NEVER let your emotions take over when riding [fimg=right]http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Motorcycle_crash1.jpg[/fimg]Andrew Blankstein - LA Times - Aug. 12, 2009 A Ventura County motorcyclist died in a collision with an RV on Highway 101 in what California Highway Patrol officials described Tuesday as a road rage incident. A witness told investigators that the motorcyclist made obscene gestures before suddenly pulling in front of the larger vehicle and slamming on the brakes, said CHP Officer Terry Uhrich. The rear wheel of motorcycle got caught under the front right bumper of the RV, which lost control and slammed into the center divider, he said. The biker, 57 was pronounced dead at the scene. Uhrich noted that the biker was wearing a so-called skull cap which partially covered his head but is not certified and did not provide protection in the event of collision. Commentary:
It's a cinch he won't do that again. One technique I use to be as good a defensive driver as possible is to read articles like this one and learn from them. It's much easier and less costly to learn from others' mistakes... Reminder to self: bikes are small, RV's are big, road rage is dumb and can be fatal... Harry
Maybe he thought he could do it again like Wiley E Coyote. Will there be a toxicology report to see if he was sober and just incredibly stupid?
A test for road rage?? Now that is a good idea. I know how it could be done, but I'm not sure that it would be acceptable by the public.
Chances are he road raged before. Not a perfect plan, but remove license for first offense of road rage for a month or so
Update: biker unofficially identified - normally even-tempered http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/aug/12/details-emerge-in-fatal-collision/ (includes video) ...and the intended person may have never seen the birdie.
Weird, but I always hate people who say "he wasn't that way". Rarely do any of us know all sides of someone's personality. People often behave very differently by themselves than they do with friends. Take some teenagers for example. I knew some who were great drivers by themselves and usually when someone not impressed by bravado was a passenger. But as soon as others were in the car egging them on, they went nuts. Kind of the opposite of what might have happened here. On the other hand, maybe the biker spotted something dangerous, or thought the driver was dangerious based on something that happened earlier, and was trying to get him pulled over for the safety of all. Or he was already andry and RV guy did something to really bring the final rage up. Unless someone comes up with a video showing the whole series of events, we probably won't ever know the whole story. Saddly one guy is dead, and other guy and his wife will probably never forget it happening in front of them.
I've also noticed this a number of times people said someone was alright after they when into some rampage....maybe a lot of us conceal that dark side. Just heard a lecture this week on Emotional intelligence... this story featured an EQ of zero.
I'd say that odds are better than even that this was a case of mutual road rage where the RV driver ran over the angry biker who played chicken with him. Of course the survivor is gonna tell the police "I didn't see him" in any case. Just goes to show that you should never bring only a knife to a gun fight.
Yes, but these words are "code": "He wasn't that way" means this was someone normally known as a good person and that their passing should be considered a loss. "He was always quiet" is the unknown quantity. Maybe he was shy, maybe he was busy working on his manifesto. Don't necissarily consider this persons passing a loss because he might not have been worth it. "He was always causing trouble and he kicked Mr. Johnsons poor dog!". He's a jerk. He was a mean spirit on this Earth. The world is better off without him. Mourn not. Celebrate! The world just got better!
I never pay much attention to those comments made to the press by friends, relatives or neighbors. But, what does say volumes, is when the person has a history of actions, good or bad. In this case, the only thing I know about his past history, was what he did just before his death. That can only be described as endangering the life everyone on the road around him. He is just the sort of person that kills an innocent family, in the third car back.
I forgot which comedian said it, but "Be careful watching out for the quiet ones, or a noisy one will get you!"
The reporting of this story may be suspect People do get killed after letting go to road rage. My question is the reporting of this. One of the articles mentions they are still in the process of notifying the next of kin then identify the biker....isn't that a cardinal sin in journalism? Also was reported as truck/trailer....video makes it clear it was a mobile home. If there is one thing I take less seriously than small online papers, it's people that comment to them. Several said the biker was making an obscene gesture....if so I won't doubt it was road rage. Some suggested he was signaling over engine trouble (CHIPs started his bike with no problem). Just saying we know first hand when reporters were inaccurate on hypermiling, so we may not know all the facts on this story either.
