Maybe this is better in the regular Off-Topic section...but I wanted to pass this along to people.

Please, please, please drive carefully and don't drive like an idiot. These motorcyclists died because of pure irresponsibility and stupidity. There is no excuse for this type of driving. I know we love our cars and we love to drive and many of us exceed the speed limit and even drive recklessly, but realize that every time you do that, you could be taking someone else's life into your hands.

I ride a motorcycle regularly, and while I haven't--thankfully--experienced anything like this, I have come close to being run off the road or run over by people in four-wheeled vehicles ("cages" among the biker population). Stories like this make me want to sell my bike because it terrifies me to be out on the road with people who might drive like these others. I beg you from the bottom of my heart to drive responsibly and to watch for motorcycles. Please. This little step on your part could save someone's life. Or, if you ride, it could save your own.

Car exceeding 100 mph kills 2 on motorcycles in NC
http://www.fortmilltimes.com/124/story/601752.html

Fatal Accident at Hog Rock River Rally
http://www.wsiltv.com/p/news_details...=7655&type=top

 

Thanks for posting this, wandrur.

It breaks my heart to think of the families left to deal with the tragic loss of their loved ones. Innocent people enjoying a bike ride. *sigh*

 

Having married into a family who lost a child, my husband's brother, because a car ran over him while he was on a motorcycle, PLEASE be careful and be aware. My inlaws would have been completely different people if their eldest son had lived. My husband as well.

And while we're on the subject of being aware and careful, I'd like to make a plug for giving bicyclists room... If you come across a herd of bicyclists and can't get around them immediately, maybe it's a sign you were supposed to slow down and enjoy life for a moment.

Same goes with Horse back riders & horse and buggies - equestrians tend to be out on those same back roads that we MINI drivers like to zip through. But a spooked horse can kill someone- so please, please please, if you come up on a horse, slow down or stop, make sure the horse sees you and then wait for the rider to tell you to proceed. Please do not rev your engine or honk your horn. Same applies to a buggy, horse and cart or carriage. Those drivers don't have as much control and those vehicles will tip over.

Farm machinery... doesn't have a lot of maneuverability. And often the operator can't see you behind them. If you're out in farming country and can't get around a combine or tractor, just enjoy the scenery until it's safe.

Sorry to hijack the thread Wandrur, your OP is spot on. Motorcycles are also the most common thing car drivers come across ~ and they can be hard to see. But we, as drivers, need to be very aware of our surroundings.

Help save lives.

 

Having lived in Europe for 7 years where driving over 100 mph is pretty routine and driving 140 mph in not rare, I feel I'm qualified to say that driving fast does not kill people. Driving fast at the WRONG TIME kills people.

If you have the Need For Speed... pick your spots. Good roads, wide lanes, little or no traffic, good weather, no passengers. If you kill anyone, it'll only be yourself.

Drive smartly.

 

V--No worries about a hijack. Your point echoes my own--there are other people out there, and as soon as you get behind a wheel, you're responsible for their well-being as well. Hopefully we'll be a little more conscious of it.

CR--I think a big point is that the "wrong time" isn't always a reliable 'judgment' call since one of the most comment excuses I've heard by drivers who run down motorcyclists tends to be, "I didn't see [fill in name(s) of victim(s)]." We could get into the physics of reaction time based on speed and field of visibility, but I think the spirit remains the same--find a balance between speed, attentiveness, and safety. Being out on the road isn't just about you; there are other people out there, too. I realize this was the latter part of your point, but I felt it necessary to note that such a perfect design is rarely possible.

Personally, I don't think there's ever a right time to drive 100 mph unless 1) you're on a road that allows it, though that still doesn't negate the responsibility for paying attention, which many fail to do in the first place, or 2) you're on a closed track/road that's designed for or allows for such driving and protects the safety of others through prohibition of participation or provision of proper training. Given that no public roads/highways/interstates/etc. exist in the States that allow for such driving--to my knowledge--I would hold to my two points above.

If you've ever heard of www.bikerfriend.org and are willing to put a small sticker on your car, go order a pair. Even such a little thing as a bumper or window sticker might raise enough awareness to save one life. If that works, then it's worth it as far as I'm concerned.

 

Sadly, here's another one:

Two Motorcyclists Killed In Mercer County Accident
http://kdka.com/local/motorcycle.fat...2.1047865.html

 

I believe most people who say, "I never saw the motorcycle" are lying and or really believe it but their eyes sent the image to their brain and their brain is forgetting it. In other words, they're full of crap.

And while you may think there is never a good time to drive 100 mph, I could show you some roads that I believe are very safe to drive that speed (have you ever been to Kansas, Nebraska, west Texas, etc??), given the right conditions as I stated above. Of course, what I didn't mention and thought it was obvious enough that I didn't have to... it also takes a driver who is smart enough and skilled enough to do so.

 

Yes, I grew up on the eastern plains of Colorado about 10 miles from Kansas. Straight and long doesn't necessarily translate to safe at 100 mph. I'm not being combative. I'm simply disagreeing.

 

Then we'll just have to disagree. Cool.

 

Works for me.

 

I know some roads in Nebraska...