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Mikey777

Whose Fault Is It?

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15 years ago my brother in law and i were driving down a forest service road in Idaho.  He had a very slope nosed mini van. A girl on a brand spanky new 250cc motocross bike came around and over the hill at about 40-50mph and literally flew over the hood/windsheild and roof of the van.  The kids in the van started screaming and crying and I hopped out and started looking for the body.  Finally found her about 75 feet from the collision down a steep embankment.

She eventually got up, shook it off and was pissed that her first ride on her new bike ended like this.  We called the Sheriff and ambulance but she refused medical help.  the sheriff knew her and was unconcerned ?????? and we drove her about 400 yards to a farmhouse, people she knew. . . . . then drove away.

Weird stuff.  

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Man oh man , been there, in Mexico I missed a motorhome by sliding right going up a slight bank and missed the barb wire. Didn't know I could do it until it was over. Whew.

To bad that guy couldn't brake with front and go left or right, or at least get his leg up and away from the bumper.

You lead I'll catch up :)

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The truck was going slow and steady, the rider was obviously beyond their limitations of riding safely if they couldn’t brake to the right side.  

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The biker, hands down. He could have passed the vehicle on his right had he not panicked and turned into the path of the truck. He was going too fast for conditions and out, riding his sight distance. 

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10 minutes ago, Oracle said:

The biker, hands down. He could have passed the vehicle on his right had he not panicked and turned into the path of the truck. He was going too fast for conditions and out, riding his sight distance. 

+1

 

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I am certainly no expert but I agree with Oracle. +2 

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I learned "drive only as fast as you can stop in the halve distance of visibility". . And yes I go slow in blind corners, there can be a cow, bicycle, truck or a fast Biker around the turn.

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I had two close call with vehicles like this situation. All is I can say I lucked out. You realy have to be aware and look for a OUT  all the time you are riding.  

Probley the best solution is just ride slower . 

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Regarding perception and reaction time (from sight to actually doing something) some accident reconstruction specialists use 1.5 seconds as an average. A controlled study in 2000 (IEA2000_ABS51.pdf) found average driver reaction brake time to be 2.3 seconds!   This guy's foot went down in less than one second, about .37-.40 seconds, which is a fast reaction time.  However,  this guy hits the truck in 1.5 seconds from when he comes into view, which is within the realm it takes most people to react.  Giving yourself 1.5 seconds to avoid an accident....is giving yourself very little opportunity.  His speed is the primary factor in my opinion.

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49 minutes ago, Bagstr said:

Who's life is it?

Winner!

 

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14 hours ago, kkug said:

I had two close call with vehicles like this situation. All is I can say I lucked out.

 

I don't believe that.

I believe you, as an experienced rider, used caution appropriate for riding conditions which slowed you to avoid a collision. It ain't luck- it's good decisions.
 

But here's another factor others haven't mentioned- lane position.

When I took my first Reg Pridmore track school, he mentions this often. We tend to ride too fast, and use too much of the road. Instead of doing that, Reg taught using the far inside of the lane around blind turns (obviously on the street, does not apply on the track) so one's lane position is WAY inside. Yes, it means being .0017 seconds slower through that turn, but it places one in a perfect defensive position when situations like this occur.

Those who've followed me (doubtlessly bored) in the desert know I don't always follow this advice, but on the street I'm an inside fog line hugger. It's saved my ass more than once.

Had this rider (and we're fortunate to have this example) been high and tight to the inside before entering the curve, he'd (she'd?) be in a position to more easily move right- even up the embankment if necessary.

 

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doesn't matter whose at fault bikes always lose when mixed with 4 wheeled vehicles, do your best not to be in the blender. Truck 1,  bike nil.

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Another note is that when you lock up your brakes, front or rear, your bike is generally going to "stand up" and go in a straight line from that point onward (either standing up or sliding sideways in this case).  Because he was in a slight curve, that straightforward momentum is going to carry you right into the path of the truck.  The combination of panic braking and target fixation can be lethal.

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5 hours ago, paulmbowers said:

 

I don't believe that.

I believe you, as an experienced rider, used caution appropriate for riding conditions which slowed you to avoid a collision. It ain't luck- it's good decisions.
 

But here's another factor others haven't mentioned- lane position.

When I took my first Reg Pridmore track school, he mentions this often. We tend to ride too fast, and use too much of the road. Instead of doing that, Reg taught using the far inside of the lane around blind turns (obviously on the street, does not apply on the track) so one's lane position is WAY inside. Yes, it means being .0017 seconds slower through that turn, but it places one in a perfect defensive position when situations like this occur.

Those who've followed me (doubtlessly bored) in the desert know I don't always follow this advice, but on the street I'm an inside fog line hugger. It's saved my ass more than once.

Had this rider (and we're fortunate to have this example) been high and tight to the inside before entering the curve, he'd (she'd?) be in a position to more easily move right- even up the embankment if necessary.

 

Come on! Missing the elephant in the room! It's the camera's fault! Someone is bound to get hurt if there is a woman watching or if a video camera is running! 🤣

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4 hours ago, SoCalMule said:

It's the camera's fault

I say this a lot to my clients.

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A very inexperienced rider period.  When your first instinct is to mash the rear brake you've lost just about every time.  Riding way over his head in terms of speed and just about everything else.  I will give him kudos for gear though, he walked away.   Of course we all can comment on it watching from a comfy chair drinking red wine and typing.......................

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