidents I cannot recall, and the only time I've put a bike down has been my fault, my own fault. That's not because I have some special gift, it's because I wear gear and have taken tons of training.

Protective gear, you are also 100%. I do not get on a motorcycle without a suit, be it Alpinestars leather in the summer or a Roadcrafter in the winter. Back protector, chest protector used with either. Without gear, I would not be riding today. Likewise, without beginner and advanced motorcycle training from MSF, track days, track schools, and riding with people decades older than me when I started.....I would not be on the Earth. The slow singing and flower bringing would have long past. This clown is headed to the ER or morgue soon. He just doesn't get it and should park it and start collecting baseball cards or stamps instead.

Cans to me are OK, but once you are talking straight pipe twins, 100% you are again, they annoy everyone. Sad thing is I've never seen once, a cruiser rider with straight pipes wearing ear plugs. Easy to see too because extremely few of them, at least here, even wear helmets. That's an odd thing too. Here on the forum we tell everyone, to use hearing protection when shooting firearms. In the motorcycle communities, most attitudes is F it. The wind will definitely damage your hearing over time, set a clock, it'll happen, so protect those ears when you shoot, but when you ride don't worry about it? That's another stupid thing in the m/c world. Loud pipes also don't save anything, it's a silly ignorant uneducated statement. Not wearing your ears, also extremely uneducated. Not wearing gear, also extremely uneducated. The pavement doesn't care how cool you look, what kind of bike you ride, or how fast you are going. It hurts, can break collarbones, wrists, shoulders, legs, puncture lungs or just end your days right then and there.

As you said, ultra-defensive riding, and proper gear, is the difference between NOT ending up on someone's car, in it (seen that, guy went right through a car's rear glass), on the ground, in the ambulance, or in the ground permanently. People are going to drive stupid, you can bet your life on it. So always be prepared for it 24/7 on a motorcycle, or don't and see what happens. I've never met or rode with another rider who hasn't gone down. I'm sure they are out there but I've never met them.