Looking Out For Each Other...........

[bealine]

Much as I am not the world's biggest fan of motorbikes, I would never knowingly hurt a biker.   This very powerful video has been released into the hands of Suffolk Police in the hope that all road users will take greater care.   The biker in this video, lost his life in tragic circumstances and, at 94 mph, was going way too fast for either himself or the turning car to take avoiding action. 

If you can bear to watch this, which I must warn you is disturbing, the message, folks, is crystal clear:

1.   Drive/Ride at a speed within your field of vision

2.   Drivers - Think Bike
3.   Bikers - Think other Road Users

4.   All Road Users - Let's Look Out For Each Other!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq2xStb0R-c

[samj2013]

Wow. It's sad at the guy died and all, but I'm not entirely surprised that someone might have turned across him, the motorist probably didn't expect him to be going anywhere near that fast. It's certainly a good case for not riding your motorbike like an idiot.

I try to make sure I know who is around me at all times, but sometimes I think I know where people are, and someone just comes out of nowhere and takes me by surprise because they were going way too fast.

Edited 5 September, 2014 by samj2013

[moley]

Saw this earlier on the BBC website, but it didn't show the actual impact. The driver was prosecuted for causing the death by careless driving. Both were at fault in this instance, to ride a bike at over 90mph in a 60 limit approaching a junction is not recommended.

[grr666]

It's a repost, there's a long running biker chat thread on here where this was discussed

last night by those of us that ride. Very moving video, but those of us that do ride mostly 

came to the conclusion that his speed was to blame and if he'd been doing the 60 he 

may have been able to slow in time. 

Makes you think doesn't it. 

 

More about this reading on from  here 

[bealine]

It does make you stop and think!   When the biker shouts "Nooooo" and you know that he's realised there's no way out you feel a big lump in your throat!   Maybe I am a touch more sensitive because this young rider looked, and acted, very similarly to my daughter's pilot BF!    Same sort of smile too!

 

Careless driving? Too fast?   Both parties to blame?   Does it really matter who was at fault?   A lad has been killed who should have had a bright future!   If we all take care and look out for ourselves and each other, we can prevent senseless deaths.   You can't imagine how the lad's mum feels, how the car driver feels or how the police/ambulance crews felt at the scene!

 

It kind of goes against my stance on speed cameras when this is crystal clear that excessive speed was the main factor at work here.

Edited 5 September, 2014 by bealine

[gadgetman]

The thing that annoys me about the think bike adverts is those riding often forget they're on a bike.  I've lost count of the idiots riding the white line on the motorway between me and another car or lorry.

 

As for the car in the vid, at 60/50 or whatever the limit was on that stretch, from where the driver could have first seen the bike, would they have completed the turn before the biker would have reached that point?  Chances are almost certainly yes.

 

Not everyone has a good perception of speed, and not expecting that sort of closing speed is surely something that many bike accidents have in common?

 

Bikes running dipped lights at all times should be law IMO

[bealine]

Yep!   Motorcyclists riding the white line will tell you they are "filtering" (legal in slow moving traffic), but they are "lane-splitting" (illegal) because filtering actually involves changing lanes rather than riding between vehicles.   "Undertaking" on a motorway is illegal regardless of whether filtering or not.

To be fair, most bikers down this way do ride with dipped headlights on.

I don't know whether the word about "Briskoda" is out around the biking community, but since my big rant about a biker that I almost killed one morning through his dangerous lane-splitting manouevre, the standard of riding and common-courtesy between biker and driver on the M4 seems to have improved somewhat.   Could it be my imagination, or are bikers starting to think a lot more about "what if"?

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

The car turns when the bike is on top of the junction, I seriously doubt doing slightly less speed would have avoided the accident totally BUT he'd have a much higher chance of surviving. 

[grr666]

Bikes running dipped lights at all times should be law IMO

Most modern bikes don't even have an off switch for lights these days and are hard wired to be on

or on with full beam. You can only switch them off when you switch the bike off.

Most modern bikes have hazards too which wasn't the case 20 years ago. 

There are 4 bulbs in my bikes headlights, 2 H7s one dip and one full and a pair of sidelights.

 

As I said in the other thread, 97mph equates to 43 metres a second which is nearly half a football pitch. 

No reaction time at all and BANG!

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

Yep!   Motorcyclists riding the white line will tell you they are "filtering" (legal in slow moving traffic), but they are "lane-splitting" (illegal) because filtering actually involves changing lanes rather than riding between vehicles.   "Undertaking" on a motorway is illegal regardless of whether filtering or not.

 

Lane splitting/filtering = Same thing. Weaving in and out = being a ****. 

[bealine]

Lane splitting/filtering = Same thing. Weaving in and out = being a ****. 

You made me chuckle!

Actually, a well-behaved filtering biker ain't a problem.   When the traffic is queing in the rush hour, I don't have a problem with "Harry Honda" being able to pass and keep on going!   What I have a problem with is hooning along the straight at 80 - 85 mph and having "Kevin Kawasaki" try to tear my nearside doors off while scraping the paint of Waitrose's finest wagon in lane 2 as he does what his Driving Licence tells him to - "Tear Along The Dotted Line!"

[moley]

The thing that annoys me about the think bike adverts is those riding often forget they're on a bike.  I've lost count of the idiots riding the white line on the motorway between me and another car or lorry.

 

As for the car in the vid, at 60/50 or whatever the limit was on that stretch, from where the driver could have first seen the bike, would they have completed the turn before the biker would have reached that point?  Chances are almost certainly yes.

 

Not everyone has a good perception of speed, and not expecting that sort of closing speed is surely something that many bike accidents have in common?

 

Bikes running dipped lights at all times should be law IMO

Black bike and dark leathers.

I rode bikes from 1973 up to 1999 mainly to and from work and I always rode defensively especially at junctions. I had a few near misses when drivers pulled out of side roads even when I had dipped headlight, white fairing and Hi Vis jacket.

Having ridden bikes I am more aware to look out for bikes at junctions and those weaving in and out of heavy traffic on the motorway, but quite often I see bikers putting themselves in very dangerous situations and relying too heavily on thinking that a driver has seen them.

[BossFox]

Having known a number of people who have died or ended up disabled for the rest of their lives due to accidents where they were on a motorbike, the one main truth is that when someone does something stupid it's usually the biker who comes off worse.

That's why I'll never ride a bike.

There are too many stupid people on the roads.

[gadgetman]

Something I've seen a lot of lately on some powerful bikes is one of the headlights being removed (always the left) and instead a vent in it's place?

[Toxicvrs]

I witnessed a crash here on a road I travel along most weeks when I was 16! Around here are some of the best roads for motor biking which lead out on to common land and open country! The biker was going too fast and a horse walked into the road and the rider went straight into it! Serious neck and back injuries! I ride and have ridden dirt bikes and have been thinking recently about getting a road bike but it's things like this that's put you off slightly

Edit just looked it up! This road sees many collisions in the year as it is a winding road with stunning views! This section of the A483 alone has seen 6 biker deaths in recent year

Edited 5 September, 2014 by Toxicvrs

[grr666]

 

Here's the car afterward.

[seboni121]

Having ridden bikes for many years I could understand the trill of going wayyyyy to fast for the roads ! , luckily I survived my offs but doing over 90 at this section of road knowing there was an intersection coming up is an accident waiting to happen , I feel for the family but the footage clearly shows he liked to go full throttle and the driver of the car seems to be a bit of a scapegoat as in all likely hood did have a chance to think as the bike would have been closing down the gap faster than the poor driver could process the situation

[samj2013]

 

Here's the car afterward.

Wow, that's insane. Just shows how much force he hit that thing with.

[sparks03]

Spun it near 180 degrees.. The crash I witnessed on the A48 on the way to the New Forest last month shows how dangerous things can get on a bike. A moment's lapse in concentration and those cars in front have slowed right down to make a turn. Bang. Good job they hadn't come to a stop otherwise I think the chap would have had far worse than a popped shoulder. 

 

 The OP makes a good point and there are Richards using every form of transport. Folk have just got to look out for each other more and be more defence minded, then hopefully matey will have achieved something through losing his life. 

[littleade]

Something I've seen a lot of lately on some powerful bikes is one of the headlights being removed (always the left) and instead a vent in it's place?

Back when twin headlights were common place there were a number of accidents where the car driver thought (because the headlights were close together) that the oncoming vehicle was further away than it was so that could be why.

It was a harrowing video and I feel sorry for all those involved and it was a brave thing of the family to release this in the hope it will save others from a similar fate. Unfortunately all the danger signs were there but the poor rider failed to process them correctly and react accordingly so paid the ultimate price.

It sure makes the case that advanced training is so much more important if you ride a bike.

[moley]

In the version of the video on the BBC it shows the rider overtaking on the hatchings and along a right turn filter lane for the oncoming traffic, a rider that took too many risks

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-29064891

Edited 5 September, 2014 by moley

[grr666]

 I feel for the family but the footage clearly shows he liked to go full throttle and the driver of the car seems

to be a bit of a scapegoat as in all likely hood did have a chance to think as the bike would have been closing

down the gap faster than the poor driver could process the situation

The poor driver had 6 seconds to see him coming Seb, & the poor driver is still here to tell the tale. 

A life has been lost here and if BOTH parties had handled things differently then maybe it would have 

never happened. 

Don't get me wrong he was going way too fast, but the poor car driver was crossing a lane of live traffic

and should have been looking more carefully. The road was arrow straight and the bike would have

had lights on and was travelling downhill.

You can't say the car driver wasn't also equally negligent in this accident.The courts seem to agree.

The family don't strike me as the type to want someone else to be punished for their sons death, I see

no scapegoat here, just excuses being made for the car driver looking but not seeing.  

[Gaz]

Very moving video......Makes you think doesn't it. 

 

It most certainly is, and it most certainly does.

 

We have ostensibly just watched someone die.  A very humbling reality check.

 

I for one have seen more than enough death and injury to last me a lifetime.  I'll never get used to it and trust that won't change.

 

Poor sod.

 

Gaz

[alex_e3]

I heard about this from my Mum earlier (who's always worrying about me being on a bike I might add), and didn't want to watch it to be honest. I've just watched it and I found it horrible to view.

 

I have to say though... I genuinely cannot believe the speed this guy was going up to a busy junction like that. Considering he's been riding 20 years, I honestly cannot contemplate how he lasted so long without something like this happening before. Don't get me wrong, I like speed... I love it - but there's a time and place to open the taps. Riding up to a junction where there's huge potential of a variety of people pulling out/turning in, at that sort of speed, is just insanity.

 

I'm not getting into the debate of the car driver purely on the basis of the ludicrous speed this guy was going.

[grr666]

It's all too easy for discussions like this to become Car VS Bike and that's not

my aim. As per the title. We need to look out for each other.

I believe the bike saw the car but I also believe the assumption by David that it

had also seen him was his undoing.