Yesterday he cut Marta off in traffic, today he is in critical condition

[Omaha Steve]

Marta is having a bad morning. She left the keys in the ignition and her radio was on all night. The battery is dead. So I drove her to work in my car. We got stopped on the expressway by an accident up ahead. When we got to it, Marta said she is sure it is the motorcyclist that cut her off yesterday morning. No word yet on what happened.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20110505/NEWS01/705059878/-1#jfk-expressway-north-tied-up

Published Thursday May 5, 2011

Authorities urged commuters who use the JFK Expressway north out of Bellevue to find an alternate route Thursday morning.

A motorcycle crash on northbound JFK between Chandler Road and L Street brought traffic to a standstill around 7 a.m.

The motorcyclist was taken to the Creighton Medical Center in critical condition.

Motorists were urged to use 13th Street north into Omaha for their morning commute.

[av8rdave]

1. Hope the poor motorcyclist makes a full recovery!

Rude or not, it's heartbreaking to see someone suffer injuries like that.

[bobbolink]

7. At least it was him and not an innocent person he hurt.

[seabeyond]

2. hate to hear about anyone who has been hurt.... hopin the best for him. nt

[Maine-ah]

3. last weekend at work

we had a motorcycle accident in front of the restaurant I work at. We all witnessed it. A 16 year old girl, in a Jeep, took a left turn right in front of the bike. All of us ran out, got the bikers off the road, and tried to control traffic while waiting for police and ambulance to show up. I sat with the young lady who was a passenger on the bike. Just holding her hand and talking to her. She and her husband were very lucky. Well protected with helmets and leather.

[90-percent]

4. motorcycle accidents

A fellow I used to work with was driving home on 91 South through Central CT. There were two youngsters with crotch rockets weaving about in traffic like squirrels chasing each other around a tree trunk. My friend saw one guy misjudge the tractor trailer and get run over and extremely killed.

Way back in High School, we lost 3 to 5 people on motorcycles. They are a lot of fun, but you are sharing the roads with American Drivers, who can be pretty oblivious to the fact they are guiding 2 tons of steel down the road in as distracted a state as they can come up with.

I also worry about all the new Harley riders that are getting into it as a new fashion statement. You need a lot of education, practice and respect to ride any motorcycle anywhere. It's a lot more than just looking good, if you value you life and your safety.

-90% jimmy

[callous taoboy]

6. re: Harley riders:

I live in a gorgeous part of the SW, the perfect place to ride motorcycle. As the Harley craze ramped up, it was typical to read about a motorcycle death at least once a week during the summer. I'd like to ride again, but I just don't know....

[av8rdave]

17. Motorcycles CAN be dangerous

I have been a rider since I was a child.

However, if you look at motorcycle accidents as a whole, and then factor out:

The ones riding under the influence of whatever
People riding unfamiliar (borrowed) bikes
Those who haven't taken a motorcycle safety foundation rider's safety course
Those not wearing helmets and other protective gear
People with little experience or riding too much motorcycle for them
Reckless riders (I imagine like the one mentioned in the OP)

They aren't as dangerous as they seem at first blush. A good rider (survivor) understands that they can't treat a bike like a car (there are no "fender benders"), and also understands that you have to assume that you're invisible. I can't tell you how many times I've not taken a left turn I wanted to because I wasn't comfortable with who was behind me. Same goes for stop signs, yields, etc. If on a multilane road, you have to assume that someone will decide to come into your lane without seeing you. It's also a good idea to ride in groups (more visibility) when possible, and I never ride when I HAVE to be anywhere.

[90-percent]

18. I agree with av8rdave

It was around 40 years ago, but the people that died on motorcycles when I was in High School were all drunk or doped up at the time of their accidents. They all were not victims of others, but of themselves. One guy had his pregnant girlfriend on the bike. Both dead.

I have ridden a bicycle my whole life to this day. I have learned the hard way to be very defensive of those I share the road with. When I was 18, I was on Rt25A in Setauket and going down a slight hill. My riding goal at the time was to go as fast as I can, always. At the bottom of the hill was a VW convertible waiting to make a left turn. I was barreling down on him from his left. I am doing maybe 30 mph, pretty fast on a bike, and I was maybe 10 feet away when he STARTS TO PULL OUT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I steer around him, but my front wheel tags his bumper guard, which sent me flying in the air and landing on my face. I remember my swerve, my horror at how close I came to hitting him, and then flying in the air still holding on to the handlebars. Then throwing the bike out of the way so I wouldn't land on it. Had I not reacted and almost missed him, and ran into him head on, I would have be seriously injured or dead.

What added insult to injury was the people that came up to stare at me and my wounds and blood and asked about the accident like I wasn't even there. It's hard to be more rude than that.

Had the same scenario 14 years later and now I look the driver in the eye prepared for the worst. This time I dumped the bike and skidded to a stop into the side of the car, because I saw it coming earlier. The driver never saw me until he got out of the car.

The closest I will come to ever getting a motorcycle is if I get one of those wizzer kits to motorize a bicycle. 40-80cc 2 and 4 stroke motors and complete install kits can be had for $150-300 and are really made in China. really. I'm a motorhead so getting that much mechanism for such a low price I find remarkable.

-90% Jimmy

[callous taoboy]

5. I have enjoyed riding motorcycle in the past, but no more:

The amount of idiocy on the roads is increasing, I believe, and I don't want my life in the hands of our Idiocracy.

[bobbolink]

8. You may have missed the point of the OP.. it was the MOTORCYCLIST who was reckless driving.

I agree that there is a lot of assholery in drivers in general, but motocyclists are NO exception, and this particular one had already demonstrated that.

[uncle ray]

15. no, i think the schadenfreude was quite clear.

clearly the guy deserved to be mowed down because he cut off the OP's spouse.

[bobbolink]

16. Christ on a trailer hitch.... YOU KNOW that the OP said no such thing nor did I.

The point is that HE likely caused his own shit, and I add, its a damned good thing he hurt himself rather than an innocent person. Maybe he learned his lesson?

But, spin it however you want. We are USED to spin. Have fun.

[flamin lib]

9. If you are over 25 years of age, ride a cruiser or touring bike and have taken

classes in motorcycle safety you are as safe as the average auto driver. For me part of the enjoyment of riding is the heightened awareness of my environment; knowing as much as I can about every car and every obstacle anywhere near me. Paranoia can be an enjoyable thing!

[callous taoboy]

11. I hear you. There is one beautiful stretch of lonely highway I wish

to ride a Triumph touring bike on one day. You may have just convinced me.

[david13]

12. You sound like the type of rider I am. I see the younger riders

taking too much risk all the time.
Particularly lane splitting here. I do it, but much slower than the young ones.
But still it's sad to see anyone go down.
dc

[Bandit]

10. Not surprising when people behave stupidly it eventually catches up to them.

Especially when it involves motor vehicles or heavy equipment..:shrug:

[DainBramaged]

13. Sad

It's already started here. Riding between lanes in traffic, weaving in and out at way way over legal speeds, riding with sorry excuses for helmets.

[madmom]

14. I was involved in a car vs bike crash in "84. The guy

riding his Harley decided he wanted his half of the road out of the middle coming around a curve at 60+ mph. He hit me head on with enough impact that it totaled my car. The bike was in 4 pieces, he broke his neck and several other bones, but still alive. I had my 2 babies in the car, thanks to seat-belts and car seats they both got just minor injuries.There are signs everywhere this time of year about watching out for bikes, but they should also be telling bikers to watch out for cars. I'm always seeing the carelessness of young riders. They think they are invincible.

[DiverDave]

19. I learned to look for heads in parked cars

going down a residentual street, 20 mph, just putting along.
Suddenly I see a car take off from the curb to pull into a driveway across the street.
I almost had my bike down and hit the back fender of her car, rolled across her trunk and the next thing I knew my helmet made a loud CLICK as it hit the road.
Just bent my forks up, had a road rash on my leg, but walked away.
Well I jumped up and called her a couple of names and threw my glove at her car.

She said the normal thing..."I didnt see you"

I watch for heads in parked cars now.