Topic: Witnessed a devastating accident today

[edwardmorris]

So I was already late getting home from work today on account of 3 accidents on my route home. I just stayed at work till it cleared up a bit before heading out. About 2/3rds of my way home, I came to a stop at an intersection and noticed a Ducati waiting to make a left at the same intersection across from me. The rider was in full gear with the winker on. I know the intersection well and I knew he'd get a green arrow to make the turn first so I waited patiently. Few seconds later, two more bikes pull up in the lane next to him (going straight) on what looked like Kawi ninjas. The were sharing the lane (standard formation). No gear of ANY kind. The start talking to the Ducati rider, probably complimenting the bike, and he turns to them and nods, gives a shout back and gets back into position ready to turn when the arrow goes green. At this point, there's cars stacking up behind me, but the opposite direction (behind the bikers) is wide open with just a sedan slowing down after noticing the red light.

And then it happened. Not only did the arrow turn green, but the lights for the other riders (going straight) also turned green at the same time, my side of the road is stil all red lights. The Ducati rider safely made his turn, but the other two barely shifted into first, when that sedan behind them that was slowing down earlier decided to gun it the second the light turned green. The sedan knocked the first guy off balance by hitting him on the left rear side, and hit the other one full speed, dead on the rear wheel. I saw the guy get thrown in the air, flipping almost 180 degrees, then landed on his left side, head and shoulders first. The bike went on flipping a couple times and stopped in front of the sedan grinding him to a halt.

I froze up, I saw the guy wasn't moving. His buddy barely pulled himself out from under his bike and came to check on him in dismay. The car driver stepped out to take a look and by now cars had started stacking up behind the accident. I didn't move, I was in such shock I quite literally froze up, until some jackass behind me started honking the crap out of his horn. I slowly, giving them all a wide berth started driving, and went on home after seeing that enough eye witnesses in the vicinity had assembled by now.

I do not know how to process this, I can't stop replaying it in my head. I haven't been able to talk to my wife about it, or anyone else for that matter so I thought I share with my SOHC family. Please, for the sake of your loved ones and your own, ride in gear and stay vigilant at all times. Moronic cagers are a CONSTANT threat.

[seanbarney41]

I get pretty freaked out just watching that stuff on YouTube. I can't imagine what it would be like in real life or if I saw it happen to someone I know.  Take care Rafi.

[ken65]

Sure is a reminder how bad it can be.  Just like that. I hope they are ok .  You aswell.

A very similar thing happened to me .  Luckily for me  all i remember  was the crashing noise
then trying to get on my feet .    I wouldn't have liked to see any vision of it.

[Davez134]

Good on you for talking about it and getting it out however possible. I see that #$%* every day, and you just cant keep it inside most of the time. Just remember the only thing you can control is you so ride and drive safe!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Rafi,

This is a common danger when waiting for a light at an intersection especially if you are at the front with no one waiting behind you.  Make sure to keep an eye peeled in your rear view and in this situation, you might want to keep the bike in first gear so you can go forward if necessary to avoid a rear-ender.

[scottly]

Rafi, I witnessed a fatal accident right in front of me a few years ago, and it does have an effect on you. Please don't take this the wrong way, but you really need to give law enforcement your eye witness account; just because others assembled around doesn't mean they saw what you did, and as experienced riders we tend to be more aware observers.
Scott

[grcamna2]

I try to imagine escape routes while I'm out riding,around here vehicles are continually crossing over the center yellow lines 

[754]

Rafi, sorry you had to see that, it will or can be rough on you.
 But scottly is right, make some notes tonight please while it is fresh in your mind.
 And better to talk about it than keep it inside..

[edwardmorris]

Thanks for listening guys, I appreciate the help and don't feel alone.

Scottly/Frank, I will gladly help where I can. I had the same thought, so the first thing I did was type up this post the moment I got home. To the best of my recollection, that's the entire account. The location is south side of Chicago, and the intersection had a lot of foot traffic because of two bus stops, a grocery store and a clinic all in close proximity. I am certain I am not the only one who saw this, but again, I WILL gladly assist the law enforcement officers as needed. The driver did stop, and has no plausible way of explaining it away as a mishap, so I really hope he gets the justice he deserves for his recklessness. What has disturbed me the most is the fact that a man quite possibly has died, or will be in a very serious condition based on how things went down.

[754]

Because they were bikes you were focused on them. The others may have only started observing when bikes/riders started flying around..

[edwardmorris]

Because they were bikes you were focused on them. The others may have only started observing when bikes/riders started flying around..

This is true. So far nothing in the news about the incident, but I'm sure it will make the accident reports soon.

[Terry in Australia]

Geez Rafi, sorry to read this, but you wrote a really clear account of what happened, and even though I drive on the other side of the road, I understood your description of events.

The other guys are right, the other motorists won't have as accurate an account as they wouldn't have had any interest in the bikes, so it probably won't hurt talking to the cops, and if they have a trauma councillor, maybe you could have a chat with them too.

I've worked with several guys with PTSD, all but one were war vets, the last one witnessed a fatal car crash and it affected him so badly he was self admitted into a psychiatric hospital, where he stayed for years. All the best mate. Cheers, Terry.   

[ekpent]

 I've bought bikes and met a couple people who have hung up the helmets when friend or relatives have been involved in tragic or fatal accidents.  Its one thing to read about that kind of stuff in the news but definitely more real when you see it in person. Here's hoping the rider survived !! and the driver was charged.

[72 yellow]

+1 on reporting what you saw.  SOHC Diggers family could have used a good eyewitness account.

[Terry in Australia]

I've bought bikes and met a couple people who have hung up the helmets when friend or relatives have been involved in tragic or fatal accidents.  Its one thing to read about that kind of stuff in the news but definitely more real when you see it in person. Here's hoping the rider survived !! and the driver was charged.

When I was much younger Eric, I lost 13 school friends from my little country town in 12 separate motorcycle crashes. Back in the 1970's kids here could buy whatever size bike they could afford (my first road bike was a Yamaha TX500 followed by a shiny new CB750) and booze, drugs and bravado took a terrible toll.

One family lost two sons in separate bike crashes, leaving just one son, who's mother begged him to hang up his helmet, and she was in a such a terrible state that he did, and never rode again. My poor old Mum (who turns 88 in a couple of month's time) tells me that she still doesn't know how I survived, because I was more reckless than most of my friends.

I saw how their families were just devastated by their passing, and nearly 40 years on it still makes me really sad. Cheers, Terry.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Gives us a reminder of how fragile our bodies and lives are.

I was riding with some friends years ago and the lead rider made a bad judgement decision. Hit a curb and started tumbling through the air. The rider behind him and directly in front of me went down avoiding the lead. All I could see was a cloud of dust and smoke. There were 2 riders down if front of me somewhere. I took a diagonal path of avoidance and had to jump the curb. Luckily I kept it up by standing on the pegs to absorb the bump like a dirt bike. All this was happening in freeze frame slow motion to me until I cleared the curb. The lead rider didn't make it and I attended to the second rider until the ambulance arrived. Seemed like forever. The ride home was VERY slow.

It will stay with you but you'll use it as a reminder to ride cautiously and appreciate life.

[BomberMann650]

Considering tbat you had front row seats to the event, you really should have given a deposition to the emergency responders.

It's likely not to late to contact authorities and explain your shock at the time.

[ekpent]

  If I remember Jerry you had a bad accident a few years ago on your Harley. Didn't another bike clip you coming around a corner from the opposite direction ?
   Holy Crap Terry I'm surprised bikes weren't outlawed with that kind of record. When I was younger you could get your license for any bike at 16 if you could ride a figure eight. My first real road bike was a GT750 at around 18 years old that almost took me out. Beer played a small role 

[Terry in Australia]

  If I remember Jerry you had a bad accident a few years ago on your Harley. Didn't another bike clip you coming around a corner from the opposite direction ?
   Holy Crap Terry I'm surprised bikes weren't outlawed with that kind of record. When I was younger you could get your license for any bike at 16 if you could ride a figure eight. My first real road bike was a GT750 at around 18 years old that almost took me out. Beer played a small role 

Yeah Eric, it was great time for me to be growing up, but a bad time for a lot of families in my home town, back then farmers were all doing real well so farmers kids especially could afford new CB750's, Z1's, GT750's etc, not to mention some pretty fast cars.

I didn't mention the friends killed in cars, one night 5 guys I knew were all killed in one crash, including my next door neighbour, who was a really nice guy. I can still hear his mother screaming when the cops knocked on her door and gave her the news. It's no wonder the local funeral director was one of the wealthiest people in town. Cheers, Terry.

[edwardmorris]

OK, so far I haven't been able to find any trace of news related to the incident. I've been off work for a couple days and haven't made it back to Chicago yet. I'll be there tomorrow and going to try and get a hold of the authorities.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

OK, so far I haven't been able to find any trace of news related to the incident. I've been off work for a couple days and haven't made it back to Chicago yet. I'll be there tomorrow and going to try and get a hold of the authorities.

You will probably also be doing the victim a favor as far as a slam dunk insurance settlement goes.

[faux fiddy]

Our state legalized go on red for mc's. First is that often a MC won't have the mass to trip the green light sensor and I think the most important reason is they get on down the road instead of in the intersection for  stuff like this.

[74cb750]

Just 2 hours ago....a guy on a Harley was in a dirt pulloff on a minor road (rt 121 in vermont) and 400 yards before I would have gone by him,....he decides to gun it across 2 lanes and smashed into a guardrail. Got himself stuck under the top rail, so he just gunned it and screeched away laying rubber before I could even get out of my car to check if he was alright. 

As I watched him rumble down the road, going from lane marker to lane marker, I'm thinking a few too many beers?

Hope he's alright.

[Don R]

 I witnessed a pit accident a couple years ago, a race car launched into their trailer wide open, everyone survived but for a couple days I was sure that wasn't possible. After seeing it I bought a winch, it was years before we drove into our trailer again and still never with anyone inside.
  I met the car owner a couple years ago at a charity event, everyone recovered, he felt bad for the witnesses too.

[Gene]

p.s. - You need to talk to your wife about it.  If it's bothering you it's bothering her - only fair.  Sorry you had to see that.