Lewisville Hit & Run

[gemini]

Yesterday, a news story about a car running into a 70yo man on a motorcycle. As the man was lying on the ground, the car backed up
and drove off. The hit & run driver turned herself in to Lewisville PD the next day.... a 24yo woman. Besides what I think about her,
her lack of driving skills and her actions after the fact......
I want to ask everyone to please, please be aware of motorcycles, look twice, especially before pulling out in front of a bike. If you
hit another car, it may end up just being a "fender bender". If you hit a biker, he is going down and may not get up. Also, at stop lights, don't tail gate a motorcycle.
Thanks.

[Medic218]

I missed this one. How's the old guy?

[RPBrown]

I have been riding for over 40 years and have seen the amount of motorcycle accidents rise dramatically over the last 10. Some of them freinds of mine.

Granted, this is partly because there are more bikes on the road but mostly due to inattention caused by cell phones, radios, lack of concentration, or TEXTING.

So yes, I strongly agree to please watch for motorcycles

[quidni]

"I just wish she would pay for my motorcycle."

Bikes can be replaced.

Grandpas can't.

I'm glad his injuries were relatively minor... and I'm glad the woman who hit him came forward on her own to admit it. Wish she'd had the gumption to do it at the accident instead of the day after.

[hoot]

My first motorcycle accident involved a cage driver that <QUOTE>did not see me</QUOTE>. !!!
He "slowed" for a stop sign.

Broke my left ankle. Bruised my left ribs pretty good. Broke the backbone of a Honda CB450.
It was YEARS before I could get back on any bike and be comfortable. I did not realize how
traumatized I was until I took delivery of my replacement bike. I pretty soon sold the replacement.

Even today, I crane my neck when any bike passes. Especially a Harley. I would love to ride
a bike for pleasure. I suppose that means that I have a death wish. Sorry this has nothing to do
with self protection. But thank you for letting me rant.
Hoot

[SigOperator02]

Well, first off it breaks my heart to hear what happen to the rider and the hell the family is now going though. I think that 24 year old woman will learn from her mistake since now she is going to face imprisonment in TDCJ for not more than five years or confinement in the county jail for not more than one year and a fine not to exceed $5,000 or both the fine and the imprisonment or confinement for hit and run. It is sad that a quick second lack of judgement/fear made here choose to run. People react differently to stressful suituations and sometimes they are not always the best actions to take. It is also always a crap shoot when you get on your bike. You are really taking chances with your life when you get on one. I have been riding motorcycles since I was 16. My first was a Yamaha R6 and now I have a R1. There fun to drive but I know that there is a chance that when I get on one, that I might not be coming back. Not because I'm a bd ride but because of distracted or careless drivers. We cannot control the other people, we can only be highly observent to our surroundings while ride and react to the problems that arises. I'm not saying that drivers should care about the bikers but then again, no one asked us to get on the bike or choose a mode transportation that has crash rating of zero.

[Hoi Polloi]

I completely agree with the above. I go out of my way to give motorcycle riders clear berth.

I recall reading years ago that the number one indicator on if a person would be in a crash while riding a motorcycle was who gave the person motorcycle instruction. If s/he was self-taught or taught by a family member or friend, the chances of an accident rose considerably. This is not a cause and effect, but a correlation. Maybe people who go out of their way to take an instruction class are overall more safety-minded, more likely to wear safety gear, more likely to drive safely and not pop wheelies or weave in and out of traffic, or maybe they ride less often or for more pleasure when they are more likely to be alert and not in a hurry. Even the best rider cannot control every situation and some will die through absolutely no fault of their own, just as those in cars and helicopters and trains and other forms of transportation will. If that situation occurs, those on a bike are more likely to sustain catastrophic injuries than if the same accident occurred with them in a car or tank, but those situations are not the bulk of motorcycle accidents. They are probably sadly increasing with texting/surfing/etc while driving on the rise.

On top of being more attentive cage drivers, I send out a PSA to bike riders. Wear your gear, even on short rides in the Texas heat. Increase your chances of making it out alive when an idiot is looking at the blackberry instead of the road.

[Oldgringo]

....The hit & run driver turned herself in to Lewisville PD the next day....

Shades of Ted Kennedy...! What time of day/night did this hit and run occur?

BTW, if y'all could somehow keep from hitting me on my bicycle, I'd be obliged.

[KD5NRH]

BTW, if y'all could somehow keep from hitting me on my bicycle, I'd be obliged.

http://bikebrightz.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'd recommend red or yellow to avoid hassles. I've got a yellow ordered since I ride at night a lot, and should be able to start commuting by bike next weekend.

Also, http://biketacdesigns.com/blaster.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[KD5NRH]

http://bikebrightz.com/

FWIW, after two and a half commutes with the BikeBrightz, I'm happy with it for night riding. It's really not bright enough to do anything during the day, but since my shift starts at midnight, that's the traffic I'm most concerned with. I put it on the left seatstay where it also lights up the left pedal so I can see to get back in the toeclip after a stop. I generally leave it on solid, though the blink modes are even more visible - I just don't generally like to have a blinking light in my peripheral vision all the time.

It gives about a 3-5 ft pool of light to the left of the bike at night that seems to discourage too-close passing pretty effectively, and since it's angled forward, it's even more visible to someone positioned to left-hook.

[RPBrown]

Came close to getting it yesterday. Lady in a SUV turned her signal on (I was already next to her) she never even checked her mirror, and started comming over. I hit my brakes and blew the horn. She flips me off and cotinues comming over.

At the red light, I pull up next to her and she screams at me "didnt you see I had my signal on, I had the right of way".

All I could do is shake my head in disbelief and tell her she should check with the DPS about the rules of changing lanes.

[suthdj]

Came close to getting it yesterday. Lady in a SUV turned her signal on (I was already next to her) she never even checked her mirror, and started comming over. I hit my brakes and blew the horn. She flips me off and cotinues comming over.

At the red light, I pull up next to her and she screams at me "didnt you see I had my signal on, I had the right of way".

All I could do is shake my head in disbelief and tell her she should check with the DPS about the rules of changing lanes.

I am surprised she even used a turn signal.

As a side note you guys on 2 wheels should preach to your fellow(generally younger)counter parts about road rules like just because your bike fit between 2 cars does not allow you to move ahead at a stop light because your in a hurry or doing wheelies at 70 down the highway is stupid and illegal , and the speed limit is not 120mph. I see more of those then cars cutting off bikers.

[RPBrown]

I am surprised she even used a turn signal.

As a side note you guys on 2 wheels should preach to your fellow(generally younger)counter parts about road rules like just because your bike fit between 2 cars does not allow you to move ahead at a stop light because your in a hurry or doing wheelies at 70 down the highway is stupid and illegal , and the speed limit is not 120mph. I see more of those then cars cutting off bikers.

That was her defense. It was her road because she had her signal on.

Iwish I could preach to them. I ride with 3 seperate groups, My church riders (biker church), Fellowship Riders, and Masonic Riders. In all 3 we are requiredto sit through a training video 4 times a year, must have your license, and would be prefered but not mandantory that you attend an MSF course.

If nothing else, it makes you stay alert just as carrying a weapon makes you aware of your surroundings

[Excaliber]

Came close to getting it yesterday. Lady in a SUV turned her signal on (I was already next to her) she never even checked her mirror, and started comming over. I hit my brakes and blew the horn. She flips me off and cotinues comming over.

At the red light, I pull up next to her and she screams at me "didnt you see I had my signal on, I had the right of way".

All I could do is shake my head in disbelief and tell her she should check with the DPS about the rules of changing lanes.

I am surprised she even used a turn signal.

As a side note you guys on 2 wheels should preach to your fellow(generally younger)counter parts about road rules like just because your bike fit between 2 cars does not allow you to move ahead at a stop light because your in a hurry or doing wheelies at 70 down the highway is stupid and illegal , and the speed limit is not 120mph. I see more of those then cars cutting off bikers.

You'll note that you won't see folks over 30 doing this stuff because those who drive like this in their twenties don't make it to their thirties in any shape to be riding a bike, or, in many cases, in any shape at all.

When I see these things happening around our car, I maneuver to give the bike as much room for error as possible and observe to my wife that we've just been passed by someone racing to rendezvous with his destiny as a statistic.