New Crash Account

[BCKRider]

On March 20, 3:30 pm, a guy (59) and his slightly younger wife are stopped at a traffic light in Kelowna B.C. on their Harley. The only gear mentioned in the police report was that both were wearing "beanie" helmets. The Jeep following them hit them hard enough to shove them hard into a utility van. The guy died. His wife survives with multiple broken bones.

Apparently there are several witnesses to the accident that the Jeep driver was on a cell phone.

The first headline in a local paper (and it had to have come from a cop) was that that this guy would have survived if he had been wearing a proper helmet. Apparently not in this case - massive internal bleeding caused his death. More importantly, cell phone use by the Jeep driver was THE CAUSE of the crash, and THAT is what should have been emphasized. This guy was as guilty of "negligent homicide" as any drunk who did the same thing.

As for helmets, personally I would not ride without a fullface or flip-up. I've seen the pictures and once had a helmet save my head. But I'm not really big into regulation. And, the greatest can't always save you - witness this crash.

 

[Ken F]

Doug I agree with you about regulation. I quit riding for 10 years due to the helmet mandate, feeling that I would rather not ride than be told I have to wear one.

However after getting used to wearing them it is irritating to ride without one now.
What I don't understand is this culture of the "eggshell or beanie helmets".
If you have to wear a helmet, why not wear one that does some good?
Aside from the saftey provided by a full helmet, there is a lot of wind/weather protection that goes along with them too.

Also, when stopped at a traffic light, I always pull to either side of the car/truck in front to allow myself enough room to get around in a hurry, and keep
a very close eye on my rear view mirrors to be able to react to this exact senerio.
Ken

 

[greenwald]

Doug -

I agree with you that the emphasis in reporting this incident to the general public should have been focused on the idiot that crushed the bikers ahead of him at this intersection. Hopefully, your laws will deal with him harshly, as one life was lost and another forever damaged.

As for the helmet issue, while blunt-force trauma can terminate even the most diligent ATGATT rider, no excuse for substituting a "party lid" for a real helmet. Either wear the right gear, or don't waste your money on it at all - use the $$$ to buy more life insurance for your loved ones.

But then again, I also think habitual smokers should be exempt from seat-belt laws. Afterall, what's the point?!

I hope his passenger heals completely (at least physically) and that justice is served.

 

[amiles]

Ranting to the Choir

In this area (Myrtle Beach) Cruiser style motorcycles are the choice of the vast majority of riders. Some of the things I've seen tweak my curiosity..

I wonder why many riders I see wearing helmets choose the above the ears 1/2 style helmets. Hereabouts if you have reached your majority no local or state law requires a rider or passenger to wear a helmet. Perhaps some promise to a spouse to "wear protection" is the cause for wearing this (to my mind) useless/ineffective bit of attire.

I have noticed (often) that on many two up bikes the operator (male) is wearing biker attire sans helmet. The passenger (female) will be dressed in more conventional clothing and wearing a helmet. Sometimes the woman will be wearing a full face helmet, more often a 3/4 style. If the rider is wearing a minimalist helmet, usually the female passenger follows suit. Of course the vast majority, rider & passenger forgo helmets. Eye protection is often neglected except for sunglasses which probably are not accredited as to resistance to penetration by flying objects.

I also see that with the female riders, about an even split between bandannas and the 1/2 style helmets. Of course all of this is very unscientific and colored by my own prejudices.

Protective clothing?? it seems that anything more than thong underwear is seen locally on the road (male or female). I have yet to see barefoot, but zori flip flops are very popular with the "mature surfer" style of rider.

My final rant (whew) is the (occasionally seen) sport biker with nicely decorated full face helmet dangling from the side of the bike at 50 mph + while wearing what looks to be a "for real" protective jacket. I suppose he will don it when there is a serious risk of physical harm? when a race comes up unexpectedly?

 

[ANDYVH]

Getting hit from behind has usually been a very low percentage of cycle crashes. But I wonder if that has increased due to inattentive drivers on cell phones. So, what can we do as riders to help ourselves out?
1. Watch ALL around yourself when stopped, including for any vehicles approaching from behind. We have a small brakelight that in some lighting conditions can be hard to see.
2. Stay at LEAST three bike lengths BACK from any vehicle you are stopped behind. I see a LOT of riders stopped less than two feet behind the vehicle in front. With a big gap, you can move out if you have to..
3. NEVER wait in line behind a vehicle centered on the vehicle, always be way to the left or right in your lane. Then you have the option to quickly move aside the vehicle in front to either side, if you have to.
4. If you are the last vehicle in line, flash your brake light to gain attention of vehicles approaching from behind.
5. When you are the last vehicle in line, always have the bike in gear with the clutch held in. If you have some vehicles behind you, you "may" have the bike in neutral to rest your clutch hand, but its better to have the bike ready to go.

I agree, in this scenario a better helmet may not have made a difference. I only ride with a FF helmet, 100%. But a hit like described above may have caused a brain stem injury as much as a skull injury.

 

[ANDYVH]

Yeah, here in Wisconsin my R1100RS is basically "illegal" when it comes to rear lights. My turn signals are altered to be turn signals and constant on amber running lights. Only emergency vehicles in Wisconsin can have constant on amber lights. Well, too bad, it aids my visibility.

I also have flashing Hyperlites mounted underneath the turn signals. Anytime I am on the brakes (either one), they flash quickly. Not real big, but quite obvious. Not legal in Wisconsin, as only emergency vehicles are allowed to have constant flashing red lights. Well, too bad, it aids my visibility.

Never had an officer pull me over for it in 17 years with this setup. A county cop once pulled me over for my burned out headlight. He did comment about my amber lights and flashing red Hyperlites, said technically they weren't legal. But, he didn't write me up for them or tell me to disable them. He understood the logic of my "discretion", not just the letter of the law. But he did caution me it could give another officer reason to pull me over. I'll take me chances with the lights.

 

[Motorwerk]

I have the converted turn-signal running lights on my R1100R. Not legal in Ohio either.

I'd rather risk a ticket than risk being dead but if a distracted cellphone user does not bother to look up, any amount of lighting will not save you.

360?? awareness is your only chance.

 

[BCKRider]

Beanie helmets - well, in jurisdictions where helmets are NOT required, I guess they are a fashion statement. Here in BC where helmets ARE required, for some reason I can't fathom, they fulfill the legal requirement. (Wonder if I tied some garden twine around my waist to secure me to the seat of my car if I could argue I WAS wearing a seatbelt?)

If someone can explain why at least some of these "beanie helmets" are DOT certified - hence legal - yet a much more protective bicycle helmet is NOT legal, I would appreciate it. But let's agree to not turn this thread into another debate about whether helmets SHOULD be a legal requirement!

BTW, I think riders who wear beanie helmets ARE tough! I'm certainly not "man enough" to take all those bugs and raindrops in my naked face.

Complete agreement from me on doing everything possible, within personal constraints, to be more visible. (White helmet, bright - but not fluorescent - jacket, flashing brake lights, Skene front running lights for me.) I think the jury is in: all of these things and more work, but not perfectly. I still have to be attentive, but if my attention fails (and it does) there is a good chance I WON'T have to try to make that evasive maneuver at the last instant. I was seen.

One idea I had NOT ADDED to my arsenal of "protective riding behavior" was moving to the side of the lane at a stop light so I could shoot directly forward if I thought a following car was not stopping. I too thought rear end collisions were about the rarest of the dangers we face - and they maybe still are. But, clearly they happen, and I am very much in the camp of you who anticipate problems and do everything you can to get out of the way.

If I find out anything about the cellphone using Jeep driver, I'll update this thread. BTW, BC is just one of many (most?) places where "hands free" cell phone use in a vehicle is legal. The people who write these laws just "don't get it." That guy in the Jeep didn't cream the motorcycle because he didn't have both hands on the wheel. He hit them because his attention was on his phone call.

 

[manicmechanic]

Somethimg I've noticed in a lot of these types of discussions is the apparent lack of attention on the part of at least one of the involved parties. If we, as the bike operator, aren't always paying full attention to our surroundings, how can we expect everybody else to do so? If one of the parties isn't all there, bad things can and probably will happen. If both parties aren't all there, then it almost seems a foregone conclusion.

 

[dbrick]

If someone can explain why at least some of these "beanie helmets" are DOT certified - hence legal - yet a much more protective bicycle helmet is NOT legal, I would appreciate it.

DOT's administrative regulations require motorcycle helmets to meet specific technical requirements as to coverage and protection. However, it's a self-certification program: manufacturers apply the "DOT" sticker if the manufacturer says the helmet meets the standard. DOT doesn't test helmets, and there's no mechanism for DOT to investigate or review what manufacturers have, or have not, done. (Possible other enforcement, by state or local officials, is a different issue.)

Thus, compliance is up to the manufacturer. I think that "DOT" marked helmets from the big factories - the businesses with assets and reputations to protect and the sense to do so - are likely actually compliant.

 

[henzilla]

I have seen the DOT stickers for sale at some aftermarket shops and rallies.

 

[greenwald]

I have seen the DOT stickers for sale at some aftermarket shops and rallies.

Last time I was at Bike Week in Daytona, they were going for .50 cents each - multiple vendors.

 

[robsryder]

On many of my bikes I have supplemental brake lights. The extra lights are red LEDs that flash briefly upon brake actuation then are continuously illuminated while the brake is applied. These are not legal in Ohio.

However, the State of Ohio Transportation Dept. uses the MSF training material and in that guidance for motorcycles it is indicated that repeated tapping of the brakes (i.e., flashing the brakes) is recommended if one can otherwise brake safely. I contacted the State folks about this - I was referred to their advisor from the Ohio Highway Patrol.

The guy at the Highway Patrol said that long duration flashing brake lights would not be legal, but that it would be ok if the lights flashed for a few seconds then were continuously lit. I pointed out that the law didn't make the "few second" distinction. He, never-the-less, indicated that it would be ok.

I did some research and found some papers on drivers reaction times when the forward vehicle (motorcycle) used flashing brakes. If incandescent brake lights were used and the flash period did not allow the filament to become fully bright the lights were less effective and rear driver reaction time was increased.

For LEDs that are essentially "instant on" the rear driver reaction time decreased (e.g., stopped quicker) when the brake lights flashed.

I forwarded the papers to the Ohio Highway Patrol officer with whom I spoke and also to the AMA Legislative Affairs person that I'd been consulting. A legislative package in the future will contain a modification which will allow for the use of flashing LED brake lights.

 

[BCKRider]

robsryder

Your post was just beautiful! Most of us figure if the law (in this case on brakelights) is dumb, we won't get charged when we violate it. You did the research and made the contacts then provided the info that will hopefully get a bad (or outdated) law changed.

And now that we think about it, isn't that just absolutely right? Isn't that exactly how laws should change?

Sir, you certainly have my respect!

 

[175781]

True. But real dot half/beanie helmets are for sale all over the place, from 40 bucks up.

I have seen the DOT stickers for sale at some aftermarket shops and rallies.