Please be careful out there

[Ysabel Kid]

Yesterday, Easter Sunday, Y2K and I went out in the afternoon to run an errand. We were at an intersection a couple miles from our house. We were the second car in the straight-through lane, with a car to our left, caddy-corner, in the left turn lane, and one to our right, waiting to turn right. We were talking when we heard a screeching sound, followed by a crash then a loud "thud". Looking around, I saw a car had turn left, from the right of the cross traffic in front of us into our side of the intersection going the opposite way we were. It had turn immediately in front of a motorcycle. The biker laid the bike down, apparently being too close to avoid the accident. The screech we hurt was the bike hitting the pavement. The crash was the bike sliding into the car that turned in front of him. The thud was the worse part. The biker had slid with momentum in front of the car which hit him and threw him into the car beside us turning left - the thud coming from his impact against that driver's door.

We didn't see it, but heard it, and when we realized it was a car-motorcycle accident, immediately threw our car into park, hit the hazard, and jumped out to aid in the accident.

I expected the worst as I rounded the corner of the car. Fortunately, the biker had a full helmet, thick padded jacket, jeans and a glove on (his left hand). He was trying to get up. Another guy who actually saw the impacts came around the front of the car. We steadied the biker and told him to lay back down and not move. I cradled his head and neck, trying to keep them from moving. He complained of chest pain, and had trouble breathing. We tried to keep him calm, assess the rest of his injuries, and amde sure others called 911. He knew who he was, where he was, and was able to move all his limbs. The only bleeding was from his right hand, which either lost its glove or never had one on.

The young woman who hit him exited the car in hysterics. She was worried she had killed him, and kept saying "I never saw him". She had a phone in her hand, but I don't know if she was on it when she was in the accident. Other people who stopped tried to calm her down. Y2K offered to help, kept calm, offered suggestions (I am glad he's a Boy Scout and has earned his "First Aid" merit badge!). The EMT's arrived within a couple minutes, and relieved me from holding his head and neck (I was seated by this point and had his head cradled in my lap, with my back against the car he had hit). They got the helmet off, cut away his jacket, got him onto a back board and got his neck immobilized, then took him away. The fire department asked us all who had seen the accident itself, and asked those of us who had not to go ahead and clear the area. We left, glad we could help, and glad the biker looked like he would be okay.

His bike was toast. Pieces of it everywhere.

It's spring, and after this long, hard winter, motorcyclists are out enjoying the better weather and the open roads. Please, please, PLEASE watch out for them. I've never seen a motorcycle-car collision where the motorcyclist emerged better than the car driver. Simple physics.

Less than 2 minutes away from the accident, we saw a motorcycle rider wearing nothing but shorts, a t-shirt and no helmet. Not to lecture you guys who ride them, but please, Please, PLEASE wear a helmet and the right gear, regardless of what your state laws are, and regardless of the heat. Another matter of physics.

P.S. - the guy who actually saw the whole accident said the driver struck the motorcyclist in the head. I'm surprised it didn't snap his neck. When I was cradling him, the side of his helmet where he was struck was towards me. It was toast, but protected him. Obviously a great-quality helmet - and worth every penny then some.

I'm just glad Y2K didn't see a guy chewed to pieces from the accident. Glad the guy wasn't chewed to pieces. This one hit way too close to home on many levels, including the fact that I am still in a lot of pain from the trucker turning in front of me 2 years ago, then t-boning me as I tried to get around him. Physics is an unrelenting b!t@h.

Be safe out there!!!

[2ndovc]

I had a guy wipe out in front of me about two years ago. He had a good set of leathers on but no helmet. After we got
him up and off the road I gave him a good WTF about not wearing a helmet. He was more embarrassed than hurt but I bet he's wearing one now!

Glad to hear your guy's going to be ok!

jb

[Old Ironsights]

Loud pipes save lives...

Sounds like you guys did good... however, I like to suggest to folks that if they are First Aid inclined, that as part pf a First Aid Kit in the car, they keep a folding "C" Collar or two, and learn how to apply them.

Call 911.

Stabilize the Airway/Spine (that's what the C Collar & training are for) then Stop any Bleeding. That should be enough until the EMTs show up...

[.45colt]

The last accident I had on a bike was 20 years ago when I was a young 40 years of age. I left the parking lot from work about 9:00 pm and just hit third gear on My Yamaha XV920 when a Woman pulled up to a stop sign down the road. I saw her look in the mirror at Her Kid's in the back seat. She then in an instant pulled out in front of Me without looking once My way. That bike had a headlight the size of a dinner plate. I hit Her front fender/wheel and the bike stuck there going about 40mph. I went over the handle bars and the hood of her car and did a bunch of endo's down the road. When the rescue squad got there they all Thanked Me for having a Helmet and leather jacket on. eight weeks off of work and I was good to go. but a lot wiser after that.

[AJMD429]

We are all but one moment of inattention (on our part on someone else's) from death or permanent harm, so must ALWAYS assume the worse-case scenario on the road (since that is the most hazardous environment most of us will ever deal with).

[Blaine]

Best to keep the head immobilized until the pros get there........

[boolitshooter]

So true about riding bikes. I road them in my early years when I thought I was invincible. Now since I don't trust other drivers on the road I don't ride any more.
As a matter of fact I like to be in a big truck or car when traveling.

[Hawkeye2]

I was a corner marshal for Western Eastern Roadracers Assn. (WERA) for a couple of seasons many years ago. One thing you NEVER do is remove the helmet from a rider that is down. Always let him do that. Ask him his name, keep him talking. It sounds like you and Y2K did everything right and the rider was fortunate you were there.

[Old Ironsights]

Hawkeye... As an EMT, I respectfully disagree. You "let" NO ONE remove a helmet. Not you, not the Rider, NO ONE.... unless the airway is compromised.

If a consious rider wants to remove his helmet, argue against it. It's far safer for his Cervical Spine to cut it off at the ER with an appropriate saw than to put traction on a potentially compromised neck.

If the patient insists, when there is no airway or other life-threatening issue, make dang sure they sign a waiver first.

But if they are incoherent, do NOT let them take off their Full face/ 3/4 face) helmet. (Note: a Pingpong/CHP helmet, which does not grab the chin, cheeks or ears can be cut off by anyone. Removal of that type of DOT helmet does not put traction on the cervical spine...)

Bad Mojo.

[Bill in Oregon]

Thank God the rider had his helmet on and had time to lay that bike down. Is there a followup? How is he doing?
I think bright colored safety gear and the headlights that strobe go a long way to making bikers more visible.

[Old Ironsights]

Thank God the rider had his helmet on and had time to lay that bike down. Is there a followup? How is he doing?
I think bright colored safety gear and the headlights that strobe go a long way to making bikers more visible.

I dispise strobing headlamps... both as a Rider and as a 4wheel driver. It attracts too much attention and people tend to unconciously veer toward them...

Loud Pipes are much better/safer... if more annoying in town. But "annoying" is why they work.

[stretch]

Well, it sounds as if he'll make it.

I've always maintained that this is the most dangerous
time of year to ride. My timing is off, there's sand all over
the place, unfilled potholes and results of frost heaves
everywhere, and other motorists are not yet looking for
motorbikes. It's tough!

I'm totally against helmet laws, except for kids and beginners,
but I almost always wear a good one. Sounds like this fella
benefited from wearing one.

Logically, why I continue to ride with all of the current hazards
out there is beyond me. But I am a motorcyclist, and therefore an
optimist. And I really, really enjoy it!

Pay attention out there!

-Tom

[vancelw]

Loud pipes don't save lives...by the time you hear them it's too late.
Driving defensively saves lives, usually your own. I think every driver should to ride XXXX amount of miles on a motorcycle. It would teach them to watch for others and be more aware.

I'm an EMT and a cycle rider. I don't always wear a helmet and a leather jacket. The one time I got creamed by a punk kid driver I had both on and they saved my hide...literally. I still have the jacket (with road rash) but the helmet got trashed afterwards and was replaced by insurance.

Textbooks are nice, but they are co-written by lawyers. While I would never remove someone else's helmet if I didn't have to to administer care, I definitely took my own off as soon as I could. It's very claustrophobic to have a full-face helmet on when you're lying on the ground. I was afraid the medics wouldn't let me take it off until I got the the ER and got an xray or CT scan, so I made sure and got it off before the medics got there. I knew what no one else knew...that my neck was not hurt.

15 people stopped to check on me, but no one followed the hit & run driver to get his tag number and hold him responsible
I'm glad folks stopped to help and I'm glad YK and Y2K stopped to help the feller they did. I never thought I would be, but I'm almost to the point where I would agree to outlaw cell phones in moving vehicles. I dodge two or three cars a day that exhibit the tell-tale signs of a drink driver, but it is their use of the cell phone that is exacerbating their stupidity.

[Old Ironsights]

Where in SE MT? We'd love to have more Medics do our nascent "Medics on Motorcycles" Poker ... err... CME Training Run through NE WY & the black hills...

[Ysabel Kid]

Thank God the rider had his helmet on and had time to lay that bike down. Is there a followup? How is he doing?
I think bright colored safety gear and the headlights that strobe go a long way to making bikers more visible.

No update. I've been out of town on a business trip.

We wouldn't let him remove his helmet. He tried to at first. Just got him to lay down, lay still, confirm he could feel his limbs, and got him calmed down while keeping his head and neck immobile until the pro's arrived.

I hate laws which mandate personal behavior that, in theory, don't impact other people. Helmet laws come under this - assuming society doesn't have to pick up the tab for someone who chooses not to wear one then splatters their brains all over the road but somehow manages to survive and land in constant care for the rest of their lives. Personal choice; personal responsibility for the consequences. Unfortunately, we don't live in such a society anymore.

That being said, I still don't advocate laws forcing people to wear helmets - but anyone who rides should do so all the time, for the simple reason that there are just too many idiots on the road these days. Your riding isn't going to get you - some other fool will...

[AJMD429]

I hate laws which mandate personal behavior that, in theory, don't impact other people. Helmet laws come under this - assuming society doesn't have to pick up the tab for someone who chooses not to wear one then splatters their brains all over the road but somehow manages to survive and land in constant care for the rest of their lives. Personal choice; personal responsibility for the consequences. Unfortunately, we don't live in such a society anymore.

That being said, I still don't advocate laws forcing people to wear helmets - but anyone who rides should do so all the time, for the simple reason that there are just too many idiots on the road these days. Your riding isn't going to get you - some other fool will...

I agree. There might be some times when NOT wearing one actually is safer, too. Same with seatbelts - if on glaze ice, no other traffic, and crossing a river, I'm unbuckling mine and rolling down my window, if I really want to play the odds as far as safety; heavy traffic on dry land is another matter.

[homefront]

Loud pipes don't save lives...by the time you hear them it's too late.

That's incorrect.

When I was on a quiet bike, like my stock Tiger, drivers sometimes would try to change lanes with me right along side them, or while I was passing them, because they just hadn't noticed I was there. The fact that bikes execute maneuvers more quickly than cars reduces a riders exposure time in the drivers limited field of view.

I noticed a distinct improvement in "cager" behavior when I later switched to a Harley with loud pipes. I would see drivers suddenly look right at me in their rear view as I came up behind them and they'd often slow down as I roared past.

It also seemed to help with cagers from pulling out in front of me at intersections, but I still suffer the occasional dipwit who pulls out right as I'm approaching.

The only way to ride is with all your senses and your mind at 110% attention, and by assuming that every cager you come across will undoubtedly make the worst choice possible. And that attitude only helps your chances. It guarantees nothing.

I won't get on a bike without full gear, regardless of weather. Years of crashing trail bikes, including some hospital visits, has taught me just how valuable a complete set of riding gear is.

[vancelw]

If thinking that makes you feel better, okay. All loud pipes do is damage your hearing and tick off everyone around you, making them more aggressive. I equate it with people who shoot road signs. Lots of fun, but turns folks against you. People who vote.
These guys who have loud pipes and then wear ear plugs are really putting themselves at risk. You need to hear as much as you can.

Lots of lights help. The only thing I ever saw that made people notice me on my bike was the light bar. Three lights make the bike seem like a larger vehicle to others, even in the daytime. They WILL pull out in front of a bike because they are selfish and because they have this fantasy that motorcycles and 18-wheelers have magical brakes that let them stop on a dime.

I've had bikes with loud pipes. Never again. Reduced hearing is your only reward.

[hayabusa]

vancelw I have been riding since 1966. I have had Honda's (305 Dream- 350 twins-450 CB & scramblers-350 & 400 in line four cylinders-quite a few CB750 k series & V65Magna in Hondas. Also a few 750 K models in 850 & 1050 cc displacement. Stock Busas like mine will run in the 9 second range & 145-149 mph in standing stock quarter mile. I still can not like most of the four wheel drivers out there.
All but the V65 have had headers or megaphones with no baffles in them. The Suzuki Hayabusa I have been on since 4/01/2004 & bought new is still stock (QUITE).

I have never noticed any less people pulling out in front of me or any other of the other stunts the 4 wheelers (automobiles) do against bikers when I have had the loud pipes on the bikes. They just don't seem to care & this was before CELL PHONES!
I have rode at least 75 miles to work round trip until 1999 when I went to work for GM in Shreveport, Louisiana, then it was a 100 mile round trip. The only thing I noticed with the loud pipes was that it clearly upset most drivers. It clearly affects your hearing long time. Of course Harley loud pipes do not sound the same as Honda or any Jap bike exhausts with the headers. They will truly damage everyone's hearing. I ride as defensibly as I can. The auto drivers are out to get bikers, but they do no know it. Only my humble thoughts on the matter.
Yes I have been hit from every side except the right side. Never had a wreck ruled my fault. Officer I did not see the 7 inch quartz halogen head light on bright at eye level. Maybe I was not too long winded.

hayabusa

[AmBraCol]

I'm glad it turned out OK for him. We ride year round down here. And you've never seen stupid until you've ridden in traffic like ours here. So far so good, have been licensed to ride since '84 and no accidents other than my own stupid fault (riding a street bike on back trails isn't the brightest thing to do, nor is using one's front brake on slippery pavement covered with grit when the ice melts)

I've managed to stay out of trouble mostly by expecting the other guy to do the stupidest thing possible and to ride like they can't see me. A lot of bikers get into trouble because of their own stupid fault, like the idiot biker chick I nearly took out on I-5 a couple years ago. Her boyfriend came up the ramp and I gave him plenty of room, traffic was heavy but I made room as possible and merged back into the right lane - what I DIDN'T see was his idiot girl friend who was trying to catch up. When I checked the on ramp it was just him - she was WAAAAY back but riding like a bat with fire on its tail trying to catch up. Don't know how fast she was going but in the time it took to safely merge from one lane to the next she went from now where in sight to nearly taking out my bumper. Of course she didn't believe that riding twice as fast as her boyfriend in an effort to catch up on an on ramp into heavy traffic was a bad idea so she flashed me the "Californian Good Luck Sign". Loud pipes did NOT make her any more visible and wearing a black leather vest did not make her a safer rider. If she'd have been riding at a normal speed instead of trying to catch up on an on ramp we'd have both had a better day. Once she hit the highway she'd have had plenty of time to catch up relatively safely.

Anyway, defensive riding is the only way to go. Expect the unexpected and look for idiots to do the stupidest things. There's nothing like the rush of coming around a tight curve on a two lane in the Andes and seeing a semi passing another semi in front of you with 1,000 foot drop on one side and a wall of granite on the other. Thankfully they're usually traveling slow enough one has time enough to find the bare margin needed to keep bike and body intact. Riding a dual purpose type bike makes a lot of sense when you need to hit the rough instead of staying on what passes for pavement.

As for stupid bike riders - we have more than our share down here too. Idiots think it's a great idea to remove the rear light and replace it with a single row of LED lights. Can't see them in the sunlight or on dark, rainy nights either. But they "look cool" - to the asinine. Wearing black rain gear or black slickers is another favorite of mine. You can't see them - but they assume you can. With the large number of folks who drive in the rain with fogged windows I'm amazed we don't have more accidents due to this. Oh, and a black slicker that covers that tiny LED strip - another brilliant darwinian device. Then there's the folks who ride smack dab in the middle of the lane at less than half the legal speed limit because they are too scared to ride the ridiculously low legal speed. They drive some drivers to distraction and end up provoking them into dangerous passing maneuvers. Then there's the opposite extreme - the idiots who weave in and out at twice the speed the rest of traffic is moving. These guys are usually riding a hopped up two stroke with a loud pipe (usually a 100 to 115 cc single cylinder) and consider themselves king of the road. Fortunately all sales of new two strokers have been discontinued and the available supply of rebuild parts seems to be dwindling - but there's plenty of folks doing similar maneuvers on four stroke bikes to keep life interesting.

A bike is the best transportation for crossing the Andes - in my opinion. The last time I went over and back in the car was a nightmare. Give me a good bike and good gear any day for riding through these hills.

[jeepnik]

The guy on the bike reacted about the best he could. I've watched inexperienced riders panic and grab tight to the bike. That usually doesn't end as well as expected. I hope he makes out okay.

Keeping an accident victim comfortable and as immobile as possible till the fellows with the flashing light arrive is generally your best bet. The only exceptions, of course, would be dealing with cardiac, breathing, or excessive bleeding issues. You can end up with all sorts of "expert" advice at an accident scene. Do what you know is right, and ignore the kibitzers.

Most people, even those with serious injuries usually react to a fall or similar by trying to get to their feet. And, there's some evidence that those who do get that far, heck, some even get up are run, seem to have a better chance of survival than those who just seem to lie there. Don't use force to restrain them, gently directing them and talking calmly to them you can usually get them to cooperate and get them back down so they don't fall again.

Holding the head and neck immobile is a good idea, but just holding their hand can do quite a bit to calm, and reassure them. Never underestimate the power of the human touch. For those who are seriously injured, it can be an anchor to this world they can hold on to.

YK, you and Y2K done good!

[Paladin]

Loud pipes don't save lives...by the time you hear them it's too late.
Driving defensively saves lives, usually your own. I think every driver should to ride XXXX amount of miles on a motorcycle. It would teach them to watch for others and be more aware.

I'm an EMT and a cycle rider. I don't always wear a helmet and a leather jacket. The one time I got creamed by a punk kid driver I had both on and they saved my hide...literally. I still have the jacket (with road rash) but the helmet got trashed afterwards and was replaced by insurance.

Textbooks are nice, but they are co-written by lawyers. While I would never remove someone else's helmet if I didn't have to to administer care, I definitely took my own off as soon as I could. It's very claustrophobic to have a full-face helmet on when you're lying on the ground. I was afraid the medics wouldn't let me take it off until I got the the ER and got an xray or CT scan, so I made sure and got it off before the medics got there. I knew what no one else knew...that my neck was not hurt.

15 people stopped to check on me, but no one followed the hit & run driver to get his tag number and hold him responsible
I'm glad folks stopped to help and I'm glad YK and Y2K stopped to help the feller they did. I never thought I would be, but I'm almost to the point where I would agree to outlaw cell phones in moving vehicles. I dodge two or three cars a day that exhibit the tell-tale signs of a drink driver, but it is their use of the cell phone that is exacerbating their stupidity.

I have a couple of 100,000 miles on a bike, ride daily, and agree.

[Gobblerforge]

A lot of painting with broad brushes here.
I can attest only to myself but I tend to look up from my doings when I hear loud pipes.
Gobbler

[jeepnik]

Loud pipes may save lives (though I doubt anyone has ever studied it). But one thing they certainly do is irritate me and many other almost to the point of murder.

Close, I'm talking a mile or so, to me is a really nice twisty uphill road. The bikers love it. So, almost anytime of the day or night they race up and down the thing. Now this is really, really considerate of folks that live here. There is also a major street thru town that is well within ear shot of these inconsiderate folks.

I have to admit, I've been tempted to string a line about a foot or so high across the darned twisty road some night. Might only get one, but after the sirens stop, it should allow a peaceful nights sleep for a change.