[LayinLo]

Hey all, as many of you know, I'm a firefighter in my home town. Last night we were dispatched to a wreck on Hwy 31. As we pull up on the scene, we see 10-12 motorcycles (Busa's mostly and GSX-R1000's) parked on the side of the road. On the other side is a mangled piece of scrap metal, which I later examined and found to be the remains of an '03 Busa. I was told by the brother of the guy who wrecked that they were speeding in excess of 160 mph. The guy who went down was lying in the ditch as we ( & paramedics) checked on his injuries. He had on a helmet (with no chinstrap) that came off his head upon impact. He had on half finger gloves which protected his palms and back of his hands. The bones in his fingers were exposed except where he had the gloves at (from the first joint down). NO JACKET. I won't even go into the details of road rash and exposed MUSCLE tissue! Amazingly, he had no broken bones. Sadly, he had no feeling below his shoulders. A 41 yr old father who definitely won't ride again, not by choice, but by the fact that he will never walk again. Ladies and gents, lets continue to be safe and try to encourage our fellow riders (HD owners included) to wear their gear.

Sorry for the sad post but, it definitely helps me remember to play it smart.

 

[007]

wow crap: paralyzed jesus!...

 

[Gixxerdale]

Not to hijack the topic, but this reminded me of a rider here in LA. Years ago he was leaving his home when, a drunk driver, his neighbor, also on a motorcycle, collided with him. He is paralyzed from the waist down. He missed riding so much, he restored his Ninja, added hand controls and electric retractable training wheels! He hoists himself on, velcros his legs in place, takes off and retracks the wheels. Now he's just like everyone else on a bike!

Now back to your regularly scheduled posting.

 

[LayinLo]

Thats different! I don't know if he'll walk, that was only info from E.R. Dr's.

 

[tlwisner]

I appreciate the comments on wearing gear, but maybe not riding like a total imbecile would be a good thing too.

I went on a ride yesterday with about 200 other cruiser bikes. I'd say there was a 50% helmet wearing rate - but I was one of the very few wearing a riding jacket. As far as gloves go, I would wear mine even if God told me I was not going to crash - they're good for grip and hand comfort too.

My take is that the people who are stupid enough to ride like that are also frequently stupid enough to eschew gear. Sometimes stupidity compounds. Then the paramedics get to scrape stupidity off the ground...

 

[the don]

sad story man, but he knew the risks, as do we all. i wouldn't call it stupid or imbecilic driving these monsters fast, i mean thats why i bought mine or maybe im stupid, i dunno . . . . hold up what? anyways, you'll never catch me doing out there with no riding gear, you know cuz of the reduced weight and all :roll:

do you know how he crashed?

 

[zleviticus]

Igues I am different I bought my bike to go from A to B and have some fun.. not to go like a bat out of hell on... I have fun going 25MPH or 75MPH...

 

[axel_2078]

That's really sad. My mom's old boss was going up a hill on a 4 wheeler that was too steep and it flipped over on him and broke his neck. He's paralyzed from the neck down.

 

[cyclemanstan]

Hand Controls - Training wheels?

Not to hijack the topic, but this reminded me of a rider here in LA. Years ago he was leaving his home when, a drunk driver, his neighbor, also on a motorcycle, collided with him. He is paralyzed from the waist down. He missed riding so much, he restored his Ninja, added hand controls and electric retractable training wheels! He hoists himself on, velcros his legs in place, takes off and retracks the wheels. Now he's just like everyone else on a bike!

Now back to your regularly scheduled posting.

Tell me more about the hand controls and traing wheels. I have a freind who was paralyzed from a job accident. He was always an avid motorcyclist before the injury. I don't go around him on my motorcycle because it makes him so depressed when he see's it. He might be intrested in a set-up like this.

 

[GIXXER-Mike]

When I'm out riding, I see at least 15 bikers in passing. Believe it or not, none have proper riding gear..."NONE!" (must admit that I may see at least a helmet or gloves but never both)

By me being a NEWBIE & all, am I wrong to think that these GEARLESS-RIDERS have been riding for centuries & know all that there is to know about riding & can afford to look cool by wearing either a helmet or a pair of gloves? :roll:

 

[LayinLo]

Are you talking about riding in B'Ham? I always see helmets here in the Gump, but most folks here think its too hot for anything else. I know the phrase if its too hot to wear gear, then its too hot to ride. I guess they haven't heard it.

 

[87gsxrnut]

Let's see:

1. Had a Busa
2. Riding at 160
3. No proper gear

Recipe for disaster. At 41, he should have known better. I feel sorry for the family that will have to tend to him now. Not necessarily sorry for him though. Along with having a family comes responsibility. I hope he heals up OK.

- Nut

 

[inspiron]

When I'm out riding, I see at least 15 bikers in passing. Believe it or not, none have proper riding gear..."NONE!" (must admit that I may see at least a helmet or gloves but never both)

By me being a NEWBIE & all, am I wrong to think that these GEARLESS-RIDERS have been riding for centuries & know all that there is to know about riding & can afford to look cool by wearing either a helmet or a pair of gloves? :roll:

Where I live, we have a helmet laws - and most smart riders are usually in full-gear. When I see someone on a Gixxer or R1 with tennis shoes and jeans, I think that it's just a matter of time before the fire department will be called to scratch and wash them off of the street. As was stated in the Haugh book - A helmet will protect the brain, but won't help the rider when the head comes off the body.

Yesterday, I passed a 60+ year old man on a roller with a helmet ... on his elbow. My girlfriend knows someone else who was riding like that ... after the crash, his elbow was fine, but his ribs were broken and his liver was damaged. I often see "kids" on rollers with the helmet on their heads (an integral helmet on top of the head, not pulled over the face. When they go down, be careful that you aren't hit by the helmet as it's flying away!

 

[inspiron]

BTW, there is nothing more sexy than a good looking woman in full leathers on a nice bike.

 

[007]

That reminds me of Uma Thurman in Kill Bill :lol: ...you know, that yellow leather suit...that was so sexy.
PS - but she didn't wear proper boots; she had some stupid tennis shoes or something...

 

[GIXXER-Mike]

Yeah, LayinLo_usmc,

I'm talkin' 'bout ridin' in the 'Ham. Not bashing the riders here because I know that it doesn't apply to everyone but it does to the ones I've been seeing over the past couple of weeks I've been riding. When ya wrong...ya wrong! Maybe it's noticeable to me because I'm a NEWBIE :lol: .

Wasn't there a Stunt Show somewhere in the Gump this past weekend? A bunch of the guys here in the 'Ham rode down. Anyhow, I'll be down at Gunter this coming weekend for a conference. Don't know yet if I'll ride the bike or drive my cage.

Outta Here!

 

[saleemas]

DEPRESSING This and other stories keep it simple for me and remind me of the saying "some have to die so that others may live." Wish it wasn't true though.
G-

 

[LayinLo]

G-newbie, R U military? I only ask cuz you said a conference at Gunter.

 

[GIXXER-Mike]

Yep......Army (Engineer)!

14 years now. Just finished a year tour in Iraq.

I've ridden 3 & 4 wheelers before but the first experience of bike riding came when I bought my '04 GSX-R600 almost a month ago.

 

[LayinLo]

Cool. I wish I had the Corp of Engineers here. My neighbors and I have had a water problem lately. Anyways. I've ridden mostly dirtbikes until my friend got a Kat back in '02. Are there some good spots to ride there in B'Ham? I know you guys got a higher elevation than here in Mont. We got some nice twisty country roads, though.