Motorcycle hits firetruck head on....

[A930Rocket]

This had to hurt. Hope he's ok!



BLOOMINGTON, Calif. (KABC) -- A motorcycle ride came to a dramatic end when the cyclist crashed head-on into a Los Angeles County Fire Department truck on a mountain road in the Angeles National Forest.

GoPro video shows 24-year-old Jesse Lopez racing up Glendora Ridge Road on April 1 with another biker, when he came to a blind curve and crashed into the firetruck. His GoPro camera went flying off his helmet and captured him laying on the ground as it flew in the air.

"Especially head-on, you don't think many people would survive that. Guess he's lucky to be alive," his friend Angelo Guerrero said.

Lopez's friend picked up the camera, nervously pacing as crew members rushed to help Lopez, who suffered two compound fractures in his left leg and a severely broken arm. He was later airlifted to a trauma center.

California Highway Patrol investigators said no one in the firetruck was hurt.

Lopez had only owned his motorcycle for seven months at the time of the crash. Watching the video was like watching a movie about someone else, he says.

"When I saw what happened, I got shocked. I was like, 'Woah!'" Lopez said.

He wants to share the video in hopes of saving other riders from his life-changing lesson.

"Be aware. Be more cautious when riding. Don't do what I did," Lopez said.

[widebody911]

I bet that left a mark

[rfuerst911sc]

Originally Posted by widebody911

I bet that left a mark

Yeah in his shorts

[biosurfer1]

Without watching the video, I'll say the fire truck wins

Edit: after watching, even though no winner is defined in the video, I'll claim the win Yikes!

[Steve Carlton]

Doesn't look like he was going that fast and he had very little ability to avoid the fire truck. So, I'd say his skill level was very low and he was riding above his ability. I'm glad he survived.

[Moses]

Just a little understeer.

[JavaBrewer]

Originally Posted by NotaBRG

Object fixation.

I've watched a lot of riders hit trees, mailboxes, whatever, by riding in to what they were watching.

^ classic example

Glad to hear the guy survived.

[dlockhart]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

Doesn't look like he was going that fast and he had very little ability to avoid the fire truck. So, I'd say his skill level was very low and he was riding above his ability. I'm glad he survived.

It looks like a case of classic target fixation. The rider is fortunate it did not end much worse.

[Jeff Higgins]

No lane discipline whatsoever.

The NTSB lists "lane error" as the leading cause of motorcycle crashes wherein the rider was at fault.

Color between the lines, kids...

Longer video, showing him repeatedly in the oncoming lane:

[winders]

"Target fixation" is the term. Lack of skill and lack of experience is the cause.....

[911_Dude]

Yep, target fixation. He is barely leaning in the curve. He had a lot more to turn if he just looked where he wanted to go.

Hopefully, Ill never do that.

[dlockhart]

Originally Posted by 911_Dude

Yep, target fixation. He is barely leaning in the curve. He had a lot more to turn if he just looked where he wanted to go.

Hopefully, Ill never do that.

I have been racing for years but when things go goofy, target fixation still can happen to me.
Watching someone else crash in front of you is a hard thing to get your eyes off.

It takes some effort to recognize what you are doing and then switch mental gears and get yourself out of trouble. ( if you have time ) Or you just run over your friends

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by 911_Dude

Yep, target fixation. He is barely leaning in the curve. He had a lot more to turn if he just looked where he wanted to go.

Hopefully, Ill never do that.

yup, you can see him start to wrestle with the bars and accomplishing nothing. Is the road as narrow as it looks or is that an artifact of the GoPro? Either way lane discipline, counter steering and the Pace might have helped him a bunch. But for the of the heavens...

[speeder]

I can't believe he wasn't killed. Unbelievable.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

yup, you can see him start to wrestle with the bars and accomplishing nothing. Is the road as narrow as it looks or is that an artifact of the GoPro? Either way lane discipline, counter steering and the Pace might have helped him a bunch. But for the of the heavens...

That's high up GM road and almost to Mt Baldy. I used to drive a lot up there living in the SGV. That is technically a one lane road. They are riding too fast. They should anticipate having to be able to pull to the very right of the single lane in every blind turn in oncoming traffic.

Glad the guy is okay and slows it down or stops donor-cycling.

G

[aigel]

Oh - one more note - when riding in the middle of nowhere, people start to assume they are by themselves. They don't anticipate the biggest vehicle or obstacle possible. Also, that road is notorious for rocks on the road.

G

[winders]

Originally Posted by creaturecat

shoulda "layed 'er down".

Completely incorrect! Laying a bike down is almost never the right thing to do.

He should have steered to the right and missed the fire truck. He had PLENTY of time to do so. He panicked, target fixated, and is lucky to be alive.

[creaturecat]

shoulda "layed 'er down."

[aigel]

So, fill me in you riders. Looks like he was struggling with the bike trying to wrestle it to the right when he gets all squirly? Was he too fast to do so? Should he have braked hard and then pulled to the right?

G

[dewolf]

Throttle off and drop into the corner. Almost looks like the idiot got on the brakes.