As the years pass, and I watch my riding skills erode with age and injury, I ponder incidents such as this. I'm not alone as I've gotten a couple of PM's from long time site friends contemplating hanging it up after seeing the images on TV and reading of this.
This is a motorcycle forum. As established, it is here for us to discuss issues regarding this thing we all love so much. I am saddened by the loss of a group of indivduals who gave much to the San Diego community and took little in return. My heart goes out to family members of lost loved ones and I cannot help but think of the man who will have to be told his wife is gone when he comes out of the induced coma he's in.
There are thousands of members on this forum. Is there anything each of us can learn from this ? How can we help each other avoid a similar fate ? We can discuss the issue and listen to each who contributes a retelling of an experince they may have had that did not end in tragedy as this did.
I want to begin that discussion by saying that nothing I write here should be misconstrued or twisted around in any fashion that might suggest that this horrific incident was in any way the fault of the SaddleTramps. They are not a 1%er club in any way shape or form other than that some folks less schooled in flying colors might think theirs to be of the 1%er variety. They are not. They are a good bunch of folks. Beags and I 1st encountered them practically at their inception 10 years ago when they hosted a benefit for a local indy shop owner in need of a heart transplant. And throughout their history that is what they have done. The news reports even mentioned the amount of time and money they have donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Diego. Good folks doing what they love exercising their freedom as Americans to express themselves in the fashion they choose. Not much else I can say there.
Moving along, what is the how and why of this. The why is that an impatient driver did not wish to continue to drive behind a small pack of motorcycles at below the posted speed. The how is that he passed that group in an illegal and as we have seen deadly manner. Could anything have been done by the riders to protect themselves here ? Perhaps, perhaps not. I am going to suggest a couple of things. A) A dozen bikes riding two abreast with 8 ft between them as do patch clubs is taking up aprx the same distance as three autos driving one behind the other. So therein lies my 1st suggestion. Keep to groups small enough to allow for some idiot to pass you illegally or large enough that even the most bold and drunken would not attempt it.
B) Bikers riding "Parade Formation" unless they are of the 1%er outlaw variety will most often ride below the posted speed limit. Often by as much as 10mph. Fine and legal and prudent, especially as in this case the intent of the ride was a nice leasurely putt in celebration of 10 years of brotherhood. But nonetheless, an impetus for an impatient and perhaps drunken driver to get tired of being "stuck" behind the pack and attempt a pass. So my 2nd suggestion is that if you're going to ride in group formation like this, ride a few mph above the posted speed limit. Some might say "well that's illegal" Perhaps, but doubtful to me that a cop is going to pull over a dozen motorcycles going down the road at 70 in a 65 zone if they are all obviously in control and riding in proper fashion. C) Any ride of more than four vehicles should have an appointed Road Captain and an agreed upon set of hand signals that all recognize. In this case what could the RC have done. One hand straight up over the RC's head being waved fore and aft signaling single file as soon as it was noticed that a vehicle was attempting an illegal pass. All bikes fall in behind one another and move to the extreme right side of their lane, perhaps even slowing down quickly to allow the driver of the vehicle passing the opportunity to be done with his stupidity as soon as possible. In a fair world, the group encounters the driver of the vehicle at a gas stop somewhere down the road and explains to him/her the error of their ways but at the #1 thing you do while something wrong is going on is protect yourself. And lastly would be that riding parade formation at highway speeds is not prudent. There is nowhere for the rider closest to the lane divider to go with another bike to his/her right. As such, when riding in groups, rider should stagger the formation so each vehicle has ample room to move to the right if needed.
Would any of the above have prevented what happened ? I don't know. Maybe, maybe not. Sometimes an inch is a good as mile in a near miss. I recall one day long long ago in a group of 10 bikes on a blind corner in Maine, out of nowhere a Corvette lost control going into the corner coming at us and actually rounded the corner broadside to our group. Several of us went off the road into the woods to avoid the Vette and one guy was banged up a bit from sideswiping a tree as he did so. But, we all lived to tell the tale and the Vette itself was the recipient of numerous broken parts as the driver locked himself in while we prevented him from driving away. Not that the town Constable was pleased with any of us for that , but adrenelin creates such scenes.
In closing, I would say to those who have read the reports, watched the images on TV and questioned their own continued riding; before you make a decision like that, ask yourself if you have ever given any thought to being prepared for the eventuality of an act of wanton stupidity such as what caused this tragedy ? If your answer is no then maybe you should rethink how you ride rather than quit. If it is yes you have considered contingencies then by all means quit. There's no more dangerous a motorcycle rider than one who's afraid of riding. And above all else - - - - Vaya Con Dios
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Topic: 5 dead 5 hurt in SoCal crash with 7 cycles (Read 8408 times)