8/29/2005: Swedish cycle/car wreck @ 155 MPH

[glatt]

Originally Posted by lumberjim

glatt, how do you know what the driver saw?

I don't know what the driver saw, but I'm being generous and giving the biker the benefit of the doubt that he would only drive that fast on a long clear stretch of road. Maybe the driver of the car looked, and there was nobody there, because the bike hadn't rounded the curve or passed the truck or whatever.

I'd be very smpathetic to the biker if he was going at or close to the speed limit. But 155 MPH is simply reckless. Other drivers just won't be able to predict what you are doing, because it's not normal. You are asking for an accident.

[tw]

Originally Posted by lumberjim

i got in the habit of watching the heads in the cars on side streets when i rode. you cont count on someone seeing you...

And watch that other driver's eyes to see if he looked for you ... multiple times. It is essential that other driver's see your eyes and you see his ... so that each knows what the other may have (or have not) seen.

But then some of us are so *cool* as to tint those windows - so that we can kill someone. Literally, tinted side windows degrade human safety so that a driver can feel superior. It is essential to see how many times another driver watches for you - to avoid killing people - such as yourself and your passengers. For motorcyclists, so dangerous are cars when a cyclist cannot see the other driver's eyes.

[BrianR]

Unfortunately, "see and avoid" is not taught to most motorists. There is a difference is HAVING the right of way and GETTING the right of way.

I drive a forty ton behemoth of a Freightliner and still some drivers "didn't see me there". I cannot believe you cannot see a vehicle the size of a small house trundling along, rumbling like a freight train and lit up like a cruise ship at night. What they really meant to say was "I wasn't looking where I was going and thus I didn't see you".

Bob save us all!

Brian

[Tug]

Glatt still doesn't get it - the bike was NOT travelling at 155mph - it's not possible! 155 is a random figure plucked out of thin air to scare / enrage easily led (glatt) drivers into biker-hatred. Also, it is intended to slow motorcycles down somewhat. The problem with such clearly fabricated, exagerated stories is that a) dumb people believe them and b) they immediately lose all credibility and therefore effect when you start questioning the details (as in how come so little damage to the bike? or where does a 125mph vehicle suddenly find an extra 20% speed increase etc).

Look past the quoted figures, think for yourself for once and question what is clearly a staged exhibition....

That said, irrelevant of blame, it remains a tragic accident and a lesson to us all.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Tug

That said, irrelevant of blame, it remains a tragic accident and a lesson to us all.

It remains only a lesson if you come away knowing why the crash (it was not an accident) happened. Again, one can look down a road only once and not see that Freightliner. Again, it is because, in part, how the eye actually sees - and that big hole in the middle of everyone's eye.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Tug

Glatt still doesn't get it - the bike was NOT travelling at 155mpg - it's not possible! 155 is a random figure plucked out of thin air to scare / enrage easily led (glatt) drivers into biker-hatred. Also, it is intended to slow motorcycles down somewhat. The problem with such clearly fabricated, exagerated stories is that a) dumb people believe them and b) they immediately lose all credibility and therefore effect when you start questioning the details (as in how come so little damage to the bike? or where does a 125mph vehicle suddenly find an extra 20% speed increase etc).

Look past the quoted figures, think for yourself for once and question what is clearly a staged exhibition....

I get it perfectly. My comments are based on the assumtion that the reported speed of 155MPH is accurate. If the bike was going slower, the story changes. As does my opinion.

And I don't hate bikers. I'd feel the same way about a car travelling at 155MPH.

[Elspode]

Yeah, 125 mph makes all the difference...'cause that's not at all fast on a road where the speed limit is probably 55-65 mph...:p

[capnhowdy]

I think after 125 mph, going any faster wouldn't change a damn thing. Even to a 'biker'. That's just too damn fast for anything thats not on a "closed course with a professional driver".

In other words: Don't try this on your way home!