Mort Mirmontazeri in the Hospital-So Cal

[CarolinaBoxer]

Not sure if this is the correct forum to post this but I know some of you folks know or know of Mort since he has (had) an HP2 and 3 R12S's. This is a copy and paste from a buddy in SoCal.

I found out Monday that Mort had a very bad wreck on Saturday. He was coming down the South grade of Mt. Palomar when another motorcyclist turned left in front of him to pull into the large overlook, and Mort hit him squarely, totally destroying his HP2. The guy following Mort (Ram, Rand? Not sure) also went down and wrecked his brand new BMW S1000RR. All 3 riders were badly hurt. Mort had cuts on his face, a badly broken finger on his left hand requiring surgery, and busted a bunch of ribs and his shoulder and clavicle (again)! He's at Kaiser in San Diego Room 5110. 619. Rand is at Palomar Medical center after breaking his scapula. I visited Mort yesterday when he just returned from a round of MRI and was so groggy from the morphine he was barely awake. Deep sigh!

[bradzdotcom]

Originally Posted by CarolinaBoxer

Not sure if this is the correct forum to post this...

okay, i'lll fall on the sword with this one:

it probably isn't the right forum, at least for the guys who have ridden the Triple Crown event.
our experience with mort was, to put it nicely, most unpleasant.

while i feel sorry for Mort, i feel even worse for the others that he involved.
hopefully all will heal.
and hopefully mort will re-evaluate his riding methods.

[John Lyon]

That's bad news and hope they all recover fully. No idea whose fault this was, but when I see Mort broke his clavicle "again," plus he's gone through 4 bikes, those are not good personal statistics. Not trying to pile on when a man is down, but just saying...

[Martin Glasser]

Be careful who you follow, learn from mistakes(yours and others, and pray for wisdom)...Watch Star Wars find the good!!

[CarolinaBoxer]

I've only spoken to Mort twice when I was planning the R12S purchase after being told he had three and knew the ins and outs of the bike. I found his comments valid after buying the bike. Having done a ton of track days and experienced a serious crash on the street due to a simple lapse of attention on my part I know this stuff will happen if you push the envelope on the track or street, from what I'm told Mort pushed a lot to say the least. I still ride at a sporting pace from time to time but save the knee sliders for the track days. Hopefully everyone involved will make a speedy and full recovery.

[Scblacksunshine]

Don't know him but sad to hear another rider went down and also sad to hear a HP2 has been totalled..guess that'll make the remaining one more valuable...btw, google his name and guess what came up..interesting...


Encinitas prostitution detail nets four arrests | UTSanDiego.com

[BaldBeemer]

Weird, I was on Palomar Mountain Saturday and saw a guy on an HP2 riding with a guy on a 1200S. Don't know if that was him, but wish him the best at least.

[Rapid Dog]

...hope he's O.K., he's taken alot of bumps doing this S-dance...

[signit98]

The only people I feel for in this incident, are the ones NOT named Mort.

Just a(n educated) guess, he probably got impatient when the other rider slowed down to turn and - like usual, without any regard for anyone but himself - tried passing the guy on the left (apparently the direction the other guy was turning).

Now, why in the world the third guy would go down to, is beyond me. If you follow protocol (i.e. common sense) you'd have enough distance, to avoid such a wreck, unless you employ the same riding style, Mort does. In that case, I'd only feel for the poor guy who got hit, turning left.

It really comes to no surprise to me that Mort crashed and got hurt... the only surprise is that it hasn't happened (MUCH) sooner. As opposed to most others on here, I hope he won't recover so he can ride again. He can recover, but anything that will keep him from riding on public roads, is very welcome. It'll save other riders, at the very least.

Think about me and my statements what you want, it's not going to change the fact that people like Mort are a danger to others and they are the ones who change public perception of motorcyclists for the worse. The sooner (and the longer) he is of the road, the better of the rest of us will be.

[groundhog105]

I have got to speak up on this. You guys that were not there are sure quick to cast blame on Mort when you dont know the facts. The fact is that Mort and two other riders were coming down the hill on the west side. About half way down there is a left sweeper with a look out on the right. A rider coming up the hill turned suddenly left in front of Mort causing the accident. Now, having said that I know that Mort has caused some unpleasant experiences with some of you guys but to suggest that he had it coming and there was only sympathy for the other guy doesnt speak well for you guys. Lets just hope that your not in the same position some day and can do nothing about it but be involved in a wreck not of your causing.
As for the guy posting the link about Morts arrest, maybe we should do a background search on you and dig up some dirt then post it for the world to read. We all have mistakes in the past that we would not be proud of. How about a little compassion for others mistakes.
I had ridden with Mort earlier in the day and he rides quickly and a little too quickly at times for my taste but sport riding is a personal thing and I ride my own ride. I have always found Mort to be a pleasant guy and nice to be around.

[signit98]

Bob, if the other rider was coming uphill and turned left, there are only a few options, NONE of them in any way, shape or form so blind that riding at a reasonable speed would guarantee an accident. PERIOD.

Actually, there really is ONLY one lookout where he needed to turn left, coming uphill. To the downhill side, that is a fairly BLIND corner, so, as I said... common sense demanding that you'd slow down to a reasonable speed.

It is no secret that there is a lookout and it is also no secret that people turn in there from the other side. Mort has been riding Palomar long and often enough to know that. But, again, it all involves common sense... something I have NEVER experienced while riding with him. Everything I stated here is related to his riding, not whether or not he is a nice guy otherwise or not. Of which, I know plenty of people who would emphatically dispute that as well.

Some of us have (drastically) different experiences with Mort and as such, it may seem odd, or bad, or ignorant to you, when we state our opinions. But much like one Mexican doesn't make it Summer, one good experience with Mort doesn't make him a good rider, which he isn't.

I have to agree though, whether or not he hired a hooker or not, doesn't belong here...

[Rapid Dog]

...don't hold back Ralf...

[groundhog105]

Originally Posted by signit98

Bob, if the other rider was coming uphill and turned left, there are only a few options, NONE of them in any way, shape or form so blind that riding at a reasonable speed would guarantee an accident. PERIOD.

Actually, there really is ONLY one lookout where he needed to turn left, coming uphill. To the downhill side, that is a fairly BLIND corner, so, as I said... common sense demanding that you'd slow down to a reasonable speed.

It is no secret that there is a lookout and it is also no secret that people turn in there from the other side. Mort has been riding Palomar long and often enough to know that. But, again, it all involves common sense... something I have NEVER experienced while riding with him. Everything I stated here is related to his riding, not whether or not he is a nice guy otherwise or not. Of which, I know plenty of people who would emphatically dispute that as well.

Some of us have (drastically) different experiences with Mort and as such, it may seem odd, or bad, or ignorant to you, when we state our opinions. But much like one Mexican doesn't make it Summer, one good experience with Mort doesn't make him a good rider, which he isn't.

I have to agree though, whether or not he hired a hooker or not, doesn't belong here...

I have to agree with most of what you said Ralf, and that is why I rarely go ride Palomar Mountain. That Sat morning was the first time I have been up there in about a year, there are too many riders hanging it out too far and it just a dangerous place to ride especially in the afternoon when more people show up. I just think that some compassion should be shown for another human much less for some we know whether we like him or not. I was not with Mort when this happened but one of my very good friends was the third rider behind Mort and watched the whole thing unfold but managed to avoid the carnage by holding back (as you described) for that blind corner. I had split off from the group because I didnt want to go onto Palomar again. Maybe if Mort had been going a little slower into that corner there may have been something he could have done but from what my friend the third rider told me it would not have made any difference , there still would have been the collision. The fault clearly was with the rider traveling up the hill that made a sudden left turn in front of Mort. I know that several of you guys on tripple crown rides had unpleasant experiences with Mort but what you describe of his riding and personality just doesnt fit what I have seen so maybe he has changed. At any rate Mort does deserve some compassion.

[signit98]

South grade is a dangerous road, not in itself, but because of the people on it.
I am the same way you are, I rarely go up or down on it... unless it's later in the afternoon, when all the pocket racers are gone.
East grade is more fun, less traveled and longer, to boot.

NONE of that, however, changes the fact that as a rider, you can't just think about (or for) yourself, but that you always and constantly need to think for others as well. ESPECIALLY on roads as notorious as the south grade of Palomar.

If someone considers him or herself "experienced", they should also be aware of where danger zones are and about the fact that there are always out-of-towners on the south grade.

So, while part of the blame may be laid on the rider turning left, same has to be done with the rider coming downhill, not being prepared or even considering that someone could come up and turn left to the lookout.

Maybe Mort has changed as a person, following your experiences... I am just not sure he has changed much as a rider.

[groundhog105]

Originally Posted by signit98

South grade is a dangerous road, not in itself, but because of the people on it.
I am the same way you are, I rarely go up or down on it... unless it's later in the afternoon, when all the pocket racers are gone.
East grade is more fun, less traveled and longer, to boot.

NONE of that, however, changes the fact that as a rider, you can't just think about (or for) yourself, but that you always and constantly need to think for others as well. ESPECIALLY on roads as notorious as the south grade of Palomar.

If someone considers him or herself "experienced", they should also be aware of where danger zones are and about the fact that there are always out-of-towners on the south grade.

So, while part of the blame may be laid on the rider turning left, same has to be done with the rider coming downhill, not being prepared or even considering that someone could come up and turn left to the lookout.

Maybe Mort has changed as a person, following your experiences... I am just not sure he has changed much as a rider.

I couldnt agree more!! The south grade always makes me very aware. East side is more fun, but as you said there are too many people on the mountain with little experience. Why I stay away.

[throttlemeister]

I don't know Mort, and I don't know Palomar. What I do know, is that a good and a safe rider is able to read the road and the traffic and will be able to adjust for both. Given the painted situation, a good and experienced rider would have a) slowed down going into a blind corner and b) anticipated the other rider turning left and slowed down more as 99 out of a 100 times you can see what other traffic is going to do by correctly reading the signs. (situational awareness, speed of other traffic, if it is slowing down or accelerating, position on the road, direction driver is looking at, etc). The rider turning left may have been technically at fault, but there is a huge difference between a motorcycle leaning in right hand turn, and one that is slowing down and lining up to turn left 'suddenly'. This should have been noticed by both riders going down. But even if you miss that, you should expect people to pull left into a lookout and be ready to brake, stop or avoid.

The situation described is not uncommon and if you cook it up like this, you weren't paying attention and/or going too fast for the situation.

[chewie]

gathering spots are to be cruised through, coz people turn in and turn out and fart about, look out at the lookouts!

one good thing I have noticed here is that there will be signs saying "concealed driveway", that sort of thing is really good "entering traffic" etc

anyway I hope all heal well and I am sure each will spend some time going over the accident, maybe altering habits as a result...if he was going through there at a million miles an hour then well that's nuts and the cops will know that anyway

[Jeff Williams]

well it is a fine how do you do.
i get my beloved BCR back and what do i see as a thread Mort of all people.
I have had good and very bad experiences with Mort.
Chris at SJBMW asked me to call him about 7 or 8 years ago about helping him with his suspension,(yea i know the blind leading the blind).
I was visiting SD and hooked up with him and had a very nice safe ride,overall very enjoyable.
I then invited him a year or so later to one of the triple crown rides where he almost ran off the road while passing at least 3 riders at 3 different locations.
He was asked to calm down because their weren't any big breasted women with trophies and a check at the end of the ride.
He hotly told this very experienced/racer/motorcycle R&D person that he was the best rider out among the two dozen riders and that he could do what he wants.
He was asked to relax again when he cut someone else off and then he did it again to the wrong person who calmly pulled him over, took Mort's key and threw it off a cliff.
I still get razzed because i brought him.
I still think in a small group he is a reasonable person.
Not at the track as Ralf can tell you if he wants to get his blood pressure up.
I hope he mends well.
Jeff

[VetteRacer]

Originally Posted by Jeff Williams

I then invited him a year or so later to one of the triple crown rides where he almost ran off the road while passing at least 3 riders at 3 different locations.
He was asked to calm down because their weren't any big breasted women with trophies and a check at the end of the ride.
He hotly told this very experienced/racer/motorcycle R&D person that he was the best rider out among the two dozen riders and that he could do what he wants.
He was asked to relax again when he cut someone else off and then he did it again to the wrong person who calmly pulled him over, took Mort's key and threw it off a cliff.
I still get razzed because i brought him.
I still think in a small group he is a reasonable person.
Not at the track as Ralf can tell you if he wants to get his blood pressure up.
I hope he mends well.
Jeff

YOU invited him?!?!

Only person on any of the group rides I disliked and only person to put other peoples life in danger.
Hope he heals and learns what safe riding is.

[signit98]

Well, I only met him at the track once... that was after the infamous Key-Toss.

Seeing how he was working his reputation at said track meet as well, I just kept him behind me...

He was never invited/accepted to any of the track days I organized.