Karma, Darwin at Work, or Simply Stupidity?

I was heading north on the Bothell-Everett Highway this evening. Then I heard this high pitched whine. Is that really an air raid siren? I've never heard on in the time I've lived here.

I turned the radio off to better identify what the sound was. Crotch-rocket at about 12,000 rpms. I thought I was about to experience one of those situations where the rider goes flying through between the cars. Then I see the bike. He's going against the traffic at about 80 mph, or faster. I'm sitting there thinking some not to nice thoughts about then. About how riders like that give the rest of us a bad name. And then thinking he'll probably get away with it today, but eventually, the odds will stack up against him and he'll have bought the farm.

I go forward about a block, and there's the bike laying on the ground. In pieces. Lots of pieces. I thought about stopping, but I was on the other side of the road and it was obvious that some people were already checking on him. I would only get in the way at that point.




I think I overheard someone say he had no injuries. Wow.

If you look at the white Subaru to the left in the picture, he hit that at some point. How, I don't have a clue. He was coming from the left side of the picture to the right, yet the damage is in the driver's side rear fender.

I wonder if he even had a license? Many don't.

I should feel more charitable, but I don't. He definitely got what he deserved and I'm glad he's off the road, at least temporarily so he doesn't plant his next bike in the front seat of a family sedan. That happens.

Chris

On one of my trips to Deals Gap I heard that same sound when we were pulled over at a scenic overlook. Yep - two sport bikes, probably in first gear at 12K rpm, and they were using the whole road. I was sure glad we were off the road at the time. I don't know if we could have missed them meeting them head on.

I don't think we have any obligation to feel "more charitable" toward people behaving like that. It doesn't really matter that the behavior was on a motorcycle or whatever. Jeopardizing other people's lives is not acceptable behavior.

I developed an ability to separate my intolerance of stupid behavior from helping an injured person when I worked in EMS for 20 years. I can remember taking the same drunk out of a wrecked car in the same ditch on 3 separate ocasions at 2:00 AM. Ya, wake me up in the middle of the night and send me down into a muddy ditch to help a cobative, drunken patient and expect me to like it????? The third time he had drowned by the time we got there. Problem solved.

I agree, that we as motorcyclists, are particularly distirbed by other misbehaving riders. We work hard at doing things right and staying out of trouble. I have another story about a drunk on a Harley. Come to Spearfish to hear that one.

Chris, as a former member of the WSP, I would highly reccommend you go to the local police and give a statement. A person like this endangers the public, us, and our insurance. Your statement may not mean anything, or it may be ammo to use against this blankety blank. In legal or civil court. I hope the Subaru person is ok . As you know, WA is a no fault state but behind the scenes, the insurance companies play "Lets make a deal"

junglejim said:

I can remember taking the same drunk out of a wrecked car in the same ditch on 3 separate ocasions at 2:00 AM. Ya, wake me up in the middle of the night and send me down into a muddy ditch to help a cobative, drunken patient and expect me to like it????? The third time he had drowned by the time we got there. Problem solved..

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(Sounds of Coyote Chris crying) Darn, I love happy endings! He has been deterred from ever hurting another person for ever! And he wont cost us a dime more....Why couldnt "LA LA Land" have had a happy ending?

Long before I started riding motorcycles, I lived in Ogden, UT. The main drag through town is Washington Blvd. It leaves a stop-light on the south side of Ogden, and climbs a long hill with the first 3/4 mile alongside the country club. Then over the next 3/4 mile there are three streets that "T" into it from the right. My filling station guy, who had been an EMT, was getting ready to pull out of the first one of those side streets when a kid on a sportbike went by at over 100, still accelerating. Jack watched a woman in an Olds 98 pull out of the third side street to cross the uphill lanes and head down the hill toward town. She hadn't seen the bike coming her way. He t-boned her just behind the center of her driver's side front wheel. He went over her car and hit the pavement 156 feet beyond her. She wasn't hurt, but her car was totaled. Jack was the first person to the wreck.

He told me that the kid was wearing a full set of leathers, and that when he picked up an arm to see if there was a pulse, the kid felt like a leather bag full of soupy stuff. Jack was pretty sure that nearly every bone had been broken. The Utah Highway patrol estimated his speed at the collision to have been over 160.

Darwin's theory works.

They all think that they are expert riders. Case in point. North of Soap Lake WA there is a public fishing access on Lake Lenore. A young man from Ephrata was heading north on Hwy 17 following a slow car. When he went to pass near the entrance to the public access a northbound pickup had gone into the southbound lane to make a left turn. When the biker saw the truck he panicked and laid the bike down. Sliding under the truck. He was killed instantly. Judging by the skid marks the sheriff's office estimated his speed at 85 to 90 mph.
One of the deputies rode a GL1200 GoldWing. He took his bike out to the same location and at 90 mph applied both brakes without locking them up at the point where the biker laid it over. The deputy was able to stop with over 10 feet to spare. The sad part is that just a few minutes before the crash the young man was bragging to his friends how he had the motorcycle mastered.

Notice I called it a crash and not an accident. A accident is what you do in your pants after a crash.

In the early-80s, the University of Southern Cal's Transportation Dept started to compile data on motorcycle accidents. They monitored police calls and sent research people to the scene so had data from many thousands of motorcycle accidents. In the vast majority of cases, the rider had time/distance to stop or swerve but created his own accident by stomping on the rear brake and causing a slide. In the motorcycling community, that's called "I laid her down" implying that it was done on purpose but in reality, overbraking the rear brake with zero front brake created that crash.

I was an MSF instructor for 16 years so I've heard all the BS stories from riders who were involved in crashes. :-(

When teaching my kids to drive I always came back to 'there are NO accidents'. Only crashes. My kids can repeat that back in their sleep. Every time there is a crash it is because someone broke/ignored/was ignorant of a traffic law. Speed kills. Right of way rules/laws are fairly simple and exist for a reason. Speed is intoxicating but nothing that is intoxicating mixes well with a vehicle.
Here in Portland, most everyone prides themselves on being considerate drivers. It is actually pretty nice most of the time, until someone tries to get you to take a right of way that isn't yours. On my commute home I make a left turn from a left turn lane in front of a school just as it is getting out. Most days I have to wait a bit because of the number of cars leaving the school having picked up their kids. This is not a worry for me, I don't mind waiting. Often though, a car coming towards me will simply stop in their lane to let me make my turn thinking that they are being kind. This is really bad for two reasons. One there is a bike lane and often impatient drivers will drive in the bike lane to pass the stopped car on the right. If I take the right of way that isn't mine the impatient driver will hit me. The other danger with stopping to let me turn is the car that stops stands a good chance of getting rear ended. I've seen it happen 3 times over the years. Nope. Ill wait thank you very much even though the driver who stopped gets mad.

Nordakoda said:

Notice I called it a crash and not an accident. A accident is what you do in your pants after a crash.

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The WSP feels the same way. There is no such thing as an accident. There are incidents where a human bean is usually the fault somewhere....
Frosty and I know a guy who claims to be a motorcycle saftey instructer, or at least has that rating....he has been in the hospital twice for long stays...
once was for a "90 mph wheelie that went bad".

Pilots have a saying. "Altitude, airspeed, and brains.....two required"

Mellow said:

http://komonews.com/news/local/motorcyclist-injured-in-crash-on-bothell-everett-highway

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Thanks Joe. I love the way the writer puts things....
"Police said the motorcycle was speeding northbound in the inside turn lane on Bothell Everett Highway, when he t-boned a Subaru headed southbound, which caused the car to spin around."

How did the writer know the motorcycle was a "He"????

Should I write the writer and tell him/her that a motorcycle doesnt speed and a BTW a gun doesnt shoot people? Naaaaaaaa...wouldnt do any good.

DirtFlier said:

In the early-80s, the University of Southern Cal's Transportation Dept started to compile data on motorcycle accidents. They monitored police calls and sent research people to the scene so had data from many thousands of motorcycle accidents. In the vast majority of cases, the rider had time/distance to stop or swerve but created his own accident by stomping on the rear brake and causing a slide. In the motorcycling community, that's called "I laid her down" implying that it was done on purpose but in reality, overbraking the rear brake with zero front brake created that crash.

I was an MSF instructor for 16 years so I've heard all the BS stories from riders who were involved in crashes. :-(

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I agree with you. Low siding on purpose to avoid an accident may be a useful tool to avoid serious injury from a violator in a few rare incidents, but I never had to do it....When you were taught, what percentage of bike accidents were the rider's fault?

Coyote Chris said:

When you were taught, what percentage of bike accidents were the rider's fault?

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There is an important distinction between "fault" and "avoidable" in motorcycle accidents. The percentage that are avoidable by the rider are a lot higher than the percentate where rider was at fault.

My wife won't ride on a motorcycle because she thinks they are dangerous - so she rides horses. We no longer discuss the relative danger of riding either, but recognize that there is a risk on both. Truth is that when you get hurt on either one there is usually something the rider could/should have done to prevent it. Some motorcyclists ride beyond their ability or safe conditions and some horseback riders do the same thing. My wife has hit the ground more times than me. but I don't remind her of that. Arguing with a wife or woman is a whole different subject. I have come of both horses and motorcycles. It hurts when you hit the ground - period. But I have never been kicked or bitten by a motorcycle.

junglejim said:

There is an important distinction between "fault" and "avoidable" in motorcycle accidents. The percentage that are avoidable by the rider are a lot higher than the percentate where rider was at fault.

My wife won't ride on a motorcycle because she thinks they are dangerous - so she rides horses. We no longer discuss the relative danger of riding either, but recognize that there is a risk on both. Truth is that when you get hurt on either one there is usually something the rider could/should have done to prevent it. Some motorcyclists ride beyond their ability or safe conditions and some horseback riders do the same thing. My wife has hit the ground more times than me. but I don't remind her of that. Arguing with a wife or woman is a whole different subject. I have come of both horses and motorcycles. It hurts when you hit the ground - period. But I have never been kicked or bitten by a motorcycle.

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The airbag vests that some of us wear while riding our motorcycles were originally designed for equestrian riders.

Mellow said:

http://komonews.com/news/local/motorcyclist-injured-in-crash-on-bothell-everett-highway

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Two thoughts came to mind later after posting this.

First, it is common knowledge or at least rumor, that the LEOs won't chase you in a crowded city environment. It puts too many lives at stake. If they are lucky enough to have a helicopter in the air, they'll just follow you till you stop and arrest you then.

The other thought I had, was I wonder if this guy didn't have a Go-Pro camera filming the entire ride so he could post on YouTube how great he was???


BTW, Warren has an excellent point. The airbag vests are also sold for equestrian sports.

Chris

junglejim said:

There is an important distinction between "fault" and "avoidable" in motorcycle accidents. The percentage that are avoidable by the rider are a lot higher than the percentate where rider was at fault.

My wife won't ride on a motorcycle because she thinks they are dangerous - so she rides horses. We no longer discuss the relative danger of riding either, but recognize that there is a risk on both. Truth is that when you get hurt on either one there is usually something the rider could/should have done to prevent it. Some motorcyclists ride beyond their ability or safe conditions and some horseback riders do the same thing. My wife has hit the ground more times than me. but I don't remind her of that. Arguing with a wife or woman is a whole different subject. I have come of both horses and motorcycles. It hurts when you hit the ground - period. But I have never been kicked or bitten by a motorcycle.

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Wife 1.0 had horses....I have fallen off a horse. I think you have much more control on a bike! LOL!

Daboo said:

First, it is common knowledge or at least rumor, that the LEOs won't chase you in a crowded city environment. It puts too many lives at stake.
Chris

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It depends....many times I have seen a supervisor in the comm room tell the "dispatcher" to broadcast "terminate". Its an easy call, sometimes....harder at others....is this person running because they just shot a store owner or cause they have a minor warrent? Did the troop see the licence plate so that they could even tell if the person has a stolen car or a warrent? Did a member of the public report the plate or step up and report an incident..."See something? SAY something!."

junglejim said:

There is an important distinction between "fault" and "avoidable" in motorcycle accidents. The percentage that are avoidable by the rider are a lot higher than the percentate where rider was at fault.

My wife won't ride on a motorcycle because she thinks they are dangerous - so she rides horses. We no longer discuss the relative danger of riding either, but recognize that there is a risk on both. Truth is that when you get hurt on either one there is usually something the rider could/should have done to prevent it. Some motorcyclists ride beyond their ability or safe conditions and some horseback riders do the same thing. My wife has hit the ground more times than me. but I don't remind her of that. Arguing with a wife or woman is a whole different subject. I have come of both horses and motorcycles. It hurts when you hit the ground - period. But I have never been kicked or bitten by a motorcycle.

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I would have said it differently. "There is an important distinction between an avoidable and non avoidable wreck when the rider isnt at fault." There is little real distinction between who is at fault but that is not how our judicial system works. They assign percentages of blame. (50 car pileups are caused by a whole lot of drivers who should get a whole lot of blame! LOL!)

I too have no sympathy for those who become victims of their own stupidity and careless actions. Here in MO we now have most LEO's and EMT's carrying an injectable syringe which can counter the effects of an overdose of heroin. Heroin is sadly becoming more and more common. You may say I'm crass, cruel and uncaring but IMHO if someone OD's on heroin let 'em die. If people were held accountable for their decisions, perhaps we would have more accountable people. I know that this may offend some of the group and if it does, please accept my apology.

Mike

It is real tempting to jump on your comments Mike, but we are drifting from the motorcycle topic and subject to get moderated out of here. And I'm partly to blame.

Most of us try hard to be responsnible riders (and citizens), but a lot of us get a little too exuberant at times. I sometimes get a little carried away enjoying my motorcycle, but I think I make pretty good decisions on when and where. A friend of mine says "you can get away with a lot of stupid sh** if you think it through first." I can calculate my own risks. But endangering other people is NOT acceptable behavior. And I don't mind telling that to other riders if they are endangering others. They may think riding a wheelie down a freeway is OK, but I don't think so. It distracts drivers and gives cyclists a bad name. Same goes with excessive speeds on public roads. Want to race - go to the track. We all have different experiences and abilities and crossing the line from spirited riding to irresponsible riding is different for all of us.