Motorcyclist killed last night by 18 wheeler [Archive]

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ram57ta

10-20-2005, 06:06 AM

Saw it on the news this morning...an 18 wheeler cut a guy on a Harley off on the freeway and ran over him...and then kept going for a while before he was stopped. I hate 18 wheelers.

BottleRocket

10-20-2005, 06:21 AM

Saw it on the news this morning...an 18 wheeler cut a guy on a Harley off on the freeway and ran over him...and then kept going for a while before he was stopped. I hate 18 wheelers.

Tragic. RIP

GARS04

10-20-2005, 07:37 AM

Truck drivers suck. I have been in a similiar scenario, coming into Mequite on 80 where they are doing construction and there is a concrete barrier on the fast lane side and you can't get over.......a truck came over for no reason......no slower traffic in front of him or anything.....just came over.....I was half way passed him and slammed on the brakes and was nearly rear ended from traffic behind me.....I got in front of him and he was chatting on the phone......I yelled at him and threw him several gestures.

Dacotua

10-20-2005, 07:39 AM

GARS04

10-20-2005, 07:46 AM

Its not the truckers fault. Its the vehicle they are driving. Fact is they CANT SEE YOU when you are beside them. They have a hard time seeing a car.

Just dont stay beside them long, scoot away from them. Remember on a Motorcyle its 100% defensive driving, you can't assume that others see you.

It damn sure is the Truckers fault! if you can't see you don't get over.......And they can see you just fine if they look. In my situation the truck was going about 60 MPH and I was passing him at about 70-75.....So I would have been beside him for about 5 seconds had he taken some time to look he would have seen me there or I would have passed befor ehe came over. I talk to truck drivers everyday, it's part of my job......trust me when I say the majority of them don't have a clue what time of day it is, let alon wether it's safe to get over or not.

minidragstrdrivr

10-20-2005, 08:04 AM

That is so sad. Hopefully the guy didn't suffer for to long. RIP Harley Man!!

Marisa

10-20-2005, 08:12 AM

omg - how sad. :(

ceyko

10-20-2005, 08:28 AM

It is a sad situation for both parties. I'd like more input from the real truck operators, but my experience is that it is HARD to see 4 wheelers, much less a bike. In my car(s), I've almost not seen people on bikes.

Granted, being on the road a bazillion hours probably does not help the truck driver.

Now...not stopping after doing it. I can't say that is cool at all. However, I would not be a truck driver hater unless you understand both sides. In the end, it is still the truck driver's responsibility, but I can sympathize a little bit. Also, it is never good to linger beside an 18 wheeler. You should always do your best to get get past them as quick as safely possible.

Like I said, I'm not a real driver. Just have lots of family who have been doing it for years and have heard their side of it. I've only done a little driving of rigs with 30-45' trailers. (Military)

Take care,

89blwnfx

10-20-2005, 09:10 AM

Tragic. RIP
x2

Cmarsh93z

10-20-2005, 09:25 AM

636ryder

10-20-2005, 09:59 AM

I never stay on the side of a 18 wheeler for any prolonged period of time. They never make lane changes slowly, they always just swerve over. I saw 2 ppl die in dallas like 2 yrs ago when we were out and about on a sat night.

evil jose

10-20-2005, 10:26 AM

Its also the motorcyclist job not to put themselves in that position. The only way to stay alive on a motorcycle is to have the mentality that EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE is out to run you over and kill ya. I feel bad for the harely guy those, they are the ones who hardly wear any gear, and drag their faces along the concrete.

Chris

Exactly! EVERYONE is out to get you. When driving in traffic and things get a little "thick" I try and keep a finger on my horn button in case someone starts to come over, I always try and keep a safe distance between the cars around when possible, and I always try to zip past 18 wheelers as fast as I can. Hell I even hit the high beams on when passing them (especially in certain areas of Loop 12 that have concrete walls right now) hoping they will notice me a little more.

My prayers go out to the Harley rider and his family. RIP.

Maverick

10-20-2005, 10:30 AM

Sad story...

Evile753

10-20-2005, 11:19 AM

RIP....... so sad...

Special K

10-20-2005, 11:23 AM

Cmarsh93z

10-20-2005, 11:43 AM

I saw this on the news this morning.. and its really sad.. I am scared enough drivin my toy car around... I can't imagine how much moe defensive you must be on a bike, having never ridden on. I feel bad for his family and hope he did not suffer. I guess he left earth doing what he loved :)

On a side note, from the news report, they dont think that the semi driver even knew that he had hit him... I would like to think that he did not stop on purpose...

Some of those truck drivers are on the road so long, and so zoned out...they prob don't know what the heck is going on. I bet ya 100 bucks he didn't even know it happened, or didn't know it was a bike.

Chris

89 drop top stang

10-20-2005, 11:46 AM

Its not the truckers fault. Its the vehicle they are driving

that's the dumbest thing i've ever heard. the truck driver has a responsibility just like everyone else on the road to avoid accidents, just b ecause your automobile is bigger doesn't give you a get out of jail free card.

Dacotua

10-20-2005, 02:27 PM

that's the dumbest thing i've ever heard. the truck driver has a responsibility just like everyone else on the road to avoid accidents, just b ecause your automobile is bigger doesn't give you a get out of jail free card.

Not really, Theres many many times I see bikes just swerve from one side of the freeway to the other. Fact is nothing is meantioned on how the bike driver was actually driving. What if he was driving like an ass, went from the right lane to the left lane quickly while the truck was switching lanes?

You think the truck will FEEL you if the two of you collide? If you think he will, then your an idiot. The 18 wheeler is not going to even know he hit you if your in his blind spot, so therefore he might not pull over because he did not know he was involved in an accident.

Theres two sides to each story and I'm sick and tired of people assuming things without knowing the other side.

Again what if the bike driver cut over 3 lanes of traffic and tried to go around the trucker when he was making a lane change. By the law it would be the bikers fault if that was the case.

When you drive a bike you better be 100% on the defensive and believe everyone is out to get you. If you dont, you'll be involved in an accident sooner or later.

Like it was said before, Its hard to see cars in a 18 wheeler, much less a bike.

360 Notch

10-21-2005, 03:00 AM

GARS04

10-21-2005, 06:33 AM

Not really, Theres many many times I see bikes just swerve from one side of the freeway to the other. Fact is nothing is meantioned on how the bike driver was actually driving. What if he was driving like an ass, went from the right lane to the left lane quickly while the truck was switching lanes?

You think the truck will FEEL you if the two of you collide? If you think he will, then your an idiot. The 18 wheeler is not going to even know he hit you if your in his blind spot, so therefore he might not pull over because he did not know he was involved in an accident.

Theres two sides to each story and I'm sick and tired of people assuming things without knowing the other side.

Again what if the bike driver cut over 3 lanes of traffic and tried to go around the trucker when he was making a lane change. By the law it would be the bikers fault if that was the case.

When you drive a bike you better be 100% on the defensive and believe everyone is out to get you. If you dont, you'll be involved in an accident sooner or later.

Like it was said before, Its hard to see cars in a 18 wheeler, much less a bike.

Funny, Your whole theory here on the truck drivers side is an assumption.......lol. Fact is, there is a dead Motorcyclist and a Truck driver that ran him over and didn't stop.

minidragstrdrivr

10-21-2005, 10:14 AM

I just talked with a guy I work with who was friends with the guy that got killed. They will not say if he cut the truck off or if the 18 wheeler did not see him, but he was an experienced bike rider and he had just had one beer and was on his way to pick up his wife from work. He had only been married a year and was getting ready to close on a house. They say it would not be like him to cut lanes or cut off a vehicle, but the guy I work with also said that they think the 18 wheeler stopped breifly and continued because they have not caught the guy yet. Just be careful to those who ride. My fiance had a bike wrecked it the beginning of this year even though it wasn't his fault its scary. Just please please be careful always look because no one else is looking for you.

Dacotua

10-21-2005, 10:24 AM

Funny, Your whole theory here on the truck drivers side is an assumption.......lol. Fact is, there is a dead Motorcyclist and a Truck driver that ran him over and didn't stop.

You also assume an assumption on the Bike rider was in the right. I have made no such assumption. I've said in everyone of my posts here, its up to YOU to avoid wrecks. People can't see bikes well, and when your riding you have to be 100% focused on defensive driving.

Just like at 5pm on a weekday. Theres absolutely NO WAY I'd drive 70mph down the HOV Lane on 635. I'd rather pay the toll on George Bush to be safe or I'd rather go down Forrest, or Beltline, somewhere else rather risk some idiot coming into the HOV lane at 5mph because they can't stand stop and go traffic and depending on me on a bike to STOP from 70 down to 5 in less than 1 second.

You'll also find fact out about large trucks if you read the incident reports on them. Many times a car comes collides with a large truck and the trucker CAN NOT feel it and keeps going. Hell large trucks can't even feel the drag of a flat tire on the trailers. You can't assume that the trucker did this intentionally. Fact is everything on a large truck is logged and recorded on a satellite system installed on nearly all commercial 18 wheelers. The Police can determine if he was trying to run or not. I'm willing to bet that the driver NEVER knew he and a motorcycle made contact.

Again your making out like the trucker intentionally ran over the bike, which I believe is false. I believe the driver never saw the bike.

Again, I'll say this 1000 times and any REAL biker will agree. When you are on your bike you have to be 100% defensive on your driving. You have to drive like everyone is out to get you, especially around LARGE Trucks. They have a hard time seeing cars, and they'll miss you on a bike even easier.

BottleRocket

10-21-2005, 11:07 AM

Just like at 5pm on a weekday. Theres absolutely NO WAY I'd drive 70mph down the HOV Lane on 635. I'd rather pay the toll on George Bush to be safe or I'd rather go down Forrest, or Beltline, somewhere else rather risk some idiot coming into the HOV lane at 5mph because they can't stand stop and go traffic and depending on me on a bike to STOP from 70 down to 5 in less than 1 second.

so would that be the biker's fault too, fuckstick?

GARS04

10-21-2005, 12:00 PM

so would that be the biker's fault too, fuckstick?

I'm going to have to agree with this guy, I think your a fuckstick too.....lol. :D j/k.

Dacotua

10-21-2005, 12:18 PM

so would that be the biker's fault too, fuckstick?

I know my surroundings, sorry if you dont know yours. Just like I'm not going to put a gun to my head and pull the trigger. We are responsible for our OWN safety and can not rely on others when it comes to being on a bike.

Again, when you are riding a bike, you must drive 100% defensive.

pacerunner44

10-21-2005, 02:03 PM

Fact is that it is almost impossible for these truckers to see you if you pass on the right. I had a similiar incident last night on i35 when a I was passing on the left @ night and the trucker started to move over. I flashed my lights and started braking immediately. He moved back over and I passed him. I always try to get past as quickly as possible being aware that at any time I may need to take evasive (sp?) manuevers. It's sad that this incident happened and only an investigation will tell what really happened. All experienced riders should know to be 100% aware at all times, but even some being human there are times you aren't. Hopefully what was said about the rider having a beer + riding isn't true. I don't care if it's one beer or not, it's a bad idea. You need 100% of your senses when you ride.

<--- my 2 cents.