Den of the Beastly Bear
Hi Folks!
It's that time of year again! The time of year thousands go out to their garage, throw up the door, pull off the cover....and fire up that motorcycle for a ride!!!
Likely you've seen them out already.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE be careful when driving, take an extra second...that's all it takes...to make sure there are no motorcyclists coming before you pull out!!!
I haven't ridden in a few years but I have MANY family and friends that do, and I want them home safe and sound at the end of the day!
I got a call on my cell phone Saturday about 5 o'clock from my Boss, Bill.
Now Bill NEVER calls me at home...I was intrigued.
"Hey Bill, what's up?"
"Joe? Joe?!? This is Bill..." Good God, he sounded drunk.
"Yeah Bill, I'm here...what's new?"
"Awww shit...*unintelligible muttering* awww man I'm hurting!"
"What happened? Are you OK? Where you at?"
I asked, worried now.
"Inna hospital...wrecked my bike...oh God...I'm probably not gonna be in for a couple months, hurtin' bad!!! If I sound funny, I'm onna lotta of morfin, morphine..."
*background noise, lots of talking*
"Let me call you back *more mumbling* OK?"
"Yeah Bill, let me know what's going on, OK?...bye"
Poor Bill, last year I helped him in his search for a new bike. Tired of the bike he had, he needed a new baby! Lol
He was picky, he knew exactly what he wanted...year, model color, engine size.
He was picky, he knew exactly what he wanted...year, model color, engine size.
We found and discarded dozens that we're almost perfect, but not quite.
Finally by September he'd found it, made an offer, and one of his buddies took him to go get it. He was over the moon when he rode it in to work the next day, and we were all envious as it was just beautiful.
The only bummer was the season was almost over, but he put as many miles as he could on it in the time left.
This year he was eager to get it out....
He took his bonus check, and spent around $1700 on custom painted parts, and chrome. Just Thursday his special order gel seat arrived and he installed it before coming into work.
When I asked him of his plans for the long holiday weekend, he told me he was going to his sisters for Easter...then with a wistful look in his eye said:
"Other than that, if the weather cooperates...I'm gonna ride!"
I didn't hear from Bill again until almost 10 that night.
He was still in a lot of pain, 5 broken ribs and a broken collar bone and some "road rash". Seems he was on his way home, had just turned left onto a major thoroughfare when a wrecker waiting on the first side street on the right pulled out, making a left turn right in front of him. With a wrecker broadside, blocking the road...there was nowhere to go!
Luckily he was only going about 35mph. He says witnesses tell him he hit the back of the wrecker, but he has no memory of that...he was only about 30-40 feet from him when the guy pulled out, he remembers hitting the brakes and the bike going out from under him.
He had not been wearing a helmet lately, as it just became legal to go without in Michigan...luckily he had it on Saturday! He doesn't think he lost consciousness or hit his head, but when they took his helmet off it was in two pieces!
He said himself, had he not been wearing that helmet, he may not have made it...
His bike was totaled, and I think he's sicker about that than that he's hurt!
So because of a moments inattention by the wrecker driver, instead of Easter dinner with his family he spent Easter in a hospital bed on a morphine drip!
A better outcome than the morgue, but still...
Who among us would want that on our conscience?
So please folks, as you go about your day...going to work, running errands...take an extra moment to look,
REALLY look before you pull out! Or change lanes, or make that left hand turn.
You just may save a life, and that makes you a hero!
Be Well Folks!
Beastly Bear
He said himself, had he not been wearing that helmet, he may not have made it...
His bike was totaled, and I think he's sicker about that than that he's hurt!
So because of a moments inattention by the wrecker driver, instead of Easter dinner with his family he spent Easter in a hospital bed on a morphine drip!
A better outcome than the morgue, but still...
Who among us would want that on our conscience?
So please folks, as you go about your day...going to work, running errands...take an extra moment to look,
REALLY look before you pull out! Or change lanes, or make that left hand turn.
You just may save a life, and that makes you a hero!
Be Well Folks!
Beastly Bear
I am pretty attentive, but that said, I have seen a lot of motorcycles doing stupid things so it works both ways. Don't expect 4 wheel drivers, or 18 wheel drivers like my guy, to be conscious of them if they are going to act like asshole on the road. Russell narrowly avoided a major catastrophe when a bike rider with a passenger was going too fast, weaving in and out of traffic and then wiped out. Russell emptied that air horn and the rider was able to drag his passenger out of the lane before Russell turned her into road pizza. So yeah, bikes need to be courteous as well. I realize that splitting lanes in traffic is legal, which blows my mind, but that doesn't mean they should do it. Sorry, end of rant.
ReplyDeleteOh, I agree JoJo...those riders that are blowing down the road 100+ mph weaving in and out of traffic, riding wheelies down the expressway, or just acting a fool...get what they've got coming when they wipe out!
DeleteOn the other hand, plenty of responsible considerate bikers are killed every year by people not paying attention. My Boss above is a 56 year old guy riding a full dress Harley, just minding his own business coming home from lunch with a friend...
That scares me to death!! Scott is an awesome bike rider, but it's those other people that I worry about. Too busy on their cell phones texting and weaving all over the road. I'm glad your friend is ok Joey.
ReplyDeleteI hate riding around town, nice long drives in the country is more my thing...where there is a lower concentration of oblivious drivers.
DeleteIt must have been some accident if the helmet broke in 2, plus broken ribs, etc. Glad your boss is alive. I've seen some riders do crazy things on bikes, believing they can get suddenly squeeze between vehicles, taking drivers by surprise. It's dangerous on their part to do things like that. Nice topic.
ReplyDeleteThanks Michelle! My Boss is not that type of rider...blasting around on a rice rocket.
DeleteHe was riding his full dress Harley coming from lunch, just a couple miles from home. The problem with hitting things on a bike, even at 35 mph, is that the only "crumple zone" is you.. :-(
Joe - I live "out in the country" and hate to burst your bubble bud, we have numerous motorcycle vs other vehicle crashes every summer; usually someone dies. Bike cruising down a nice straight country road, no posted speed so limit is 55 mph, bike probably doing 60 mph when suddenly a pick-up, or car shoots out of a cross road - not seeing bike, so takes off from stop sign or just "murphy stops" and bingo - bike goes flying. Hasn't happened yet this year, then again the corn hasn't started growing yet either.
ReplyDeleteUsed to love being on the back of a bike, holding tight to my guy, enjoying the rush of the air on my skin; ever since two couples down here had a bad wreck with a drunk, during the day no less, I have no desire to be on a bike again.
Glad your Boss man wasn't hurt real bad and lived to ride another day.
Country Lady, thank you so much for stopping by!!! I know there are cycle accidents in the country...it's just the fewer idiots, the safer I feel! An illusion I'm sure....but I sure love those country rides!!! I'm sorry you no longer feel safe on the back of a bike...it's a shame you no longer feel safe doing something you love to do!!! :-(
DeleteCome by again, anytime!!!
I always watch for the riders too but some of them are so incredibly stupid when they're on their bikes, flying up between two vehicles that are side by side instead of waiting to pass like a vehicle would, zipping over into the bicycle lane.. Some of them are so crazy. I think the responsibility rests on everyone's shoulders including and perhaps most importantly, those of the bikers themselves.. I hope your boss makes a full recovery and has comfort for his pain.
ReplyDelete