Saw bad M/C wreck on the way to work this morning.

[ridgerunner88]

This is a painful reminder of the 2 second rule when following another vehicle, be it a cage or motorcycle. There should be no more then a 2 second delay between you and who you are following. I know this may sound dumb but if the vehicle which is about to pull into traffic or make a left hand in front of you has more then 2 seconds of room they may pull out "trying" to make it thinking they have enough time, or if your following only 2 seconds behind they will probably "see you", just as they see the vehicle your following, and not pull out. It may not sound like a safe following distance, but I've seen it work many, many times. I hope the rider in the story above is doing well, God speed his recovery.

I take that one step further. When approaching an intersection with waiting traffic I move to the side of the lane closest to the waiting cager to present myself then take my distance to damn near nothing to the vehicle in front of me and "shadow" it through then back back off. I assume ever cager is a blind ***** out to kill me. This is just one of many techniques to defensive riding.

 

[canyonman]

Thank you panman. good show!!

This is a painful reminder of the 2 second rule when following another vehicle, be it a cage or motorcycle. There should be no more then a 2 second delay between you and who you are following. I know this may sound dumb but if the vehicle which is about to pull into traffic or make a left hand in front of you has more then 2 seconds of room they may pull out "trying" to make it thinking they have enough time, or if your following only 2 seconds behind they will probably "see you", just as they see the vehicle your following, and not pull out. It may not sound like a safe following distance, but I've seen it work many, many times. I hope the rider in the story above is doing well, God speed his recovery.

I take that one step further. When approaching an intersection with waiting traffic I move to the side of the lane closest to the waiting cager to present myself then take my distance to damn near nothing to the vehicle in front of me and "shadow" it through then back back off. I assume ever cager is a blind ***** out to kill me. This is just one of many techniques to defensive riding.

And I point my lights directly at the driver most likely to kill me hoping it will get me noticed.

 

[Texan]

Good for you Panman. I'm glad you wrote this. This day, you were Sam's guardian angel.

 

[madmike2]

Actively scan and identify potential threats. I trust people/drivers to do something silly-stupid-dangerous-unexpected. I'm rarely disappointed.

Panman, thanks for sharing your humanity and for caring for a rider in need.

Please keep us updated about Sam.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Great job Kevin! Sam was indeed lucky to have you there and willing to provide support when he needed it the most.

--G

 

[Bokerfork]

I take that one step further. When approaching an intersection with waiting traffic I move to the side of the lane closest to the waiting cager to present myself then take my distance to damn near nothing to the vehicle in front of me and "shadow" it through then back back off. I assume ever cager is a blind ***** out to kill me. This is just one of many techniques to defensive riding.

+1 No one ever taught me this and I don't know if, for that matter, anyone does. But somehow, instinctively, I've been using this technique for years.

Can't say for sure, but considering the fact I've had very few near misses in 35 years of riding, something's working.

+1 to you PanMan. You did us all proud.

Mark

 

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

Salute to ya.

Good write up; thanks for sharing....As a rider yourself watching something like that; kinda freaks ya out a bit!

 

[Bearly Flying]

Ya did good Panman...

Obviously Your still "Riding" even in a cage.

Wanna bet Her defense will be, "I Didn't see Him"

Best wishes for Sam.. Get well soon.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

I take that one step further. When approaching an intersection with waiting traffic I move to the side of the lane closest to the waiting cager to present myself then take my distance to damn near nothing to the vehicle in front of me and "shadow" it through then back back off. I assume ever cager is a blind ***** out to kill me. This is just one of many techniques to defensive riding.

+1 No one ever taught me this and I don't know if, for that matter, anyone does. But somehow, instinctively, I've been using this technique for years.

Can't say for sure, but considering the fact I've had very few near misses in 35 years of riding, something's working.

+1 to you PanMan. You did us all proud.

Mark

Just hafta hope the guy you tailgate through the intersection doesn't slam on his breaks. Happened to me back in '92. Never again.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

PanMan, as a nurse, I think you did exactly the right things in the right order (There may be an EMT or trauma nurse or doc who knows better, but I can't think of anything you did wrong). My training is ancient (Penguin, DoctorJ, want to chime in?) but if you think somebody may be going into shock, you can feel usefull and cover them with something for warmth. If there is bleeding in the extremities that is pulsing blood, put pressure on it.

But panic is the enemy. Being solid for him and making human contact after calling 911 was just right. Good on ya for keeping your head on straight and keeping Sam calm. The jitters you felt afterward is common and not unexpected.

I may have gotten your post wrong, but one thing I thought of. I read your first post as you sensing (a la Warchild's Spidey sense) that the van might pull into the bike's lane. I mean no Monday morning quarterbacking, but if you thought about the possible scenario in advance, shouldn't Sam have? God knows I screw up and lose concentration. But it was the Hurt report that pointed out this scenario as one of the most common. What gear was he wearing? Any sense if he was experienced or a RUB? Hope he heals up quickly and his family isn't too traumatized as well.

I think this is a case to learn from, as we have an eye witness and good data. It reminds me of the importance of awareness, lane position, etc., as well as reminding me once again to let my kids and wife know I love them every day -- just in case.

 

[JT 384]

Good job, Im a firefighter up here in Ontario and all I can say is you did a great job. Making those phone calls to family member to tell them a love one has been in a accident is the really hard thing to do. I tip my helmet to you Panman.

JT

 

[Panman]

I went and visited Sam last night after work. His 14,000 mile bought new by him 07 Triumph Tiger 1050 is totaled, frame is busted. He had a good Ari with high Snell ratings for a Helmet, his coat and pants looked decent, as I said his glove's are the gauntlet type and one of those came off, the one thing I didn't like was his boots they looked like a loose fitting work boot I know that he is a truck driver and was on his way in to work for the day and looked like something a trucker would wear.

As far as Sam's condition, his sprit's are good, right Leg= broken angle and knee Cap split in half, left leg =broken foot, right wrist is broken. He is 42 and looked to be in real good shape.

I wish I would have had the presences to have checked his helmet out after the medic's had removed it, he told me he thought his helmet hit hard but was told it didn't have much damage to it.

I meet his wife and two kids, and I fell the wife may be a bit of a hurtle for him as she had told me on the phone how much she disliked M/C's and I could feel that when she arrived with the kids.

We talked M/c's a bit, he told me that the FJR had been on his list but thought he might get in trouble with it and then went for the Triumph. Me I kinda lust for a Sprint and know I would get in trouble with it.

As far as the accident I don't know what he could have done different. She went at the last second.

In her defense

1) The Triumph has what I think is a crappy front head light system, the kind where only one light works and is not really a bright light as it spreads the light out in a thin narrow beam he even admitted that.

2) Where this gal was sitting not only was she looking north on to the road Sam and I were traveling south on I-5 is only a ditch away and a whole lot of head lights headed south making it harder to see.

Things I know; Some of us have a number out there and it's been picked, deal with it or don't ride!

Things I've learned; ATGATT, will I follow it? I'm trying hard not to think old school and do always where good boots, pants and coat (and I have both winter and summer gear). I still ride with my flip up helmet up to much and wear finger less glove's (finding triple X glove's is hard), probably need to work on changing that.

Thanks for the nice things said I'm humbled, This forum is filled with people who would do the same.

Ride Safe.

 

[beemerdons]

Panman, You're truly a Great Motorcyclist to come to the aid and benefit of a fellow biker in the manner that you did. Bravo!

If I ever crash hard I sure hope you're riding with me. Oh, I also hope Niehart is along too; Dave can bring me some pie!!!

 

[wheatonFJR]

Panman, You're truly a Great Motorcyclist to come to the aid and benefit of a fellow biker in the manner that you did. Bravo!
If I ever crash hard I sure hope you're riding with me. Oh, I also hope Niehart is along too; Dave can bring me some pie!!!

I'm guessing that Panman doesn't want to be around anymore motorcycles for a long time. Being around an injured rider can be a pretty helpless feeling I bet...waiting for that ambulance as someone is bleeding badly and going into shock.

However, I understand your sentiments...Panman stepped up and tried to help/comfort an injured rider...he did a great thing.

 

[Panman]

Panman, You're truly a Great Motorcyclist to come to the aid and benefit of a fellow biker in the manner that you did. Bravo!
If I ever crash hard I sure hope you're riding with me. Oh, I also hope Niehart is along too; Dave can bring me some pie!!!

Pie anyone?

 

[old&slow]

Panman,I would say he was damn lucky you were there and paying attention. Good on ya for taking care of the rider as well as making the call. Although I hope I never need someone like you, I hope they're there if I do. And I hope we would all do the same.

And although it probably won't happen, I hope they throw whatever book they can at the van driver.

A big +1...

Accidents happen ,,, **** happens ,,, but I see SO many folks out there on the highway with their

heads up their *** ,, it's scary ,,,,

Good Job Panman,,,,,,

 

[zip]

Heroic, very human response. Way to go, Panman. I'm sure Sam is deeply grateful.

ATG is certainly a great idea, and I'm more and more convinced of that every time I see one of these things posted. Must recommend again, especially in city driving, the day glo color, too. Might just have saved Sam all this ache. Undeniably would've increased the chances that he would've been seen and not hit.

Barry

 

[LDRydr]

Things I've learned; ATGATT, will I follow it? I'm trying hard not to think old school and do always where good boots, pants and coat (and I have both winter and summer gear). I still ride with my flip up helmet up to much and wear finger less glove's (finding triple X glove's is hard), probably need to work on changing that.

This is one of the best things about posts like yours. Our reading them causes us to pause, reflect, and think about ourselves in the same position. Thinking about how we can position ourselves in a lane, considering how our M/C lighting looks to other traffic, and how our gear will hold up in case of a get-off are things we should be pondering.

Thanks for sharing with us, and for helping Sam (and his family) out with his ordeal. I'll be keeping all of you in my prayers.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

...finding triple X glove's is hard...

thanks for the details Pan. Here is three pages of gloves sized XXX or larger (no invested interest in the vendor):

New Enough

 

[DailyCommuter]

Nice job panman

this might sound stupid but I try to

act as a guardian angel for other riders when I am in my truck. I mean if I see a cage that might be following too close I'll pull right up and get close enough to them that they have to slow down. I try to block for a bike lookin to change lanes, anything I can do. Whether a rider is aware of I or not I try to do it. In a case like that (not criticizing or second guessing) if I were driving that road and I thought she was going to pull out in front of me in my cage, I'd have worried for him and probably slowed down to close the distance in between us.

I do that when I am group riding with my buddies, sometimes at intersections you can see the look in peoples eyes or their body language like making fast side to side looks while waiting to make a left turn in front of me, you just know they are going to gun it as soon as I get past them (and hit my buddy) I'll slow down to close the gap so they aren't so far behind me. You need to be able to read people around you. Like if she pulled up to that stop sign on the side street real fast, then she's not going to take the time to really look for traffic. She's going to just cut out without looking. If she had looked left right left after you passed shed have seen him. I'll all but guarantee that she looked left saw you, and started putting her foot on the gas before you were even all the way past her...

 

[Auburn]

Nice job panman
this might sound stupid but I try to

act as a guardian angel for other riders when I am in my truck. I mean if I see a cage that might be following too close I'll pull right up and get close enough to them that they have to slow down. I try to block for a bike lookin to change lanes, anything I can do. Whether a rider is aware of I or not I try to do it. In a case like that (not criticizing or second guessing) if I were driving that road and I thought she was going to pull out in front of me in my cage, I'd have worried for him and probably slowed down to close the distance in between us.

I do that when I am group riding with my buddies, sometimes at intersections you can see the look in peoples eyes or their body language like making fast side to side looks while waiting to make a left turn in front of me, you just know they are going to gun it as soon as I get past them (and hit my buddy) I'll slow down to close the gap so they aren't so far behind me. You need to be able to read people around you. Like if she pulled up to that stop sign on the side street real fast, then she's not going to take the time to really look for traffic. She's going to just cut out without looking. If she had looked left right left after you passed shed have seen him. I'll all but guarantee that she looked left saw you, and started putting her foot on the gas before you were even all the way past her...

DC, sure miss your old avitar. ALways had to smile when I saw it B) :dribble: