Motorcycle death in Calgary

[retiredgentleman]

Last year was bad for motorcycle accidents and deaths, and looks like the pattern will continue this year. I urge everyone to be extra careful when you head out on your bikes this spring. Drive as if your life depends on it, because it does. Here is the report from a local newspaper:

"Police say a man has died after crashing a motorcycle while test riding the bike Saturday.

Cops say speed and driver error contributed to a crash that happened at 6:20 p.m. in the 100 block of Panamount Heights N.W.

They said the 24-year-old man was test riding a 2013 Suzuki SV 650 Sport Bike he did not own in the neighbourhood, and travelling at a high rate of speed when he entered a patch of pea gravel.

He lost control of the motorcycle and struck a light standard.

He was taken to hospital in life threatening condition and died of his injuries shortly later.

The victim had a proper class 6 driver's license and was wearing a helmet and protective jacket."

 

[hard_y_rd]

That's hard to hear. Springtime is a bad time to test a bike here in Canada. With all the salt and sand they use on the roads not to mention potholes. Ride safe.

 

[gggGary]

Yup here too. We got 3 inches of rain last week, ah finally clean roads, but it turned to snow so they salted AGAIN, damn it.

 

[retiredgentleman]

In Calgary they use a lot of pea gravel to provide traction, for cars and trucks, during the winter months.

In April/May they sweep/vacuum the streets to remove the pea gravel. However right now the cleaning has yet to be started, so the streets are covered with the pea gravel, which are like little ball bearings. Intersections and corners have a build up of the gravel, which makes them even more slippery.

 

[gggGary]

My sympathies. Locally they do "sealcoating" to extend pavement life. They spray hot tar and pour gravel on it, eventually they sweep off the loose gravel and call it done. The gravel used varies widely, sometimes it's pea gravel. Wife crashed (flopped) her Shadow on pea gravel remains at an intersection 4 months after the process was done last year. Hurt her ankle getting it out from under the bike. Happened to me years ago, there was no chance of staying upright once I got into it. Like you say a bed of ball bearings.

 

[retiredgentleman]

Yes, its tragic..................24 year old lads just don't have enough experience to know that gravel on pavement is like a bike on ice. Unfortunately, high speed was a factor as well.

 

[weekendrider]

retiredgentleman,
You (and others) may enjoy/find informative this article explaining the "why".
The youngster in the crash would "fall" into the age group. I've often wondered "why" kids that are old enough to have learned better, fall into cactus beds or stick roman candles up their bums, and the fad to stick an electric collar on your throat and have someone flip the switch.
It is long but thought provoking.
http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/03/hey-parents-leave-those-kids-alone/358631/

Any comments from across the pond where this revolution is happening?

 

[resto]

Yes, its tragic..................24 year old lads just don't have enough experience to know that gravel on pavement is like a bike on ice. Unfortunately, high speed was a factor as well.

I think part of the problem is that most of the younger riders (i.e. the 20 somethings) didn't have the benefit of gaining "experience" the way we did. That being minor skids or crashes on smaller bikes where you weren't going that fast. Most of us owned a half dozen bikes before graduating to one that had 50 or 100 HP. There's nothing like a bit or road rash to sharpen your skill of matching your speed to the condition of the road.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Excellent read, WER!

 

[retiredgentleman]

WER...............yes interesting article, but I think it refers to children 12 years old and younger in adventure play grounds. Its not a good comparison to young men, say 16 to 30 years old, aggressively riding powerful motorcycles. However,there is the common theme that boys of any age seek adventure and danger.

Too much testosterone,and a lack of caution (aka safety culture), can spell disaster for young men riding 100+ hp motorcycles.

Adventure play grounds would never happen here in Canada. For mothers of little children, its all about safety.

 

[Fndirtygreaser]

Wow. That sucks.

 

[650Skull]

These sorts of things should never be called accidents.

They are not and when we start to describe them for what they really are, maybe there will be more of an impact on doing something positive to help lower the rate of these tragedies.

Death by speed.

The Brain hasn't matured on males till 25 or more. He could have been riding an 80cc bike and it would have been redlining and the same outcome would have been most likely.

That's why soldiers are best between 18 and 25.

This not to disrespect or lesson the heart ache to the families that goes with their loss

 

[weekendrider]

retiregentleman, I am sorry you didn't take the time to read the article. You gave it a cursory scan. Otherwise you'd have read the timeline for laws enacted to "save the children". Children who grew up within those years are now 20 somethings. They grew up without the experiences to make good decisions. You eluded to this in post#6.
We are raising children without the benefit of experience. Who will later in life make bad decisions because of no experience and the results are more disastrous.
As a child did you never brake slide the rear wheel of your bicycle in gravel?
Never play with fire? Jump from a tree branch? Off a stack of hay? Get a fish hook in your hand? If so, later in life did those experiences help you access situations and make solid decisions?

 

[Scrambled]

Spring in the great white north , always a few young guys (and some older ones ) that get carried away on the first ride of the season .
I have only managed to get out for a handful of short rides so far this year , and I have to admit I have been riding faster than I should be sometimes given the condition of the roads . I even managed to wring a respectable wheelie out of my old bike the other day . Hopefully a few more rides and I will get over my case of spring fever.

 

[gggGary]

Same here Scrambled I finally dragged out the Big Shadow and put 20 miles on the backroads before company came, our last rain turned to snow and I'd just get cranking along and find the next corner had berm to berm sand. Damn that takes a lot of the fun out of a nice spring day!

I grew up in a go out in the woods and play era and was allowed the use of dad's shop and tools, we did lots of experimenting with predictable results. I did similar things for my kids. I think being limited to very regimented play areas is not good for development. On the other hand only a lot of luck has allowed me to survive this long considering all the dumb things I have done.

 

[Scrambled]

Me too, I had motorcycles (fist real bike at 7, a Honda S90), old cars , farm equipment and horses and guns to play with as well as lakes and rivers for swimming and no supervision at all. I survived my childhood, my teen years, my 20s, 30s, 40s and so far my 50s . Many of my friends and family didn't . I could fill a junk yard with cars and bikes I wrecked and a graveyard with friends I lost .