Motorcop injured today

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=3120050

Never assume someone will yeild to you

Never assume anything on a motorcycle.It'll bite you in the ass every time.

[ringadingh]

He should have taken advanced driver training, unless he did and flunked.

[socwkbiker]

Did any of you read the comments though? Have to admit, some pretty funny stuff, and one rider who takes responsibility for any of their accidents which is a smart policy.

[dantama]

Originally Posted by SWB,voices tell me evil things

Did any of you read the comments though? Have to admit, some pretty funny stuff, and one rider who takes responsibility for any of their accidents which is a smart policy.

I had to go back and read the comments after you posted.

I think this is the one you were referring to:

"30 + years of ridding..2 crashes..both my fault?
of course!! i 'allowed' it to happen. it is that way of thinking that will keep me ridding for another 30 years. if by some chance sombody in a car had pulled out in front of the motocycle that person might have contributed to the cause of the accident..but on a bike you have the advntage of being able to see over the tops of cars..and if for any reason there is any kind of place where a car could pull out and you would not be able to stop the proper response is to slow down so you can..and if for any reason you disagree or that doesn't make sense...do not ever ride on a motorcycle. its all so simple..i you ride like every other driver could/would run over you for no reason and at any time you will do well on 2 wheels."

[billmac]

Many years ago in my previous life, but for more than a decade, the Fort Worth Police Motorcycle Unit was one of my responsibilities. I can tell some stories but prefer to say no one is perfect, even some highly trained motorcycle cops.

You can control your speed to make those curves. You can focus on that vehicle in front of you to avoid that rear ender. But the biggest challenge is to be seen by those drivers turning left in front of you. About HALF of all motorcycle wrecks involve a vehicle turning left in front of the motorcycle.

We use to teach ways to identify that turning vehicle. I think one of the most important, was to watch the vehicles front wheels. The front wheels will tell you quick if the vehicle is moving and which way. I think focusing on the whole vehicle could delay your reaction.

OK, one story. A motorcycle cop was at the hospital after colliding with a car that had run a red light. The injured cop's brother (also a cop) said you should have known better. The injured cop protested and said, but the car ran the red light! The brother responded, aw, but you knew cars run red lights. (tough love)

Now I must admit that over the years, I have collided with other vehicles and the ground. Further explanation would reveal some of these mistakes were mine alone and some I shared with other drivers. Experience and training helps, but even motorcycle cops can assume or make mistakes.

If anyone is still reading, you must be serious about safety. Congratulations. My point is, watch for that car turning in front of you and you have won half the battle. Now if you also control your speed in curves and don't rear end other vehicles will win nearly the rest of the war. I understand this and still know that I am subject to error and riding is hazardous.

As a newbie to KawaNow, I know it is our goal to share with other Nomad riders. I hope my post is appropriate and has given some info to consider. Now I need to go ride my new Nomad and watch some front wheels.

Bill McDonell
Cleburne, TX
07 Black Nomad

[dantama]

Originally Posted by billmac

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........... for more than a decade, the Fort Worth Police Motorcycle Unit was one of my responsibilities. .......................

Bill McDonell
Cleburne, TX
07 Black Nomad

Bill thanks for your comments, and I hope that you continue to spend time in this forum, and share your knowledge freely.

When most people claim that left hand turners are the most dangerous thing to a motorcyclist, I would tend to disagree, as running out of your lane in a curve is statistically the biggest contributor.

But I would think that with very experienced riders (Motor officers etc.) curves would be mastered, and so perhaps for those riders left turners would indeed be the biggest threat.

Thanks for the tips.

[billmac]

Dan, when I said about half of all motorcycle wrecks, I did not guess. But I could have spent time qualifying my remarks by saying, of those "reported" to police motorcycle accidents in Texas. Admittedly, I have been retired for 9 years and I don't have the requirement to keep up with those statistics anymore.

My reply in this post was to say simply that as an experienced motor jock, I know they make mistakes too. (Even the jocks with awards from police motorcycle riding competitions).

I threw in the left turn info, because I felt it may help a KawaNow member, not to upset anyone or proclaim expertise. I also know I would not have to look far to find someone more qualified than me. But if I feel, I can add to the discussion, I will chime in again.

Bill McDonell

[flightdoc]

mcdonell,
I agree with you about watching the wheels. Someone told me that exact same thing many years ago and that's what I do. You could be approaching a car waiting to pull from a roadway from the right and they are looking you right in the eye and just pull right out in front of you and you'd swear the both of you were looking at each other. If you watch the wheels you'll see them start rolling and that will answer any question of whether that driver is going to go for it or not. Same with the left turn in front of you....watch those wheels..if they start to turn ie: the driver is turning the steering wheel, you can bet there's a good chance they are about to turn left in front of you.

good point mcdonell

[billmac]

flightdoc, You said it better than I did. I also do the same thing when a vehicle is stopped at an intersection. Again, I watch the wheels then too.

I may be wrong, but I think people look for danger when they drive and somehow motorcyclists dont always compute. Including police motorcycles. Thats the only explanation I could come up with when we both seem to look at each other and they still pull out.

By the way, my wife wanted me to get that slower blue and silver color. But went with the fastest and most dependable color, black.

[rlfaubion]

I'm a wheel watcher while on the fast black Nomad

Originally Posted by billmac

...By the way, my wife wanted me to get that slower blue and silver color. But went with the fastest and most dependable color, black.

Bill, haven't you ever heard of the "blue shift"? Things moving towards you turn blue because the light waves "pile up" (get shorter in length) and the faster they're moving, the more blue they turn.

If you got your Nomad going fast enough it would eventually look blue to anyone who saw you coming.

According to the laws of physics, the fastest bikes have to be blue.

Unless they are rabbits (ie. running away from you) in which case they turn red (the "red shift") but we know that cops on blue bikes catch guys on red bikes all the time, right? ;)

[dantama]

Originally Posted by caddmannq

Bill, haven't you ever heard of the "blue shift"? Things moving towards you turn blue because the light waves "pile up" (get shorter in length) and the faster they're moving, the more blue they turn.

If you got your Nomad going fast enough it would eventually look blue to anyone who saw you coming.

According to the laws of physics, the fastest bikes have to be blue.

Unless they are rabbits (ie. running away from you) in which case they turn red (the "red shift") but we know that cops on blue bikes catch guys on red bikes all the time, right? ;)

Wow Caddman, I've known people with a BS degree, but yours sounds like a BS from Harvard :)

N.I.T.*

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*Nomad Institute of Technology

[ells]

I heard the "watch the front wheel" tip years ago and it has served me well. Not only does it start to turn before the vehicle does but the top half moves faster than the vehicle and motion/rotation is perceived there first. Just need to avoid any fixation on it. Since I had that figured out, getting the blue-shifted Nomad was obvious.