Motorcycle riders...

[Rick]

Sell your bike. Your family needs you more than you need that thing. People are killed every day because someone else doesn't see them and either pulls out in front of them or merges into them.

I've lost three friends to motorcycle accidents in the past 10 years. One of them just today. I lost a pretty close friend about 10 years ago, who lost control on an off ramp and hit a bridge. He was 44. A good friend 6 years ago, where it was thought he was run off the road, but nobody knows for sure. He was 47 and had 4 kids. And a good friend today where someone didn't see him and hit him. He was 27, had a wife and two baby boys.

I like riding them as much as anyone, but as I said above, my family needs me more than I need to ride a motorcycle.

[Angel]

I'm sorry for your loss, Rick.

I lost a good friend a year and a half ago to a motorcycle accident. I do really think they are dangerous. I know those that ride them protest that other drivers should be more careful and watch for them-and this is true, but I agree with you-be safe and just don't ride them.

[steveo777]

At age 25 I had a friend crash and break his back the very first day after taking delivery of a new road bike. With two young kids at home, I thought about how irresponsible it was of me to have my own bike and sold it. I get what you are saying Jim. It's not a matter of IF you will crash, it's a matter of when. Every biker knows this truth.

Sorry to hear about your losses.

[Angel]

I get what you are saying Jim.

psst, it's Rick.

or were you not done editing yet???

[steveo777]

I get what you are saying Jim.

psst, it's Rick.

or were you not done editing yet???

Well, fuck me! Sorry, Rick. A few too many breers in my head tonight.
Piss on u Nat. You buss my bals too much lately.

[Moon Beam]

Sell your bike. Your family needs you more than you need that thing. People are killed every day because someone else doesn't see them and either pulls out in front of them or merges into them.

I've lost three friends to motorcycle accidents in the past 10 years. One of them just today. I lost a pretty close friend about 10 years ago, who lost control on an off ramp and hit a bridge. He was 44. A good friend 6 years ago, where it was thought he was run off the road, but nobody knows for sure. He was 47 and had 4 kids. And a good friend today where someone didn't see him and hit him. He was 27, had a wife and two baby boys.

I like riding them as much as anyone, but as I said above, my family needs me more than I need to ride a motorcycle.

I agree with your feelings on this Fella.
Hubby Bub's best friend was killed on his motorcycle when a car of chatting old ladies
didn't see the red light and hit him head on.
He was a nurse and on his way home from his shift at the hospital.
He was a week from his 30 birthday when it happened.
This was back in 1998 and I still think of him whenever I see a motorcycle.

[conversationpc]

Sell your bike. Your family needs you more than you need that thing. People are killed every day because someone else doesn't see them and either pulls out in front of them or merges into them.

I've lost three friends to motorcycle accidents in the past 10 years. One of them just today. I lost a pretty close friend about 10 years ago, who lost control on an off ramp and hit a bridge. He was 44. A good friend 6 years ago, where it was thought he was run off the road, but nobody knows for sure. He was 47 and had 4 kids. And a good friend today where someone didn't see him and hit him. He was 27, had a wife and two baby boys.

I like riding them as much as anyone, but as I said above, my family needs me more than I need to ride a motorcycle.

I agree with your feelings on this Fella.
Hubby Bub's best friend was killed on his motorcycle when a car of chatting old ladies
didn't see the red light and hit him head on.
He was a nurse and on his way home from his shift at the hospital.
He was a week from his 30 birthday when it happened.
This was back in 1998 and I still think of him whenever I see a motorcycle.

There are also a good number of bikers out there who feel invincible and weave in and out of traffic just because they think their bike is either fast enough or small enough to cut in front of other vehicles on the road.

[Ratgirl]

Sell your bike. Your family needs you more than you need that thing. People are killed every day because someone else doesn't see them and either pulls out in front of them or merges into them.

I've lost three friends to motorcycle accidents in the past 10 years. One of them just today. I lost a pretty close friend about 10 years ago, who lost control on an off ramp and hit a bridge. He was 44. A good friend 6 years ago, where it was thought he was run off the road, but nobody knows for sure. He was 47 and had 4 kids. And a good friend today where someone didn't see him and hit him. He was 27, had a wife and two baby boys.

I like riding them as much as anyone, but as I said above, my family needs me more than I need to ride a motorcycle.

I agree with your feelings on this Fella.
Hubby Bub's best friend was killed on his motorcycle when a car of chatting old ladies
didn't see the red light and hit him head on.
He was a nurse and on his way home from his shift at the hospital.
He was a week from his 30 birthday when it happened.
This was back in 1998 and I still think of him whenever I see a motorcycle.

There are also a good number of bikers out there who feel invincible and weave in and out of traffic just because they think their bike is either fast enough or small enough to cut in front of other vehicles on the road.

Right you are.. I remember on a trip to CA a couple years ago.. there were motorcycles driving between traffic while we were stopped. It really perturbed me... all it took was for someone to open their car door and boy they would've been thrown for a loop.

I'm so sorry for your loss Rick.. I have a couple friends who have motorcycles and that's my biggest fear is for something to happen to them. Most times, it doesn't matter how great of a rider you are.. it's the other drivers that you have to watch out for.

[Michigan Girl]

Just last week, Terry Bradshaw Pkwy ...two cars and a truck
pile up, motorcycle laying on the side of the road, MC driver
unscathed, driver in third car hauled off in ambulance. Your
guess is as good as mine, but it wasn't good.
I am so sorry about your friend, Rick. Unfortunately, many of those
who have it in their blood will keep on riding like the wind ...

[Peartree12249]

Sorry about your friend Rick. My husband has ridden motorcycles all his adult life and although we've been married 34 years, I've ridden on the back of the bike exactly once. Around the block and never got back on. I hated it...scared the crap out of me! Everytime he takes the bike out, I always worry. I'm not obsessive about it, but I never feel relaxed until I hear him coming down the road. I have to beg him to wear a helmet which he hardly ever does.

By the way how is your other friend who was badly hurt in the car/bus crash doing?

[Rick]

Sorry about your friend Rick. My husband has ridden motorcycles all his adult life and although we've been married 34 years, I've ridden on the back of the bike exactly once. Around the block and never got back on. I hated it...scared the crap out of me! Everytime he takes the bike out, I always worry. I'm not obsessive about it, but I never feel relaxed until I hear him coming down the road. I have to beg him to wear a helmet which he hardly ever does.

By the way how is your other friend who was badly hurt in the car/bus crash doing?

Jerry is back to work, where he shouldn't be. He had to return to work or he was going to be taken off of payroll and at that point, he would lose his insurance. It was most definitely against his doctors wishes. His aorta was torn in the accident, and has some device keeping it together, which as I understand is kind of delicate. His rib cage on his left side is just a mess, as it was shattered beyond repair. The company that owned the bus that hit him went out of business, and as I understand it, he hasn't received a dime. The driver of the bus fell asleep at the wheel, ran a red light and hit him square in the drivers door.

The good news is, he's alive and looks well. This may be the worst picture I've ever taken though. Must have been a long weekend. This was taken last fall. Was the first time I had seen him since the accident.

[Peartree12249]

Sorry about your friend Rick. My husband has ridden motorcycles all his adult life and although we've been married 34 years, I've ridden on the back of the bike exactly once. Around the block and never got back on. I hated it...scared the crap out of me! Everytime he takes the bike out, I always worry. I'm not obsessive about it, but I never feel relaxed until I hear him coming down the road. I have to beg him to wear a helmet which he hardly ever does.

By the way how is your other friend who was badly hurt in the car/bus crash doing?

Jerry is back to work, where he shouldn't be. He had to return to work or he was going to be taken off of payroll and at that point, he would lose his insurance. It was most definitely against his doctors wishes. His aorta was torn in the accident, and has some device keeping it together, which as I understand is kind of delicate. His rib cage on his left side is just a mess, as it was shattered beyond repair. The company that owned the bus that hit him went out of business, and as I understand it, he hasn't received a dime. The driver of the bus fell asleep at the wheel, ran a red light and hit him square in the drivers door.

The good news is, he's alive and looks well. This may be the worst picture I've ever taken though. Must have been a long weekend. This was taken last fall. Was the first time I had seen him since the accident.

Wow, what an terrible story Rick. It's bad enough that this happened to him, but to have to suffer all these additional burdens. It just doesn't make sense why some people seem to have to suffer so much!

[Rick]

Sorry about your friend Rick. My husband has ridden motorcycles all his adult life and although we've been married 34 years, I've ridden on the back of the bike exactly once. Around the block and never got back on. I hated it...scared the crap out of me! Everytime he takes the bike out, I always worry. I'm not obsessive about it, but I never feel relaxed until I hear him coming down the road. I have to beg him to wear a helmet which he hardly ever does.

By the way how is your other friend who was badly hurt in the car/bus crash doing?

Jerry is back to work, where he shouldn't be. He had to return to work or he was going to be taken off of payroll and at that point, he would lose his insurance. It was most definitely against his doctors wishes. His aorta was torn in the accident, and has some device keeping it together, which as I understand is kind of delicate. His rib cage on his left side is just a mess, as it was shattered beyond repair. The company that owned the bus that hit him went out of business, and as I understand it, he hasn't received a dime. The driver of the bus fell asleep at the wheel, ran a red light and hit him square in the drivers door.

The good news is, he's alive and looks well. This may be the worst picture I've ever taken though. Must have been a long weekend. This was taken last fall. Was the first time I had seen him since the accident.

Wow, what an terrible story Rick. It's bad enough that this happened to him, but to have to suffer all these additional burdens. It just doesn't make sense why some people seem to have to suffer so much!

I agree.

We went to the viewing for our friend Brett last night and the funeral is in a couple of hours. They had an open casket (Harley casket ) and I think they must have spent hours fixing him up enough to even be able to leave it open. He didn't even look real. Just tons of makeup.

I got some details on the accident. They said a woman pulled out on front of him. Apparently he laid the bike down, slid into the car, which flipped the bike back up and he smacked the car pretty hard. He hit her right in the drivers door, and the woman was treated and released for cuts from flying glass. The family hasn't heard from her.

[AR]

The most dangerous riders are the ones who whip in and out of traffic on those crotch rocket bikes. You've seen these people. All geared up in racing outfits from head to toe weaving in and out of traffic and ridiculous speeds. These bikes should be outlawed.

[Rick]

The most dangerous riders are the ones who whip in and out of traffic on those crotch rocket bikes. You've seen these people. All geared up in racing outfits from head to toe weaving in and out of traffic and ridiculous speeds. These bikes should be outlawed.

Yeah, those guys piss me off. Young fuckers think they're armor coated.

[Duncan]

Sorry about your friend Rick. My husband has ridden motorcycles all his adult life and although we've been married 34 years, I've ridden on the back of the bike exactly once. Around the block and never got back on. I hated it...scared the crap out of me! Everytime he takes the bike out, I always worry. I'm not obsessive about it, but I never feel relaxed until I hear him coming down the road. I have to beg him to wear a helmet which he hardly ever does.

By the way how is your other friend who was badly hurt in the car/bus crash doing?

Jerry is back to work, where he shouldn't be. He had to return to work or he was going to be taken off of payroll and at that point, he would lose his insurance. It was most definitely against his doctors wishes. His aorta was torn in the accident, and has some device keeping it together, which as I understand is kind of delicate. His rib cage on his left side is just a mess, as it was shattered beyond repair. The company that owned the bus that hit him went out of business, and as I understand it, he hasn't received a dime. The driver of the bus fell asleep at the wheel, ran a red light and hit him square in the drivers door.

The good news is, he's alive and looks well. This may be the worst picture I've ever taken though. Must have been a long weekend. This was taken last fall. Was the first time I had seen him since the accident.

Wow, what an terrible story Rick. It's bad enough that this happened to him, but to have to suffer all these additional burdens. It just doesn't make sense why some people seem to have to suffer so much!

I agree.

We went to the viewing for our friend Brett last night and the funeral is in a couple of hours. They had an open casket (Harley casket ) and I think they must have spent hours fixing him up enough to even be able to leave it open. He didn't even look real. Just tons of makeup.

I got some details on the accident. They said a woman pulled out on front of him. Apparently he laid the bike down, slid into the car, which flipped the bike back up and he smacked the car pretty hard. He hit her right in the drivers door, and the woman was treated and released for cuts from flying glass. The family hasn't heard from her.

A moments inattention and this could happen to any of us who drive cars. If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that we all make mistakes on the road and I honestly believe that there is a degree of luck involved in not being the person who causes an accident like this. Fortunately, most of our fuck ups have no consequenses. Tragically, sometimes they do. I feel for both sides in a situation like this. I hope it never happens to me.

[Rick]

The funeral was a graveside service with a lot of people in attendance. His gravesite was in the midst of a lot of other gravestones sharing his last name. He had a very big family. It was much more emotional than I had anticipated, as the visitation last night was a very different atmosphere. His wife had asked that, rather than mourn his death, we celebrate his life, and that was pretty much the mood. I'm sure that's what she would have preferred, but today, she was quite emotional, as were pretty much everyone in attendance. There was a very nice eulogy, and people were allowed to talk about their favorite memories of Brett.

People always find ways to find comfort in such tragic situations and one of those was that he died doing what he loved to do, which was ride his Harley. So they decorated his casket with Harley emblems. I thought it was very cool and a nice tribute.

I wish I had gotten a picture of it before they began lowering it. His father, mother, two brothers and sister each placed a handful of soil on top of the casket, and this is the picture I got.