Chain reaction hurts bikers /Maine

[PeteSC]

Chain reaction hurts bikers




 
MONMOUTH -- Five motorcyclists were injured in a slow-speed accident Sunday that occurred as they were riding to the Toy Run in Augusta.

Police Chief Chuck Shaw said the motorcyclists were on U.S. Route 202 traveling past the Norris Hill Road intersection about 12:30 p.m. when one biker slowed and the woman traveling behind him had to lay her motorcycle down to stop. Three others behind her also had to lay their bikes on the road.

Most seriously injured was a Sanford-area woman. Shaw said she had a broken leg and a broken arm. He didn't give her name, but said she was in Central Maine Medical Center on Monday. Two others were treated and released at the hospital.

Shaw said five ambulances responded -- two each from Monmouth and Winthrop and one United Ambulance.

"We were right there when it happened," Shaw said. Police had blocked the road to allow the motorcyclists to travel through as a group.

"They weren't speeding and they weren't horsing around," said Shaw. "There were just a lot of them. When you get a thousand bikes, things are going to happen."
 



  Good thing there wasn't a curve in the road....might have been hundreds injured.

   I'll have to learn that 'lay down' technique in case I want to stop my bike at slow speeds.   Dang it...I've been using the brakes all this time!

[jfudo]

I really hope that the reporter didn't know what they were talking about.  Maybe they teach in the HSF course (Harley Safety Foundation) that your bike stop faster sliding on shiny chrome parts than staying on the rubber.

They also teach that loud pipes are safer, skull caps are safer due to lighter weight, smoking while riding is an acceptable practice is a great way to multi-task, and bikes aren't meant to lean unless you are trying to stop.

[PeteSC]

Yeah, I think they're confusing the archaic, mythical, practice of 'laying down' a bike, to just plain 'dropping it'............

  I can giggle at the image of the first bike dropping in the group.....and somebody yelling to everybody 'Lay it down! Lay it down!'.

  I'm just betting the riders weren't paying attention....and dropped the damn things when trying to stop.

  (Sorry Scooter Trash.....gotta do it...)  
 The survivors will eventually tell the story to rapt audiences, someday, at a biker bar, of how they had to 'lay down' the bike during the '05 Toy Run, at 20 mph...........
  "It was awful........chrome chips, and leather fringe fragments, everywhere..."

FWIW, this happens in group rides of any type of bike.........

  I think Roamr almost rear ended me 3-4 years ago, when I was leading a group ride near the Dragon, made a turn....noticed the group was way behind...(except ROamr) and decided to practice a panic stop......with Roamr closing in on me.
 I think he said something like "Gee, I didn't think you could stop that fast..."
  My dumbarse move......