Motorcycle crashes into cyclists

[Pints]

Shocking footage. Another good reason for wearing a helmet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNFaAqS2f18

Have checked recent threads but can't see anything, so apologies if a repost.

[CoolC]

That's horrible to watch.

What is it with that corner? There are loads of clips of cars and bikes getting it wrong at really slow speeds

[Pints]

Americans just can't cope with corners.

[Magic919]

Saw that on the other thread. Could have been much worse.

[littleandy0410]

Ouch. Lucky they walked away from that, could've been a lot worse. Pretty horrific, all the same. That corner seems to be a favourite spot for filming crashes.

[numtumfutunch]

you have to ask why the Duke was on camera?
bit of a coincidence

[Pints]

numtumfutunch said:

you have to ask why the Duke was on camera?
bit of a coincidence

If you look at the guy's YouTube account, he seems to be there on an almost permanent basis capturing footage of idiot drivers and riders getting it wrong on that stretch of road.

[BPC7]

Cant understand why the motor cycle didn't take evasive action and steer around the cyclist, must have seen him coming closer surely!

[GrumpyTwig]

BPC7 said:

Cant understand why the motor cycle didn't take evasive action and steer around the cyclist, must have seen him coming closer surely!

Either a moron or a nervous new rider? Seems to sit up too early coming out of the corner very suddenly which looks a bit panicky to me.

[80sMatchbox]

It sounds like he accelerates just before he hits him. I agree, he looks like a novice rider, and hopefully he's not riding anymore/has done extensive training since the accident.

[Mr Will]

Pints said:

Another good reason for wearing a helmet.

Yes, because a small piece of polystyrene will help so much when hit from behind by a couple of hundred kilos of metal

[yellowjack]

BPC7 said:

Cant understand why the motor cycle didn't take evasive action and steer around the cyclist, must have seen him coming closer surely!

I reckon the rider has been caught out coming out of the corner to find the cyclists on 'his' line. Then, he's made that common error of looking AT the obstacle, instead of looking at the alternative route. By fixating on the cyclist, it becomes almost inevitable that he'll put his own bike there too.

Like they say when you are riding off road - don't look at the danger, look for your route round it. You tend to point the bike naturally at where your eyes are focussed. If you stare at a tree, chances are you'll wear a tree.

Question regarding the video. Having watched other clips that purport to be the same bend, lots of the motorcyclists seem to be well toward the outside of the bend. I accept that without intimate knowledge of that stretch of road, I cannot really judge, but I would expect the natural line through the bend to be somewhat more central in the lane, or even further toward the dividing lines. I see why the cyclists are out wide, because the corner is uphill and there is nothing to be gained by 'cutting the corner' as speeds are already way too low and the potential for conflict with motor traffic too great.

For me this has echoes of the Pirbright 'Esses' - a stretch of road frequented by bikers, many of whom overestimate their own ability, and/or underestimate the road itself. Testament to this is the sheer volume of bits of bike/car bodywork littering the surrounding woodland and shrine upon shrine along the verges, bedecked with photos/flowers/football shirts. It's Surrey, FFS, not the Isle of bl***y Man - be careful out there!

[y2blade]

Pints said:

numtumfutunch said:

you have to ask why the Duke was on camera?
bit of a coincidence

If you look at the guy's YouTube account, he seems to be there on an almost permanent basis capturing footage of idiot drivers and riders getting it wrong on that stretch of road.

It's what Americans on motorbikes do, they just can't ride around corners....youtube for motorcycle crashes on Mulholland Highway and also deals gap and tail of the dragon.

[scubadude]

Mr Will said:

Yes, because a small piece of polystyrene will help so much when hit from behind by a couple of hundred kilos of metal

Did you watch the video?

Specifically in this crash the guy get launched and lands fully on the back of his head/helmet, without a helmet the full force of a 7ft fall onto tarmac would have been on his head, so Yes- A good reason to wear "a small piece of polystyrene"
(In this case he'd have benefitted from a back protector and neck brace but who is going to road bike in those?!)

I don't really understand why some people "hate" helmets so much, wear one or don't its your choice but why knock those that choose to?
Obviously a helmet can't protect your head if it is directly hit by a truck but often cyclists are knocked or thrown from their bikes, arms and legs broken perhaps but the head, being high off the ground is rarely hit in the initial crash, but it often lands on the ground hard.
So a small piece of polystyrene to protect the one thing medical science has no idea how to fix seems a good idea, everything else will hurt like hell but can typically be repaired- your head can't.

This video is a good example of that IMO.

[y2blade]

scubadude said:

Mr Will said:

Yes, because a small piece of polystyrene will help so much when hit from behind by a couple of hundred kilos of metal

Did you watch the video?

Specifically in this crash the guy get launched and lands fully on the back of his head/helmet, without a helmet the full force of a 7ft fall onto tarmac would have been on his head, so Yes- A good reason to wear "a small piece of polystyrene"
(In this case he'd have benefitted from a back protector and neck brace but who is going to road bike in those?!)

I don't really understand why some people "hate" helmets so much, wear one or don't its your choice but why knock those that choose to?
Obviously a helmet can't protect your head if it is directly hit by a truck but often cyclists are knocked or thrown from their bikes, arms and legs broken perhaps but the head, being high off the ground is rarely hit in the initial crash, but it often lands on the ground hard.
So a small piece of polystyrene to protect the one thing medical science has no idea how to fix seems a good idea, everything else will hurt like hell but can typically be repaired- your head can't.

This video is a good example of that IMO.

I agree Ben, he'd have opened-up like a struck coconut without a helmet on.

[AndyDRZ]

That motorbike rider is clearly rubbish. Poor fella couldn't lean it enough to make it round a corner at very slow speed. Looks like he would have gone off even without the cycles there.

(Yes, I ride both and could have taken that corner without hitting cyclists at a much higher speed)

[944fan]

What a tool, how could he not see them.

I agree with the comments about helmets. I always wear on even when on the Redways. Anything can cause you to fall off (dogs, other cyclists, muggers bait etc.) I put mine on a don't even notice I am wearing it. Its like a seat belt, why wouldn't you. I guess some people think they are too cool for school to wear one.

[zebedee]

the motorbike rider could also have opened the angle up and laid the bike down in the gravel avoiding the bikes couldn't he? Or even had a go at staying upright on the gravel with a bit of rear only brake.

[Kawasicki]

944fan said:

What a tool, how could he not see them.

I agree with the comments about helmets. I always wear on even when on the Redways. Anything can cause you to fall off (dogs, other cyclists, muggers bait etc.) I put mine on a don't even notice I am wearing it. Its like a seat belt, why wouldn't you. I guess some people think they are too cool for school to wear one.

I expect he could see them, he just doesn't know how to steer a motorbike. There are plenty of bike riders like this. My brother almost rode head on into a car at a similar speed. He said the bike "wouldn't go around the corner for him". I explained counter steering to him, again, this time he listened.

[Usget]

y2blade said:

I agree Ben, he'd have opened-up like a struck coconut without a helmet on.

+1. That's quite a hit, would have been a bloody mess if nothing else.