Sad News Update

[donaldb]

You know, as bazaar and tragic as this is, I guess if I had to go out on a motorcycle by way of my number coming up, this really aint such a bad way to go. IMHO, it beats the heck out of being taken out by some incompetant *** wipe who in all likihood had no insurance and who probably wouldn't loose a nights sleep over it. There's a whole lot worse ways of exiting this existance than what befell Larry. If it were me lying there, I would much rather look down from above at these posts knowing how this happened the way it did, rather than going out by way of rider error or by someone elses incompetance.

I handle liability claims, just to give an example of one that I have never forgot. A few guys go out together for lunch (in a car). They each are young and recent college grads. They each got their first decent job out of college and one of them is married w/a new baby. If I recall correctly there were 3 guys in the car. They enter into a curve and a dump truck is approaching from the opposite direction. The driver of that truck had stopped up the road a short distance and bought some red rind cheese (hoop cheese), he dropped it on the floorboard and was bending down to pick it up. Welp, the story does not have a happy ending, newly married, new baby, and the truck driver only had 50K in liability insurance--trust me it took a chunk of that just to bury the guy. I think he was about 25+/- years old as I recall. Talk about senseless!!!!!! Now what happened to Larry--since it had to happen as God's will, really aint such a bad way to go after all since it was by all indications fairly immediate. We should all be so lucky when our # is called!! God bless Larry and his family!!

 

[ladybug]

That's tragic.

The driver of a dump truck leaned down to pick up a piece of cheese on the floor while entering a curve?! Driving, eating, and not thinking--all at the same time.

In Larry's case, thankfully it appears to have been quick, and not caused by a stupid human. Still, very sad. My heart hurts for his wife and kids.

 

[RonC]

Wasp into jacket + Downshift to pull over + a fifth sting on my chest + pop clutch = highside

But I was much, much more fortunate than Larry.

I would go to his celebration of life (if permitted by his family), but I will be out of town that Saturday.

Ron

 

[Toecutter]

I would go to his celebration of life (if permitted by his family), but I will be out of town that Saturday.

Maybe we can have our own version of it at WFO?

Wasps bad too, according to the allergy test results. Not sure what happened. I've been stung numerous times in the past by all sorts of nasties, then one day last year, bam, near death experience.

Glad to see you came out on the highside (above the lawn) of the high-side.

 

[wheatonFJR]

29 years ago, open-face helmet with faceshield, bee flies in front of eyeballs while I'm at highway speed on my 1977 CB550F. Bee still buzzing, brake, slow down, stop, kickstand down, helmet off in RECORD time. :dribble:

27 years ago, wasp flies up the back of unzipped leather jacket, stinging 4 or 5 times while I am quickly getting my red XS1100 SF stopped.

I can definitely relate to the overwhelming distraction. Both times I was going straight - did not have a sharp curve thrown in there.

I agree with the GOOD rule previously stated: STOP NOW - FREAK LATER.

Easier said than done - but be prepared. Learn now from other's tragedies.

 

[painman]

Years back, a fellow biker wearing a half helmet was struck between the eyes while following a big rig by a rock that came out of one of the tires on the truck. He was knocked unconscious for several hours and they found him in an irrigation ditch in the water and luckily was pretty much ok. Weird stuff never ends. PM. <><

 

[throttlejockeyTJ]

I have hit birds with my windshild & I ducked under the dash.

I am glad it wasn't his mistake. Depending on how you get hit, it can be very dificult to manage to stay upright.

Thanks Steve! A better idea of what the cause was, help to us all. I am sure we will resolve mentally to try and master the situation if it were to re-occur.

 

[fjrchooser]

Many years ago while taking flying lessons the instructor liked to mess the airplane up without warning. This ranged from tripping circuit breakers causing partial panel loss while flying blind , then adding engine out or other issues on top of it.

After a while he starting adding control inputs to get us really out of shape if I appeared to handling the situation too nonchalantly. If I got flustered I'd hear him softly say " Fly the plane".

No matter what was happening. " Fly the plane." Deal with the emergency once thats squared away. Works for anything short of major structural failure, which is what comes next if you don't.

All this time later, I still hear his soft calm voice in my head when any stressful situation - car , bike, personal confrontations, anything that surprises and gets me flustered pops up. " Fly the plane. "

Don't allow anything to divert your attention from your primary job -maintaining control. Not radio adjustments, loose gear shifting around, that funny noise from the front end, your buddy going down just ahead of you or a rear tire blowing out.

Short of getting knocked out , nothing thats gets in your face, suit or anywhere else will take you out quicker than losing control.

"Fly the plane ."

God bless Larry, God bless us all.

 

[odot]

Hey, fjrchooser....let me hit you in the head with a baseball bat....then try to "fly the plane". :lol: Just kidding, I know what you are talking about. My roommate went to flight school while I was going to a&p school. His instructor had him stall planes and recover them.....that's balls....yet another reason I don't fly them...I just fix them when you clownpilots break them. <_<

 

[DocDanDC]

+1 on the Drive first freak later. I'm glad I am not the only one who talks to myself.

Got a Bee in the crotch last Saturday. I instantly knew what happened though. Ride it first suffer later!

 

[Toecutter]

Got a Bee in the crotch last Saturday. I instantly knew what happened though. Ride it first suffer later!

Hmmm, for me might be "Ride first die later". Epi close at hand, but hasn't been put to the test yet.

But that's a pretty good example of the understanding I get from my family, even though motorcycling puts me at an increased risk for getting stung. Or maybe it's about the possible windfall from my life insurance paying off. :dntknw:

 

[FatNakedGuy]

I understand that Larry enjoyed home-brewing beer. RIGHT ON!! Love you Larry!