Highway safety and driving thread

[Baz]

Accident here a night before last.

Car and motorcycle involved, with both car occupants and motorcycle rider dead.

Not a lot of info on cause of crash except for this in a news report:

According to New Smyrna Beach police, an initial investigation shows that Matt Cindric, 42, and his wife, Fawne Cindric, 45, were traveling south in the left turn lane on U.S. 1 when a northbound motorcycle struck their vehicle and caught fire.

This is on US 1...four lane divided highway. The accident occurred at the entrance of a subdivision on the east side of the highway and a turn lane for it on the south bound lane.

If you had to guess and based on the news report statements......does it sound like the car was making a left-hand turn into the subdivision and hit the north bound biker?

https://www.clickorlando.com/traffic/2024/07/25/3-killed-in-fiery-crash-involving-motorcycle-in-new-smyrna-beach/

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[A930Rocket]

^^^ Sounds like it.

[masraum]

Yep. They turned into our in front of the biker who may or may not have been flying.

With the information available cart likely turning left, all the dead, I think they turned and the biker T-boned them.

It's impossible to say with the information, but my guess is that the biker was hauling ass. But it could have been that they pulled it in front of a biker going the speed limit.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

^^^ Sounds like it.

Thanks! Your first image had a png file extension, so didn't show up but the second one - from Google - is spot on how I think it happened!

Originally Posted by masraum

Yep. They turned into our in front of the biker who may or may not have been flying.

With the information available car likely turning left, all the dead, I think they turned and the biker T-boned them.

It's impossible to say with the information, but my guess is that the biker was hauling ass. But it could have been that they pulled it in front of a biker going the speed limit.

Speed limit there is 60, I believe so very possible the biker was hauling butt! Time of accident was just after sunset - or dusk - so that may have factored into it.

I will post a followup when and if I find out more. Hopefully that info will be released.

Freaking people need to be MUCH more careful on the highways.....

[gregpark]

It was 50 years ago this year the same thing happened to me. 1974 I was headed home from work on my Honda 350 SL and a motorcyclists worst fear happened. Riding east in a 55 speed limit (which I was doing) and this guy heading west makes a left in front of me. Nothing you can do, I didn't even have time to touch the brakes. He was driving an MG which I cleared by jumping as high as I could. If he was in a van or truck I wouldn't be here writing this. My boots didn't even touch my handle bars I jumped so high. I flew over him head first like superman at 55-60 mph and when I came down I landed with a roll and slid on my back for what seemed forever. Stood up, took inventory and waved off a couple of ladies who were trying to get me to lay down and put a blanket on me. I guess they thought I must be in shock. They were the ones who were in shock. I walked back up to the accident and the guy was frantically looking under his car. I said it's ok, I'm the guy. My bike slammed into his wheel well and crushed his passenger door in. Both vehicles totaled. Steam was shooting out of his hood. I was young and in great shape and wearing helmet, jacket, boots and gloves. Everything I had on was torn to shreds including my helmet. I was sore for a week especially the bruise on the right side of my butt where I kept my wallet. No road rash. He was at fault of course but I told his insurance guy I just want my motorcycle replaced. Bought myself a new one and have been riding ever since with all the gear (it's the guys who have been down who wear all the gear). The guy said he couldn't see me because the sun was in his eyes which is true but drivers are often looking out for other cars and don't see us. I've been run off the road by lane changers more than once.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by gregpark

It was 50 years ago this year the same thing happened to me. 1974 I was headed home from work on my Honda 350 SL and a motorcyclists worst fear happened. Riding east in a 55 speed limit (which I was doing) and this guy heading west makes a left in front of me. Nothing you can do, I didn't even have time to touch the brakes. He was driving an MG which I cleared by jumping as high as I could. If he was in a van or truck I wouldn't be here writing this. My boots didn't even touch my handle bars I jumped so high. I flew over him head first like superman at 55-60 mph and when I came down I landed with a roll and slid on my back for what seemed forever. Stood up, took inventory and waved off a couple of ladies who were trying to get me to lay down and put a blanket on me. I guess they thought I must be in shock. They were the ones who were in shock. I walked back up to the accident and the guy was frantically looking under his car. I said it's ok, I'm the guy. My bike slammed into his wheel well and crushed his passenger door in. Both vehicles totaled. Steam was shooting out of his hood. I was young and in great shape and wearing helmet, jacket, boots and gloves. Everything I had on was torn to shreds including my helmet. I was sore for a week especially the bruise on the right side of my butt where I kept my wallet. No road rash. He was at fault of course but I told his insurance guy I just want my motorcycle replaced. Bought myself a new one and have been riding ever since with all the gear (it's the guys who have been down who wear all the gear). The guy said he couldn't see me because the sun was in his eyes which is true but drivers are often looking out for other cars and don't see us. I've been run off the road by lane changers more than once.

Hell of a story, Greg!

Good lesson there about gearing up!

When on my bikes anymore.....I just don't go fast where there are potential hazards like that. Sort of restricting, I guess, but I just don't trust others on the road anymore. Especially with all the cell phone usage....

Glad you got through it OK, my brother.....

PS - it's astounding to me the number of bikers who ride without helmets here. Not to mention any other safety wear - like gloves or eye wear. Their version of "freedom" no doubt.....

[tdw28210]

Just returned from a 1600 mile road trip. Admittedly I drive above the speed limit on the interstate. I hold a firm belief that the left lane is for passing only and one should return as quickly as possible to the middle or right lane after passing. Even if that means overriding your cruise setting or exceeding the speed limit for a bit. I am convinced that despite roads signs and actual laws against blocking the left lane, some people honestly don't give an actual F*@# about their fellow drivers or the danger they a creating behind them by blocking the left lane. I also believe a small subset of drivers believe themselves to be self-ordained speed enforcement officials (looking at you Prius drivers). It pisses me off tremendously to see the traffic pile up around me while an self-absorbed a55hat blocks the left lane mile after mile (OTR truckers included). Couple this with general cell phone addiction in ALL lanes and driving has become incredibly frustrating and risky. I used to enjoy the road trip experience, now it is just a necessary evil. The journey is no longer the destination. Rant over.

[Baz]

I feel ya mon....and is why I avoid driving as much as possible. And when I have to drive anywhere...I always try to take into account best time of day (or night) to do so.

For those who have no choice in all of this.......good luck and always remember to buckle up!

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by tdw28210

Just returned from a 1600 mile road trip. Admittedly I drive above the speed limit on the interstate. I hold a firm belief that the left lane is for passing only and one should return as quickly as possible to the middle or right lane after passing. Even if that means overriding your cruise setting or exceeding the speed limit for a bit. I am convinced that despite roads signs and actual laws against blocking the left lane, some people honestly don't give an actual F*@# about their fellow drivers or the danger they a creating behind them by blocking the left lane. I also believe a small subset of drivers believe themselves to be self-ordained speed enforcement officials (looking at you Prius drivers). It pisses me off tremendously to see the traffic pile up around me while an self-absorbed a55hat blocks the left lane mile after mile (OTR truckers included). Couple this with general cell phone addiction in ALL lanes and driving has become incredibly frustrating and risky. I used to enjoy the road trip experience, now it is just a necessary evil. The journey is no longer the destination. Rant over.

Spot on...driving just isn't fun these days. Oh, there may be what I call magical moments of enjoyment, a brief period of no traffic and a nice set of twisties. But generally, just a slog.

The "hate the car" set has won..

[masraum]

Originally Posted by tdw28210

JEven if that means overriding your cruise setting or exceeding the speed limit for a bit.

I think a lot of folks are in the "I'll move over as soon as I get a spot, but I'm not going to speed up to do it" camp.

I am convinced that despite roads signs and actual laws against blocking the left lane, some people honestly don't give an actual F*@# about their fellow drivers or the danger they a creating behind them by blocking the left lane.

Far more likely to be Hanlon's Razor, essentially clueless, much more likely than maliciousness (although that's probably it in a few folks).

I also believe a small subset of drivers believe themselves to be self-ordained speed enforcement officials (looking at you Prius drivers).

Funny, I've been passed by priuses hauling aß many times. I know there are folks like this "I'm going the speed limit, everyone else can kiß my aß." There are also folks that think, "I'm going 5 over, and no one should need to go faster than that." Yep, those folks are aßhats for sure.

It pisses me off tremendously to see the traffic pile up around me while an self-absorbed a55hat blocks the left lane mile after mile (OTR truckers included).

As much as possible, I consider them mobile chicanes and try to get around as quickly as possible. My commute these days is ~84 miles each way with 95%+ of that being Interstate 10, and probably 50+ miles of that being outside of towns. For the past 2 months, the traffic has been a bit heavier because of all of the summer vacation traffic. I try to do my driving outside of the usual "rush hours".

Couple this with general cell phone addiction in ALL lanes and driving has become incredibly frustrating and risky. I used to enjoy the road trip experience, now it is just a necessary evil. The journey is no longer the destination. Rant over.

You can still find times/places where the destination is the journey, but they are certainly less common.

[Baz]

Some people just don't know how to effectively resolve their differences......

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by tdw28210

Just returned from a 1600 mile road trip. Admittedly I drive above the speed limit on the interstate. I hold a firm belief that the left lane is for passing only and one should return as quickly as possible to the middle or right lane after passing. Even if that means overriding your cruise setting or exceeding the speed limit for a bit. I am convinced that despite roads signs and actual laws against blocking the left lane, some people honestly don't give an actual F*@# about their fellow drivers or the danger they a creating behind them by blocking the left lane. I also believe a small subset of drivers believe themselves to be self-ordained speed enforcement officials (looking at you Prius drivers). It pisses me off tremendously to see the traffic pile up around me while an self-absorbed a55hat blocks the left lane mile after mile (OTR truckers included). Couple this with general cell phone addiction in ALL lanes and driving has become incredibly frustrating and risky. I used to enjoy the road trip experience, now it is just a necessary evil. The journey is no longer the destination. Rant over.

On our trip to Birmingham, AL on I-40 we were in a string of left lane vehicles passing the right lane at 1 MPH faster. After what semd like forever we got up a *%$@!&#!!! driver in a clapped out Honda sedan, that did not have a right rear corner, it was torn off from a previous wreck. He was just stuck in the left lane, and everyone was passing him in the right lane. He casued a lot of road rage that day, and he was oblivious, or doing it on purpose.

[masraum]

Darn shame.

I don't understand folks that can't step away from things, but there are lots of folks like that. And a lot of folks wouldn't understand me being able to step away from things.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

On our trip to Birmingham, AL on I-40 we were in a string of left lane vehicles passing the right lane at 1 MPH faster. After what semd like forever we got up a *%$@!&#!!! driver in a clapped out Honda sedan, that did not have a right rear corner, it was torn off from a previous wreck. He was just stuck in the left lane, and everyone was passing him in the right lane. He casued a lot of road rage that day, and he was oblivious, or doing it on purpose.

Probably oblivious. I find that more folks are clueless/stupid than malicious. Sure, there are some of both, but the stupid far, FAR outweigh the malicious by at least one order of magnitude if not a couple.

[masraum]

It's interesting. What I assume is the biker labeled the video "how not to drive a car on the highway" or something like that. But I also see it as a fail on his part. He looked like he was passing them at a pretty big speed differential, and wasn't driving defensively. He should have anticipated the bonehead move and been more careful. I'm not saying that the car driver isn't primarily at fault.

Little bit of language towards the end.

[masraum]

Where are the police when you need them...

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by masraum

Yep. They turned into our in front of the biker who may or may not have been flying.

With the information available cart likely turning left, all the dead, I think they turned and the biker T-boned them.

It's impossible to say with the information, but my guess is that the biker was hauling ass. But it could have been that they pulled it in front of a biker going the speed limit.

If he weregoing the speed limit, people in the car survive

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Tobra

If he weregoing the speed limit, people in the car survive

That's why I said that I thought he was hauling butt. I've seen some photos where motorcycles ended up inside cars. I think that's usually due to great speed.

It's funny, there are lots of dashcam videos out there where the "other" driver is at fault. And in most cases, the "other" driver is mostly at fault. But at the same time, like in the case below, the driver with the dashcam should have been more defensive and expected the other driver to be a bonehead. I'm not saying that it couldn't happen to me. I think I, and most others, make a lot of assumptions about what other drivers are going to do. Those assumptions are probably mostly true, right up until they aren't, and then there's an accident.

[masraum]

Genius!
Stopped on an interstate, trying to "cross" from the left lane to an exit.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/805226268443184

[pmax]