Treat Williams hit by left-turning motorist

[cliffrod]

…..
Why does Treat Williams get more press than Allen Williams ?

I was wondering if & when a WG member in the same circumstance would get a comparable amount of ink.

Seriously, it’s easy to to say and plan.  When the hsit hits the fan in an instant, most people don’t do what they say they would.  Me?  I’ve learned living hard won’t necessarily kill you when you think it should, even if you’re trying.  I’ve also seen how being careful doesn’t necessarily lead to the good outcome some think they deserve. 

if Mr Williams loved riding his bike and he died doing it, …. ?  What would you rather die doing?

Live every moment like it’s your last.  At your last moment, you’ll finally be right.  So says the man that cuts headstones for a living..

[Huzo]

I was wondering if & when a WG member in the same circumstance would get a comparable amount of ink.

Seriously, it’s easy to to say and plan.  When the hsit hits the fan in an instant, most people don’t do what they say they would.  Me?  I’ve learned living hard won’t necessarily kill you when you think it should, even if you’re trying.  I’ve also seen how being careful doesn’t necessarily lead to the good outcome some think they deserve. 

if Mr Williams loved riding his bike and he died doing it, …. ?  What would you rather die doing?

Live every moment like it’s your last.  At your last moment, you’ll finally be right.  So says the man that cuts headstones for a living..

The closest I ever knowingly went to dying and was unscathed, was putting the aluminium mast in a catamaran while standing in knee deep water.
I thought the shrouds had fouled because the mast would not go completely upright.
Turns out the mast had leaned against an overhead 240 V power line….
I didn’t look up because I didn’t “care” enough to safeguard my OWN life…!
So how possible is it to show such callous disregard for another’s ?
A conscious or subconscious lack of mental prioritisation.

[cliffrod]

The closest I ever knowingly went to dying and was unscathed, was putting the aluminium mast in a catamaran while standing in knee deep water.
I thought the shrouds had fouled because the mast would not go completely upright.
Turns out the mast had leaned against an overhead 240 V power line….
I didn’t look up because I didn’t “care” enough to safeguard my OWN life…!
So how possible is it to show such callous disregard for another’s ?
A conscious or subconscious lack of mental prioritisation.

I’ve decided that it’s about your time.  when it’s time to die, there’s nothing you can do to stop it.  When it isn’t your time, there’s nothing you can do to make it happen.  I can’t explain it, but it seems like some people have no business surviving a given situation while others are killed by something as irrelevant as the flick of a fly’s wing.

[Huzo]

I’ve decided that it’s about your time.  when it’s time to die, there’s nothing you can do to stop it.  When it isn’t your time, there’s nothing you can do to make it happen.  I can’t explain it, but it seems like some people have no business surviving a given situation while others are killed by something as irrelevant as the flick of a fly’s wing.

Yeah when you change your future, you haven’t actually “changed” anything, because there is nothing to “change”.
Your “new future” is the future you were always going experience.
If I have two hats, a red and a green and my unknown future is that I am going to put on the red one, it does not matter if I opt  for the green one and then change my mind, thus donning the red one.
That is not a change, because at NO point, was I ever going to wear the green one.
The last line of the story, once enacted is always the future that you were destined for, none of the events along the way altered anything.
There was nothing to “alter”.

[bacongrease]

   As far as crashes,  while riding,  i am often reminded of a job my brother briefly had, highway construction.
The company  yard was full of wrecked crash trucks and crash trailers.  Flashing lights, big signs, cones, flagmen, etc., did not deter drivers who were incomptent. If folks didnt see a huge truck with flashing lights and bright signs,  they wont see a little biker.

[LowRyter]

Isn't a Buzzard the official Moto Guzzi symbol bird?

You shoulda made eye contact, not close your eyes!

What were you thinking?   

Thinking about it, I think it was a Wild Turkey since it came out of the brush.  Turkeys have 1/10 the flying ability and 10 times the weight vs a Buzzard. 


So far as screaming, ducking and closing my eyes, totally involuntary.  I don't recommend it.

[John A]

What kind of sandwich?

[SIR REAL ED]

Thinking about it, I think it was a Wild Turkey since it came out of the brush.  Turkeys have 1/10 the flying ability and 10 times the weight vs a Buzzard. 


So far as screaming, ducking and closing my eyes, totally involuntary.  I don't recommend it.

I've seen a couple flying low and fast thru the woods.  My first thought was a black bear cub.  But too quiet and no trail.

Hitting that thing would have a ruined your whole day and maybe a big chunk of your future.

[Huzo]

What kind of sandwich?

Bratwurst.

[OldMojo]

The other safety tip I have heard is if you are in one of two lanes going in the same direction thru an intersection, pair up with a bigger vehicle thru the intersection so they can be your blocker!

This - I try to be slightly ahead as to be in the blocker's field of view, but otherwise become "part of" the bigger vehicle.

[John A]

Bratwurst.

Mmmmm, bratwurst…
I wonder if it’s still there

[Huzo]

Mmmmm, bratwurst…
I wonder if it’s still there

Homer Simpson.

[frozengoose]

Even in Alaska, where there's not so much traffic, well maybe in Los Anchorage, accidents happen...

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2023/06/23/motorcyclist-from-florida-killed-in-collision-near-tok-that-left-2nd-person-critically-injured/

Not much info on what happened, maybe there'll be a followup article, tho it's just a motorcycle, so maybe not!

[john fish]

Just got back from a couple hour ride.  Twisties, gravel roads, small towns and country.  Great stuff and no problems with cars.  Until I got 50 yards from home and someone decided to run a yield sign in front of me.   Not hit-- it just gave me a chance to use my horn and the Angry Finger.   Some good old righteous anger once in a while is a good thing.  Reduces the bile.  Also reminds one to not relax too much even when on familiar territory.

In my couple decades of riding, driving, and pretending I know what the hell I'm talking about, the weaving-in-lane method seems to be most effective to maintain visibility. But if a car driver is determined to be a prat, they're going to prat.

[Huzo]

Just got back from a couple hour ride.  Twisties, gravel roads, small towns and country.  Great stuff and no problems with cars.  Until I got 50 yards from home and someone decided to run a yield sign in front of me.   Not hit-- it just gave me a chance to use my horn and the Angry Finger.   Some good old righteous anger once in a while is a good thing.  Reduces the bile.  Also reminds one to not relax too much even when on unfamiliar territory.

In my couple decades of riding, driving, and pretending I know what the hell I'm talking about, the weaving-in-lane method seems to be most effective to maintain visibility. But if a car driver is determined to be a prat, they're going to prat.

You’re a Tin Tin fan, you have a good outlook.

[Lowflying]

Good thread. That fighter pilot vision article very informative.

My own 2 cents, some stuff I learned on safety courses and internet reading:

1) Assume they don’t see you, and if they do see you, they’re trying to kill you.

2) Treat other road users like inanimate objects. In other words they’re just robots/machines and they occasionally malfunction. The point there is you don’t want to waste valuable brain capacity with needless anger, which detracts from your capacity to deal with the situation. Related to this point, is blasting the horn/middle fingering your way into the scene of the accident, when you could have been braking/swerving to avoid it. I think sometimes riders get sucked into this because they feel it is their duty to point out to the guilty party how wrong they are. I learned this one years ago, and since then I rarely get into conflicts as I try my best to take the “mental energy” out of these situations. We’re all fallible humans no matter what we’re riding/driving/flying, etc.