Topic: Alcohol and motorcycles = Death

[thelowmax]

Today while driving my 1978 CB750K on a snake curve 3 lane road, I was almost hit by a car switching lanes from center to left. No signaling. Further down the road, the car drifted into the center lane again without signaling. As I attempted to pass on the left, the car slowly started to squeeze me to the rail. I braked, went behind her and passed on the right to get ahead of her. As I was coming to the next light, I noticed the car coming up beside me so I stopped to be beside it when she reached the light. I leaned over as she approached and said calmly, "You almost hit me 3 times back there". The driver smiled and said, "I didn't even see you". 'That's because you were all over the road and didn't look in your mirror even once", I said. The woman (40's) smiled and raised a bottle of beer that she had between her legs and started to say she was sorry, as if it was a big joke that she was drunk. I was furious. I yelled, "I was going to ask you if you were drunk, but now I see you are. What is wrong with you? You are putting other people's lives in danger with your stupidity!" She said, "I'm sorry. I'm just giving my mother a ride home." To which the older woman passenger looked at me and nodded to confirm it. Now I was even more enraged. I yelled, "I don't care why you are doing it. You're a #$%*ing #$%* (and to the mother) and you are just as bad for letting her drive you while she's drinking. You are putting other people's lives at risk with your selfish stupidity. Both of you are #$%*ing #$%*s and should get the #$%* off the road!!!!" The older woman sheepishly said, "I'm sorry". I yelled, "your apology isn't going to do me any good if I'm dead or crippled!!!. They both sat silently in shock. "Smarten the #$%* up and get off the road", I yelled, and drove on.

This episode and the recent 4 biker death in Omaha* makes me think of all the idiots who think that drinking and driving isn't that bad, or even worse, the #$%*s that boast (even here on SOHC forums) that they had a few and went riding. Forget those stern PSA's that say, "Drinking and driving will get you arrested". Or "the life you save may be your own". Try this one on for size, "IF YOU DRINK AND DRIVE, YOU ARE A #$%*ING #$%*!!!.

*5 lives were destroyed because a class valedictorian, scholarship winner, and seemingly perfect kid was drunk driving and veered into 4 bikers killing all of them.

Seriously people, be conscious.

[dave500]

i might have A beer before i drive my car,but i set myself a law years ago that never any before riding,and i adhere to this,as i drive a truck for my job its not only important for me to keep my license im totaly with you lowmax,truck/bus and taxi drivers here must have a zero alchohol level.

[Damfino]

Be glad you don't live around Centralia IL.



Man allegedly tells police he will drive drunk until he kills someone
By Dennis Sullivan/Special to the Tribune
 
A southern Illinois man reportedly told an Orland Park detention officer he will continue to drive drunk until he kills someone after being jailed last week on charges of aggravated DUI, illegal transportation of alcohol and driving with a revoked driver's license.

James A. Pedigo, 46, Centralia, allegedly had a 750 milliliter bottle of vodka in the front passenger seat and a cup filled with alcohol in the cup holder of his vehicle when he was stopped at 7:15 p.m. Aug. 10 on the 7300 block of 143rd Street.

Pedigo also was cited for following too close, improper lane usage, failure to signal, possession of drug paraphernalia, and no insurance.

His bail was set at $600,000. His next court appearance is set for Aug. 24.

[switchum]

people who drink and drive suck balls.

 But I always think of what Sonny Barger said in his (motorcycling )book.

"…I recommend adopting attitude that every single person on the road is a sociopathic serial killer who has just escaped from an asylum for the criminally insane. This might seem a little pessimistic, but you’ll live longer if you assume everyone else on the road is a homicidal moron whose sole purpose is to kill you."

 I am personally more scared of a driver texting or got the phone stuck in his/her ear.

[cb650]

Some people shouldnt be driving sober!!!!!

[wardenerd]

a drunk driver recently hydroplaned and killed four cyclists and injured 2 or 3 others.  The woman driver had her under 10 yrs children with her.

[Terry in Australia]

"Smarten the #$%* up and get off the road", I yelled, and drove on.

Sorry mate, but just giving an obviously drunk driver a mouthfull of abuse and driving off is not good enough, you should have taken charge of the situation by stopping her from driving on. Either take her keys and call the cops or get in her car and drive her home, but don't just leave her there where she can drive on and kill someone else, what's that achieved?

A couple of years ago I heard a crash out the front of my house, a drunk woman had crashed her car thru my neighbours front fence, spun around in the yard and sprayed gravel thru the front windows of Darren's house, (he wasn't home) bogging the car. I made her stay there while I called the cops and when they arrived they breathylised her and she was well over the limit.

I had to go and make a statement a couple of days later and when I spoke to the cops there, they told me that she was on a cancelled license as she was a serial drunk driver. The car she wrecked was a Ford GT Falcon FPV with all the bells and whistles that she apparently owed $90,000 on, and the cops told me that they'd let her insurance company know that she was drunk and was charged with drink driving, so she wasn't covered for the damage she did to her car (which was repossessed shortly afterwards) or Darren's fence, windows and landscaping.

Hopefully, she wasn't able to just get into another car and do it again. Cheers, Terry.

[Hasenkopf]

sooooo,  was that  car a "souped up"  ford  focus ??

[Terry in Australia]

sooooo,  was that  car a "souped up"  ford  focus ??

It was a beautiful car Gina, with an all alloy twin cam 302 V8 with 400 BHP and 400 foot pounds of torque. I'm a Ford fan, so it was doubley distressing for me to see a beautiful car like this wrecked by a drunk. Yeah yeah, "It's my car and I can do what I like with it" and all that, but it's a shame, just the same.

[Stev-o]

sooooo,  was that  car a "souped up"  ford  focus ??

It was a beautiful car Gina, with an all alloy twin cam 302 V8 with 400 BHP and 400 foot pounds of torque. I'm a Ford fan, so it was doubley distressing for me to see a beautiful car like this wrecked by a drunk. Yeah yeah, "It's my car and I can do what I like with it" and all that, but it's a shame, just the same.

Not available in the States [a shame, as it looks pretty hot]

[hotpocket]

sooooo,  was that  car a "souped up"  ford  focus ??

It was a beautiful car Gina, with an all alloy twin cam 302 V8 with 400 BHP and 400 foot pounds of torque. I'm a Ford fan, so it was doubley distressing for me to see a beautiful car like this wrecked by a drunk. Yeah yeah, "It's my car and I can do what I like with it" and all that, but it's a shame, just the same.

i used to like Ford, switched to Chevy.  much better performance platform imho. 

[thelowmax]

"Smarten the #$%* up and get off the road", I yelled, and drove on.

You're right Terry,

I should have called the cops but I was so shocked at her cavalier attitude that I wanted to punch her mother in the face. My immediate thought was to get the hell away from her for her and my own good.  I didn't even think about it until she was long gone. I was doing all I could to not tear down the street in a rage.  Also, she was at a left turn only lane waiting for a green arrow and I had the green light in the ongoing lane, and was at that point blocking traffic, adding to my frustration.

Anyway, that's why I started this post. I just wanted to get that message out. That it's not a joke and nobody thinks it's cool. Well... I don't anyway.

[CBGhia]

I was almost creamed by a drunk a few hours ago.  I was in my pickup and turning left onto my street from another residential street when a car passed me on the left, I was turning left. He was doing well over 55 in a 30 (could have been as high as 70). He hit my front tire and bumper/fender and skid up into someones yard and took out a nice pecan tree. Didn't do much damage to my truck, but if I had been further into my turn, that could have been my door he hit at 70. He was carted off by the police.

I will have 1 beer when I stop for a bite out on the bike, but 1 is my limit and I always wait at least 30 minutes.

[Cbowers]

3 guys had bond hearings today for two incidents causing 4 deaths on the lake. It kinda sucks for them because they were just out boating........but if you choose to drink, you have to suffer the consequences.

This along with people drowning there kids in their car!!!!!.....The world has gone crazy!

[hotpocket]

if i'm suspicious of someone driving drunk i stay BEHIND them, even if i have to slow down a bit.  learned that lesson from my dad's mistake

[Terry in Australia]

"Smarten the #$%* up and get off the road", I yelled, and drove on.

You're right Terry,

I should have called the cops but I was so shocked at her cavalier attitude that I wanted to punch her mother in the face. My immediate thought was to get the hell away from her for her and my own good.  I didn't even think about it until she was long gone. I was doing all I could to not tear down the street in a rage.  Also, she was at a left turn only lane waiting for a green arrow and I had the green light in the ongoing lane, and was at that point blocking traffic, adding to my frustration.

Anyway, that's why I started this post. I just wanted to get that message out. That it's not a joke and nobody thinks it's cool. Well... I don't anyway.

That's fair enough mate, I can understand that you were stressing at the time, after almost being cleaned up. If it happens again though, think what options are available to you, and at least just pull the drunks keys out and drop them down a drain, that way the most harm the drunk can do is fall flat on his or her face when they walk home. Cheers, Terry.

[demon78]

A beer or glass of wine with the meal when we're out, as far as the bike goes nothing it #$%*s up my head and detracts from the joy.
Bill the demon.

[tramp]

when i was a dumb stupid lad i drove drunk
smarter now
we need to be more active getting drunks off the road
we need to call when we see one in action
let the cops do thier job

[Terry in Australia]

That's it mate, I've got no sympathy for drunks, that dumb #$%* couldn't see the harm in what she did, but she could just have easily driven thru the front of Darren's house and killed his two little kids. Hopefully she'll remember why her life sucks every time she makes a payment on that car that she no longer owns.......... 

[motocyconomad]

I've had sober people intentionally try to put me down. Riding to work one soggy Seattle morning on the floating bridge I split a lane because I didn't feel like sitting with all the cars (ya its illegal #$%* off)...so traffic frees up and this #$%*ing bull brawd speeds past me at 60 in the pouring rain gets in front of me and slams the brakes trying to have me rear end her.
 Point is death is right around the next bend in the road, EVERYONE is trying to kill you every car is your enemy. I keep a tomahawk on the bike for a reason, I'll take your #$%* the #$%* out.  But dont be a wowser, embrace death, live like its your last week
 I'm with the rest of you about a beer or whatever with a meal chilling for a little and being carefull afterward...but I wont be a hypocrite and try to act like its not fun to get drunk and high and go as fast as I can on the white line at 3am in a weak try at suicide ...no fun in a car. Just like all the things we get to be hypersensitive about these days this is one of 'em along with hot 17 year old chicks, hard drugs, dead civilians, the "" word, brothels, ect. ect. etc.
your all gonna die, dont be afraid. take em arseholes out! ride the war roads!

[morethrottle]

I avoid riding at night nowadays. Especially here in the land of Kennedys where drunk driving is practically tolerated. I have more close calls with teens and cell phone users though. Not everyone is drunk but almost everyone has a cell phone! Sunday morning at sunrise is about the only time I can ride, relax, and have fun. We need more closed courses or tracks. Riding among everyday idiots sucks, and it can kill you!

[bluezboy]

 That's right folks, idiots are everywhere we turn our head, so it's up to us to be on the lookout at all times. Assume they are out to kill you and you'll live to ride another day. Being a school bus driver, I never drink, and it's only one beer when I do, during the work week because they do random drug/alcohol testing here and I'm not going to risk my job for one beer no matter how much those kids get on  my nerves! And there's no way I'll even consider one beer with a meal if I'm riding my bike, I need every little brain cell I can hang on to to make it home in one piece.

[thelowmax]

Bluezboy,

That's how I ride... with the notion that I am the littlest fish in a big pond, with my eye out for everything that will try to eat me (which is everything).

Once my lights went out and I had to ride home in the dark. It was a full moon and I was riding through open terrain. I could see everything pretty well but I knew nobody could see me at all. I felt strangely secure and safe knowing that I was totally responsible for my own safety. It was sstrangely calming

[Don R]

When I was young, 1 per wheel. now, half that. If my wife is along, she doesn't like most drinks so I ride shotgun.

[Spanner 1]

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