Crash Chronicles (Crashes and Near Misses)

[henzilla]

We went on a ride today on familiar roads that all have soon to be potholes, currently broken pieces in a depression.TXDOT crews out on US281 by home the past few days doing patches. The truck traffic has increased dramatically and the overload police always seem to have a suspect rig up on scales in a section by our house.

Spent more time in center of lanes than in wheel tracks which screws up most lines and comfort in curves and straight sections as well. Lovely

 

[AKsuited]

Up north, potholes blossom in late winter...before the blacktop plants open, so some "cold patch" might be thrown in a pothole...maybe, eventually. In the meantime, we have to watch out for potholes and also loose sand used in some locations, which tends to collect at intersections. When I was a kid, they threw sand on snowy roads. Now they use salt, but some places still will throw sand or sand/salt mix.

Snowing here right now, will need the snow blower: very wet, very heavy (weight) snow, so far.

 

[AKsuited]

Encouraging ATGATT video

.<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NlovDQM0TnA" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[bernie]

When I had my accident, I was wearing all the gear. The only real injury was a broken wrist. I hit the windshield with my helmet which saved my life.

Good video. Wished more people would heed it.

 

[rangerreece]

When I had my accident, I was wearing all the gear. The only real injury was a broken wrist. I hit the windshield with my helmet which saved my life.

Good video. Wished more people would heed it.

+1

 

[Omega Man]

From Boston-

http://boston.cbslocal.com/video/38...llide-with-motorcyclist-leave-scene-of-crash/



OM

 

[KenDittrick]

OMG. Ride safe everyone.

 

[bikerfish1100]

Know anymore about this? Has the biker seen this footage? Is oblivious-bus-driver-lady facing any charges? She cut him off!

 

[Omega Man]

Know anymore about this? Has the biker seen this footage? Is oblivious-bus-driver-lady facing any charges? She cut him off!

The biker has seen this just recently, as a result of an I-Team investigation. If you click on the link, the story is there. The Boston transit system is, IMO,
OM

 

[bikerfish1100]

The biker has seen this just recently, as a result of an I-Team investigation. If you click on the link, the story is there. The Boston transit system is, IMO,
OM

Ah, I had only clikked on the imbedded video. thanks.

Will hope to hear how much he finally gets from MBTA. Hope he's allowed to sue the driver as well.

 

[KenDittrick]

Know anymore about this? Has the biker seen this footage? Is oblivious-bus-driver-lady facing any charges? She cut him off!

Yes, it is one thing to cut someone off, but it is quite another to leave the scene of an accident.

 

[exgman]

Ah, I had only clikked on the imbedded video. thanks.

Will hope to hear how much he finally gets from MBTA. Hope he's allowed to sue the driver as well.

Well, because the MBTA has decided to litigate, he may end with nothing, and not the original planned settlement amount of $900,000. My experience as an investigator with the City of Boston Law Department leads me to believe that the fired driver will be defended by the MBTA and that any judgment against her will be paid by the MBTA. That said, someone at the MBTA has decided that the case is defensible so he may end up with nothing, if the jury is persuaded that he's at fault.

 

[exgman]

Yes, it is one thing to cut someone off, but it is quite another to leave the scene of an accident.

The report notes that the driver was cited by the police for a number of violations, and then fired. She's faced probably all of the penalties she'll have to in this case.

 

[rangerreece]

All the same... it’s a shame magistrates would rather pay lawyers than victims.

 

[Omega Man]

This guy was lucky to be alive-

NORTON — A motorcycle and car collided Friday afternoon on Mansfield Avenue (Route 140), engulfing both vehicles in flames and sending one person to the hospital.

The 57-year-old Swansea man riding the motorcycle was thrown over the hood of the car and landed about 30 feet away, authorities said. As the flames engulfed both vehicles, bystanders stepped in to move the motorcyclist farther away from the crash as they waited for rescue crews to arrive.

The man suffered nonlife-threatening injuries and was taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, fire Capt. Jason Robbins said.

A 55-year-old woman and her granddaughter were able to get out of the car. They were examined by rescue officials at the scene but did not have to be taken to a hospital, the captain said.

The accident occurred about 2:15 p.m. when the car, a Honda Civic, was turning onto Mansfield Avenue from the parking lot of Cumberland Farms, near the Mansfield line. The motorcycle was traveling southbound on Mansfield Avenue and struck the driver’s side of the car, police said.

The gasoline tank of the motorcycle ruptured and the gas spread to the car, then ignited.

Full story here at our "real" (what is left of) newspaper........I delivered the Sun Chronicle over a half century ago

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/news...cle_e635f50f-a8b9-5354-bcf7-be138b648912.html

om

 

[exgman]

"Anybody Else?" Tactic in Traffic

For years I've engaged in what I'll call the "Anybody Else" tactic when riding or driving in traffic. This involves watching oncoming traffic at a light-controlled intersection and assuring myself there's no one else coming who either doesn't see the red light or doesn't care about breaking the law and continues through the intersection.

It has paid off a few times, and this morning crossing four lanes of Beacon Street in Brookline (a Boston suburb) it paid off big time. I got the green light and looked to the left to see a Chrysler minivan running the red light. I said "Anybody Else?" to myself, keeping the clutch pulled in, and right behind the minivan was a huge old Mercedes zipping along about 75 feet behind him. Whew! Of course, this is Boston, and the guy in the car behind me blew his horn when I didn't reflexively move when the light turned green. I almost gave him the well-known hand signal that he was "#1 with me, but didn't.

Now I've got to start practicing SMIDSY more than I do.

 

[rangerreece]

Stay safe John Gamel.

 

[pglaves]

Of course, this is Boston, and the guy in the car behind me blew his horn when I didn't reflexively move when the light turned green. I almost gave him the well-known hand signal that he was "#1 with me, but didn't.

What is it about places like Boston that breed this kind of rudeness? Something in the air? Something in the water? They teach it in school? What?

 

[exgman]

Paul et al - Having lived in Boston since leaving the Navy in 1969, and having spent a lot of time driving the streets of a very-confusing city as both a taxi driver and law enforcement officer, I've learned the informal/unwrittten rules by which many people operate vehicles. First, the use of the turn signal is giving aid and comfort to the enemy, 2) if a red light stays red for more than 20 seconds, it's broken and you can proceed, 3) a green light means go, a yellow light means floor it, and a red light means "stop" unless you're already moving in the intersection.

One interesting aspect to Massachusetts motor vehicle laws is that a law enforcement officer has to witness a violation in order to issue a ticket or violation notice. This means that we don't have red-light cameras, and that speed enforcement from aircraft is problematic at best.

That said, Massachusetts was 28th in the nation for insurance rates (you can't register a car here without mandatory insurance) and 49th in fatalities per 100,000 people.

All in all, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is not friendly to tourists. Many people refer to we Bay State drivers as "Mass - holes." Enough out of me, I've go to go out to drive fast and take chances.

 

[179212]

Rural areas no better

Driving to the family farm area the other day a 60 mile trip one way most miles in Macoupin County which has 5 stop lights. I went through 2 of the five intersections with lights the first a county transit bus ran the light the second a pickup