Slaughter on the highways

[scooter trash]

You may find it hard to believe that I am very passionate about anything with my easy going laugh a lot personality. Well your perceptions would be wrong. I happen to care a lot about people (sometimes too much) that is why I laugh and joke so much. I try to make people laugh and feel good. If not to feel good about themselves, then at least to take a moment to forget about their problems with a good laugh.

 

I am also very passionate about motorcycle riding.
 http://hamptonroads.com/2009/06/get-tough
 

We can educate our riders to watch out for the hazards out there but we are going to continue to be slaughtered if the courts continue to just give a slap on the hand to the motorist that continue to turn left in front of us and kill us.

 

Two bicyclists, a motor scooter operator and a motorcyclist were killed in the last month here in the Tidewater area. All run down by vehicles with the same excuse. I didn't see them. Two given the slap on the hand, "Failure to yield" and two with no charges at all. All of the victims had the right of way and were doing nothing wrong.

 

Until the courts start prosecuting these kind of accidents as if it were a drunk driver killing a 10 year old girl we will continue to be second class citizens and die doing what we love to do.

 

When I taught motorcycle safety I would tell my students, "When you come to an intersection and a vehicle can turn left in front of you, HE WILL! Make sure you are covering your controls and prepared to stop. Watch their wheels if they start rolling you had better be in the process of stopping because they are looking right through you and after the accident they are going to say, "I never saw him".

 

I shall climb down off of my soap box now and return to being Scooter Trash.

 

A 3 legged fox walks into a bar.

The bar owner asks, ‘What do you want”.

The fox says, “I’m looking for the son-of-a-bitch that shot my paw”.

 

Hey, be careful, because there are people that care about you and then there is the court system.

[Sven]

We had the same problem here in TN...motorcyclists could be killed for a fine under $50.  A couple years ago, CMT/ABATE was able to help pass legislation that raised the cost of a human life to at least the cost of a telephone pole.  While the law indicates most fatal accidents should result in *some* jail time, it doens't seem to be enforced.  Given how many police are motorcyclistys, it's hard to believe law enforcement isn't working harder to cite everything thay can.  We know the entire medical profession is against us...what's wrong with the judiciary?  Plow over a child, and it's a state crime.  Plow over an adult and it's just sort of a shame.

[303LURCH]

I agree with the subject title.  In Colorado I've noticed it is hit or miss on how the law is applied.  In some of the latest left turn kills this year the car driver has been arrested and charged with careless driving resulting in death.  But I've noticed the result is usually ends with sentenced to probation and community service.  My son's best friend (19) was killed a month ago by a driver pulling out and turning left in front of him.  He was speed so it was not car driver's fault.  I have mixed fillings about it...  He was not covering his controls because there was no skid marks.

Oh ya... recently outside of Chicago some lady rear-ended a motorcycle and killed the rider while doing her nails.  "The driver was ticketed with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. More serious charges are likely once the accident is reviewed by the Lake County State's Attorney's Office."  That's F-ed up!  http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/05/04/Cops-Driver-kills-biker-while-doing-nails/UPI-58091241456594/  Reading that story makes me mad... that was vehicular manslaughter.

[tango59]

We had a motorcyclist killed here this past week by an idiot that turned left in front of him. She got a ticket. The motorcyclist was a cop. Most politcos, prosecutors, judges.........don't ride so they aren't going to give a shit. Wish I had the answers. 

[Dave 02 1200]

My answer:

Get more legislators, judges, and cops on motorcycles.

The industry and individuals should do everything possible to encourage this group to ride.

When this group rides bikes, things will change.

[mademiriam]

Plow over a child, and it's a state crime.  Plow over an adult and it's just sort of a shame.

Thats because we decrease in value as we get older. Its an interesting human trait.
Lots of people crash in to cars and trucks also because they didn't see them. What chance does a bike and rider have?
The laws do need to be changed, but it's all part of driving being a right and not a privileged.
As Jeremy Clarkson said (and yes I know he hates bikes) "if you have no interest in something then how could you possibly be any good at it?" Just think of all the people without the slightest interest in driving.

[aussiebandit]

We have exactly the same issues here in Oz. Run over a motorcyclist and it's the motorcyclists fault because they were on a motorcycle.

A number of years ago my brother-in-law was in the Victorian Traffic Operations Group (Highway Patrol) on the bikes.

His last day on the bikes was horrendous.  His partner led out with him around 200 meters behind.  They were coming up to a set of lights that had just turned green. The lead only got half way through the intersection when he got hit by a car that had run the red light.

He died at the scene.  The driver was arrested on the spot, and charged with a number of offences, including Culpable Driver (I think you guys call vehicular manslaughter).  It was heard in court and the driver was disqualified for driving for 1 yr (he was already unlicenced) fined $1500.00, and released on good behaviour.

Why, because the magistrate felt that the size of the motorcycle contributed to the accident.


My brother-in-law was reprimanded for using excessive force when arresting the driver.

[r_outsider]

Wow, if you can't get jail time for running down a cop, what can you go to prison for??!!

I try not to think about it when I'm on bikes, but being as how I spend most of the working day in traffic, it occasionally crosses my mind that these idiots that can't be bothered to notice a rather large BRIGHT FRIKKIN' YELLOW delivery truck are the same ones we all encounter on two wheels. Some people simply CAN'T DRIVE, the rest are too disinterested in what has become just another chore.

[B6mick]

Wow, if you can't get jail time for running down a cop, what can you go to prison for??!!

For Disobeying a court order too have your dogs put down after a lowlife thief breaks into your house, where your dogs are locked up for the safety of the public (English Bull Terriers  ) And after the prick has drunk all your beer packed up very nicely your $20,000 Stereo at the front door, and tried to leave, and gets bitten a few times. Whats the thief get, slap on the wrist, dogs get a life sentence, owner gets fined and threatened with jail time..... Justice

Wake up in the middle of the night with some junkie lowlife going though ya shyte, Ya use equal force. to detain him, yep he gets slap on the wrist, oh his a poor poor junkie, you get a fine, a criminal record, and threatened with jail time for being outraged, at the courts findings....... Justice......... No wonder the cops say on the sly, kill the son of a bitch and claim self defence.

[snofrog]

I got this along with time from work and a broken knee cap over the summer from a guy in a mini van who backed out of a driveway in front of me ... guess what his response was lol