I understand why your shook. A 21 year old kid on a 600 gixer missed the gentle curve in front of my house a couple years back at 3am, and impacted an oak. I heard the engine scream and then stop, and a clatter. First on the scene. Similar result.

Good kid, he had bought the bike that evening and was excited.

I can well imagine how traumatic and upsetting this must be.

I love motorcycles...fascinated with them. My favorite sport is MotoGP. However, I have never ridden a motorcycle. I have never ridden on the back of a motorcycle. Growing up on the Gulf Coast of South FL, I witnessed some pretty horrific accidents involving cars and bikes. There was a very strange mix of elderly drivers (too old to still be driving), and people who loved to enjoy fast bikes and cars, due to the year round nice weather.

When I was about ten, we were following a motorcycle (directly behind him) and an elderly woman nearly ran a stop sign at a side street; almost like she misjudged where she needed to stop. She just came out of no where. Speed limit on our road was 45. We were likely doing closer to 50. Anyway, the bike tried to maneuver around, but clipped the front of the car, and the rider went sailing down the road!!! Luckily my dad saw this unfolding and was able to stop without being involved. When the biker landed, his novelty helmet split into several pieces, like a melon. Honestly, I thought it was his head!!! The biker survived, but was disabled for life. I later found out that he broke his back, sustained a brain injury, and lost an arm and a leg as a result. I had to give a deposition detailing what I had witnessed.

Yeah, that stuff will stay with you...

Years ago my BIL was turning left off a side road across 3 lanes of traffic in his Honda Element, as he went a guy in a beater car was moving a lot faster than he anticipated so he had to stop. The beater car was actually turning left onto the road he came off of with no directional at a high rate of speed.

The moment my BIL realized what he was doing he took his foot off the brake and started to go then hard a huge bang behind him.

When he looked up in his rearview a Harley had sideswiped the car turning left.

Seems at the same moment the Harley left a gas station 500 feet back and was showing off WOT right into the car that turned in front of him.

No helmet.

Launched in the air and landed hard on the pavement. My BIL tossed his car in park and ran over to the guy just in time for him to take his last breaths. Massive head trauma.

BIL was rocked by the entire deal. He waited for EMS and Police told them what happened gave his name and number in case they needed anything else and went on his way.


Fast forward a couple of months a process server shows up at his door. The estranged wife of the guy on the bike was suing him. Claiming his left turn was the reason for the accident. Here is the crazy part, the police showed up at his house after the accident and gave him an improper left turn ticket.

It was not, he actually went to a lawyer to fight it, the lawyer was so outraged by what was obviously a railroading that he took the case on pro bono and won.

His insurance still paid her 25K to go away.

He promised he will never stop to help anyone ever again. Which is sad.

I cannot imagine holding some stranger in he road and watching them die.

I saw a dead biker once, solo accident, super high rate of speed, he lost control on a straight empty road, went way off the side and was ejected from the bike.

He found a light pole, he was in 2 pieces when I found him. I did not get too close the police were right behind me responding to the accident.

Every time I think I want a bike I see something or read something like this that makes me happy to be in a cage.

Sorry you are going through this , I had ridden dirt bikes as a kid and street bikes until 22 when we started a family . I stayed off bikes until about 6 years ago when I decided to get back on the horse :D . I quickly learned I had lost my nerve as there were/are too many crazies out there that should have NEVER been given a license ! I sold that bike and happy I did . I have made the mental note to scratch the itch for speed/handling with the Porsche .

I'm attracted to motorcycles, the performance/money equation is off the charts. But every time I read a thread like this or see another dead motorcyclist on the news....no thanks.

One of my BILs was a PA, now a nurse anesthetist, and spent a lot of time working trauma in an ER while going through school. He used to always talk about wanting a motorcycle, but after working trauma he changed his mind.

That's right by ISS (a big prop house) and I sometimes take Wheatland to Wentworth off of the 210. I see people speeding all the time heading towards Glenoaks into Sun Valley. I see Jay Leno cruising at least 3-4 times a month over there (his place is on Clybourn by the airport).

Sucks you had to see that, people in LA need to slow the eff down (and stay off the phone and use their turn signals). I would never ride a bike in the greater LA area, too risky.

I actually have to thank you, Denis. I'd been toying with the idea of getting an old Bonneville after getting re-stoked from the Triumph thread. Once again, I've seen the light. It doesn't matter how good a rider you are ..

The guy on the bike must have been going a ton. Here at the intersection by my house we had 2 separate collisions in one day, last Saturday. The first was a bloke on a nice scooter. He T-boned a car that pulled out from the side street. I heard it — whack! ... no tire skidding, just the tinkle of bits rolling away from the point of impact. He dropped right there. He lived, I think. Was wearing a helmet.

The 2nd one was a minor deal involving 2 cars but same exact pattern, same directions.

What to do? Well, pulling out onto a boulevard from a non signaled side street should be avoided. And if you're on a bike, I say treat every intersection as if someone will run a light. I do that in my truck.

^^^
Yeah, you just can't be too careful on a bike.
I used to awaken in the night with a full body shudder because of a close call during the day.

Bummer Denis. It sucks. You know my story.....That being said, I rode the Paul Smart to work on Monday and had a fantastic ride home that afternoon. Rode the GS today.........

The first death of someone I knew was a high school buddy. He lived in my neighborhood, and we used to sit together on the bus to school. Like most every teenage boy I wanted a motorcycle as did my friend. He turned 15 & 1/2 and got his motorcycle and license. He started riding it to school instead of riding the bus. On the way to school he tried to make a left turn in front of a 18 wheeler. It would have been easy except he hit some gravel that likely came from some dump truck. He went down and slid right into the path of the 18 wheeler. He was run over by several wheels and killed. Back in those days, school just went on. No councilors, just a mention of his death in the morning announcement the next morning.

Our school bus rolled past the accident scene just a few seconds after it happened.

I decided a motorcycle was not for me.

I stay away from the Face Plant forum on ADVrider, but wish I hadn't clicked on this one.

Not that it really matters to the victims anymore. But were both doing something wrong, as in rider too fast and driver not stopping before turning?

"It would have been easy except he hit some gravel"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Intersections and crowded parking lots are dangerous.
Lots of debris - sand, oil, coolant, etc. - in intersections, and crowded parking lots are rife with unconscious drivers.

Sorry you had to see this Dennis, you are understandably shook up...

+ Ten thousand to this, saw a cool little Honda 500 cruiser... went by the dealer to check them out. Super cool bike and great tech & ergonomics... but couldn't pull the trigger (because of stories like this... and I live in Los Angeles)

I raced these roads in cars as a kid... they are dangerous at legal speeds (random hill slides throwing rocks and dirt on the road)

I just turned 49 and the little lady and I often talk about how much fun it would be to leave a couple of bikes in our beach place garage, just for us to enjoy whenever we go. On our small island, there is really only one main road, two lanes, with 45 and 35 MPH sections, always monitored by the popo. But I know myself, and eventually I'd get more and more brave, and soon I'd be wanting to venture out into more dangerous territory. So we bought an older Jeep Wrangler TJ and leave the doors off and the top down. Good enough for now...

Despite what they say, I think I'm just too old to pick it up now.

Most likely, the bike was speeding and the car may have stopped completely for the intersection but then pulled out into the path of the bike. Depending on the motorcycle's speed, the car driver may not have been at fault at all. Bikes go past at 100 mph+ on a regular basis, it's a popular place to open the throttle for a mile.

There is a gentle curve to the road there meaning that the bike could have, "come out of nowhere", if it was going fast enough. The speed limit is 50 mph and normal traffic can be going 60. There are no traffic lights for a mile or more in either direction.

I did not hear the bike or the accident, so for all I know he was going 50 mph and the car simply did not see him and/or did not stop completely and did a California roll into traffic. It's possible that no one saw it happen although there is a house on the corner and the people were at home. They were remarking to the cop that bikes constantly "race by", which is true but does not mean that this guy was. Hell of an impact, though. He had to be doing at least 50 in my estimation.

I ride that road in that direction on a regular basis. I even open it up on the stretch prior to this collision but always slow down before the intersection. It's a popular horse crossing and well marked, as can be seen in the photos. I understand that people simply don't see motorcycles and if they do, can easily misjudge their speed and closing time if they are going fast. I try to ride as though I'm invisible and anticipate anything. It's worked so far but I can't help thinking that it could have been me yesterday. When your luck runs out, it runs out.

FWIW, if had been a sports car going high speed, the guy who pulled out would be just as dead and possibly the other driver as well. It happens everyday w cars.

Totally true! I've owned some pretty old sports/sporty cars over the years; lap belts, no abs, no airbags, no third brake light, chitty lighting, no nothin'! Hell, the 993 is my daily. But...

That has some merit. I recall that horrible incident in AZ, maybe Phoenix, where a large truck ran over a bunch of bikes from behind as they were waiting for the light at an intersection.

A MC rider can lower the odds considerably by riding responsibly and avoiding intoxication. I hate riding on fast surface streets (35 mph-55 mph) where there are lots of cross traffic situations. Always have the brakes covered and mentally expect cars to just pull out randomly. Never stay in a spot with limited forward view. I am always sifting through traffic looking for MY spot. Expect to see road debris around every turn so enter at a speed that gives you options. Filter to the front of the line at traffic intersections - don't be the meat in a car sandwich. etc...

There are risks in everything. I will never talk anyone into riding a MC. I supported a friend who had zero experience and he ended up in the hospital. He still rides but I felt guilt regardless.

Many of my thoughts exactly. One of these days, I'll get the helmet camera I bought hooked-up and make some city riding videos. They will be instructional but I'd also be open and curious for comments and observations. There is a lot to riding safely on a MC and I believe that you do not stay alive by accident. Of course, anyone can simply run out of luck. :(

I know a young lady who rides about half the time in LA, (she also has a car), often women have better odds because they don't take the crazy risks that young guys do. The kind of guy who buys a crotch rocket is an adrenaline junkie. Not judging, it just is.

It's been about 30 years since I've been on a motorcycle, and I don't envision myself getting on one any time soon.

It's a personal decision.