Horsepower and inexperience

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

The Swedish Police had this vehicle/bike "cleaned out" on completion of their investigations and put it back together to show what can happen in a motorcycle accident.

 

The Honda rider was traveling at such "very high speed", his reaction time was not sufficient enough to avoid this accident.

 

Swedish Police estimate a speed of ~250 KM/h ~ before the bike hit the slow moving car side on at an intersection.

 

At that speed, they predicted that the riders reaction time once the vehicle came into view wasn't sufficient enough for him to even apply the brakes.

 

The car had two passengers and the bike and rider were found INSIDE the car.

 

The Volkswagen actually flipped over from the force of impact and landed 10 feet from where the collision took place.

 

All three involved (two in car and rider) were killed instantly.

 

This graphic demonstration was placed at the Stockholm Motorcycle Fair by the Swedish Police and Road safety Department.

 

The sign above the display also noted that the rider had only recently obtained his license.

 

 

[Guest Nogbad]

Ouch!

 

Horsepower and inexperience as you say often don't mix, but on the other hand there are a large number of newly qualified riders on big bikes who don't crash. It's a difficult balance to strike, placing blanket restrictions on a responsible majority to control a lunatic fringe.

 

I feel sorry for the people in the car and their family, but life is a risky business and however unfair it seems, people do die in accidents, at the hands of other idiots and by their own hands too. You can only go so far in attempting to make the world a "safe" place before freedom goes right out of the window. Once that happens, is the long, safe life worth having?

 

We have stepped over that line in many parts of life in the UK. The government is increasingly trying to meddle in and control our lives on the grounds of health 'n' safety 'n' security.

[antonio carroccio]

...

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Horsepower and inexperience as you say often don't mix, but on the other hand there are a large number of newly qualified riders on big bikes who don't crash. It's a difficult balance to strike, placing blanket restrictions on a responsible majority to control a lunatic fringe.

 

 

I do believe it is the responsibility of the rider/operator to be aware of their own abilities but as for society being responsible, I have a hard time with that too!

 

 

I fly helicopters for a living. Ninetynine percent of my flying is heli-logging wich many people perceive as being extremely dangerous. A study by the Transportation Safety Board of canada has shown it is the safest sector of aviation except for airlines. The main reason is that only experienced, qualified and trained pilots move up to flying these incredibly powerful aircraft. New pilots start out with low powered machines, receiving extra training and close supervision. Since biking is not a business the onus is on the rider to make himself aware of his qualifications. Therefore I have no problem with a government instituting a graduated licence system that ensures that bikers have training and start out on smaller bikes until they can prove their abilities. It will never be perfect but surely better than letting loose a novice on a 180 hp sportbike.

 

"A man's gotta know his limitations". Clint Eastwood

 

"Learn to do by doing". 4H Club

 

"Learn from the mistakes of others! You will never live long enough to make them all yoursef". Vortex (helicopter safety letter)

 

 

P.S. I know three heli-logging pilots who have been killed. One as a passenger in a non-helilogging accident, one whilst driving to work and smashed into by a stolen van and the third as a passenger in a car driving home from work - the driver fell asleep and rolled the vehicle. None of them contributed to the accident that brought their demise in any way.