Uh, if she couldn't survive a pothole in MSF....

[PeteSC]

what makes her think she'd last 5 minutes on the street?

Motorcyclist wipes out in safety program, sues sponsor

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

By Steve Gonzalez - Belleville Bureau
 
Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville
 
 
 
While learning how to become a safe motorcyclist in Southwestern Illinois College's Motorcycle Rider Program, Maria Collins took a left turn around a cone, hit a pothole and wiped out.

Now Collins is suing SWIC for more than $100,000 in Clair County Circuit Court claiming the college failed to safely maintain its premises.

Collins alleges that a large pothole caused "the motorcycle to bounce and slide out from under her, coming to rest on her left leg causing serious and disabling injuries." The incident occurred April 4, 2004.

She also claims SWIC had actual knowledge of the safety hazards, such as potholes and loose gravel, but ignored them.

“The conduct of the defendant showed complete indifference to a conscious disregard for the safety of Collins and others and was therefore willful and wanton,” the complaint states.

Collins claims as a result of the incident, she sustained serious, permanent, progressive and disabling injuries to her left leg, ankle and foot, including a fracture of her left ankle which required medical, surgical, diagnostic, therapeutic and nursing care and treatment.

Her suit seeks damages for severe pain and discomfort, permanent scarring and disfigurement, mental and emotional fear, anguish, frustration, anxiety and depression. Collins also claims she was temporarily totally disabled and has "permanently partially lost the ability to work and enjoy the ordinary pursuits of life."

Collins is represented by John Simon and Dawn Mefford of Simon Passanante of St. Louis.

05 L 211 (20th Circuit)

[Jamesobrady]

No offense guys...but...Only in America !!!!!!

[PeteSC]

we're offended....but we deserve it!

   Maybe they need to  put 'training wheels' on the MSF bikes?

   I could only understand a problem if the pothole was on the actual course....or the course was laid out improperly, with inadequate markers..
  To me, it sounds like she went the wrong way around a marker.

     I'm sure they had to sign all sorts of waivers and stuff before the course.   Let's hope one dumb lady doesn't screw up the cost of the course, or even it being offered at this location.

[snofrog]

my only hope is that she was somehow rendered sterile to    her dna from spreading to future generations .imho of course . M

[Maniac]

They should have potholes and gravel on MSF courses! What makes people think they aren't going to run into them out on the road? What'd she do then, sue the state/city?

[PeteSC]

Maria Collins

 Remember that name.   If you take a gun safety, or concealed carry permit class, and she's in it.....RUN!

[BBurton]

They should have potholes and gravel on MSF courses! What makes people think they aren't going to run into them out on the road? What'd she do then, sue the state/city?

Amen Brotha!!! People would sue in this country if their icecream was too cold. :blahblah:

[aussiebandit]

The sad thing is that the "It's not my responsibility, someone else is to blame" philosophy is spreading everwhere.

I was surprised by a local news report a year or so ago that stated that NSW was second only to New York for public liability cases.

This prompted the NSW State Government to try and change the laws.  Years ago the old "Enter at Own Risk" signs weren't worth the paper they were written on, now they are.  The only time you can sue is if you can prove negiligence.

The bike club I belong to chased all this up 12 months ago in order to tin plate our backsides.  The solicitor we saw basically said should something happen at our rally a court hearing would go something like this...

Do you agree that motorcycles, and riding motorcycles can be dangerous?
Yes
Do you agree that alcohol, when consumed in large quantities, can be dangerous?
Yes
Was there motorcycles present at the event?
Yes
Was there alcohol being consumed?
Yes
GO AWAY...

Basically the Government is trying to force people to take responsibity for their own actions and stupidity.

However, I don't really want to find out for sure what would happen.

[smooth operator]

Takes one greedy stupid bitch(along with her greedy laywer)to ruin the program for everyone. She'd have a hard time driving in Pa. Spring time  potholes and loose are everywhere.

[scooter trash]

As a former MSF instructor let me shed a little light on the subject of motorcycle training. You have heard the saying that the lights are on but nobody’s home. As I walk into the classroom on Friday night and look around the class there are people sitting there and their lights are not even on. It should be against the law for these people to chew gum and take mass transit let alone get on a motorcycle. And if you fail them they want your ass. Case in point. I had a class that had a woman that was hearing impaired. She passed the course with no problems. When I spoke I would look at her and speak distinctly so she could read my lips. There was another individual with no discernable handicaps that failed the course miserably. That person went to the Dean and wanted me fired. I would suspect the women in the lawsuit was having problems and wanted her pound of flesh. I no longer teach mainly because I could not find a nice way of saying, “You have got to be the dumbest person I have ever met in my life. People like you should not be allowed to breed.”

 

[PitterB4]

It should be against the law for these people to chew gum and take mass transit let alone get on a motorcycle.

 

[mike]

I also must give applause where it is due...

Luv this one ST...

mainly because I could not find a nice way of saying, “You have got to be the dumbest person I have ever met in my life. People like you should not be allowed to breed.”

         

[Red01]

“You have got to be the dumbest person I have ever met in my life. People like you should not be allowed to breed.”

As a helicopter crewchief in the Marines, I used to run across some pretty stupid passengers. It was pretty much expected whenever you're hauling a load of ground pounders, many of these guys had IQ's a couple points below your average rock. The one that really surprised me though was a lieutenant who was a payroll officer that I was hauling from the carrier out to one of the troop ships so he could pay them. This guy could not for the life of him figure out how to buckle the seat belt! A seat belt that's just like an ordinary lap belt in an average car! And this guy had a college degree?!
     

[Jacknife]

The WHITE card, i Hear you say "whats a white card", well for the thick dumbest people who sues or for acts of stupidness they fill in the card and post it to the address on the back, then a team of Tactical killers come out and wipe the family out and any traces of that DNA so it can never raise its ugly head agian. mind you did'nt work for Hitler. but you never know!


Should these people be aloud to breed?

[Desolation Angel]

I pretty much agree with everyone.  Only thing...if her lawyer is telling the truth about a pothole and loose gravel on the training course, well, probably shouldn't have been a pothole where newbies are learning.  I'm assuming the kind of newbies that are still learning how not to fall over, not like one of us taking the course as a refresher.  I mean, if it was a CRATER.  Probably ought to sweep gravel off the course ideally, too.  I would if it was my business.  The legalese makes it sound pretty unrealistically "puffed" up, to me.  And if she signed a waiver of responsibility, then, too bad, baby!

For more advanced classes, dump a load of sand and gravel, throw out a few dead opossums, pour a few puddles of Mobil One here and there, and hire some 4 and 5 year olds to run out from behind things unexpectedly.  Oh, and rent a couple of pit bulls with a distaste for loud noises to chase the trainees.  That's training!