a challenge to all.....

[Mojoe]

In light of Jason's death, and a couple of other posts where riders have gone down, I propose a challenge to all. I will designate this, the "Live To Ride Another Year" challenge.

Rules:

1) If you have not taken a MSF course, TAKE IT!
2) Invest in good gear, and WEAR IT!
3) Inspect and maintain your machine to safest possible standards.
4) Realize your limits, and do not surpass them.
5) Ride as if your life depended on it, because it does.

Prizes:

Grand prize: You live to ride another year.

Runner-up: A trip to the emergency room and possibly new subterrainian home measuring approx 2ftx6ft.

Summer is just starting, folks. So be smart, be safe and be alert....and let's hope everyone comes through it a winner.

[jmanor010780]

good advice add me

[The CyberPoet]

Given that I knew Jason fairly well, I'll add to the rules, some of which applied to him (and some which didn't):

6. If others tell you that your riding style is weak, accept it as something other than destructive criticism, then seek additional professional one-on-one training from a trained instructor who will work with you, even if it costs. Do not listen to the bad-arse on the GSXR who can put his shoulder on the pavement through the turn (& has still pins in his legs), but to the guy whose actual job it is or was to improve your skill-set and survival odds.

7. Balance your training to combine both improvements in your riding abilities (machine prowess) with survival skills (situational prowess). Don't concentrate one skillset at the expense of the other -- but if you do, improve your survival skills.

8. Realize that riding is not for everyone at all the points of their life. Watch for signs that you shouldn't be riding at this point in your life, including multiple accidents in short order, many riders criticising your techniques negatively or calling you unsafe, being pushed into being a rider by a significant other or close mate, and/or feeling that pushing the envelope on two wheels is the pinnacle of your existence (esp. in the real world rather than on a track).

9. Do not ride when you are emotionally conflicted, angry or in turmoil. Do not ride off that arguement with the wife, your anger at the boss, the death of your close friend. This leads to wandering mind and inattention to the road, which puts you in the highest risk category there is. If you can't have something akin to a zen state on two wheels, you need to not be on two wheels at that instant.

10. Be an organ donor. Get your card, fill out the paperwork, and for god's sake, make sure anyone who may have the final word after you die knows that you would want your untimely death to help save someone else -- be a hero in the afterlife. Jason's untimely death may mean a young lady surviving because he was insistent upon these issues and his kidney(s) may be saving her.

11. Realize that there is a point of damages to a bike that it should not be ridden, no matter how badly you want to ride. A mangled frame is a perfect example. We will never know how much that factored into his untimely demise.

RIP Jason.
=-= The CyberPoet

[tdrcomm]

Mojoe, Cyber, I'll go one step further:

This challenge has become required reading (and doing) for BF. And for Lisa. And for Raquel who want to learn how to ride in the dirt. And for any other new or want-to-be rider. Jason's posts and threads will be required reading for BF not because I want to bash Jason, but because I want to him to read the advice... good advice... that was given.

We may never know exactly what caused his accident, mechanical, mental, or a combination of both. I prefer to (and want to) believe that he was starting to get his riding under control and it was the mechanical that caught up to him. It's just so sad and wasteful.

[Mojoe]

We may never know exactly what caused his accident, mechanical, mental, or a combination of both. I prefer to (and want to) believe that he was starting to get his riding under control and it was the mechanical that caught up to him. It's just so sad and wasteful.

I have to be honest here. We would all like to believe it was something mechanical, but in all reality, I highly doubt it. with witnesses stating that he was riding the line in between cars, that move this incident into the category of "driving recklessly". And even if his frame did fail on him, his chances of survival would have been greater if he was driving at a reduced speed. And because of this, we can't make excuse for what happened. We are all aware of his "history". I do not mean any disrespect towards him or his family, but we can not "sugar-coat" the situation with what we would like to believe happened. I am sure his family was aware of his driving habits, and even under these circumstances, they would prefer it be told like it really is if it could mean a messege being sent to other riders on what can happen....and maybe save someone elses life by example.

[The CyberPoet]

I have to be honest here. We would all like to believe it was something mechanical, but in all reality, I highly doubt it. with witnesses stating that he was riding the line in between cars, that move this incident into the category of "driving recklessly"...

Actually, I am inclined to believe that mechanical failure played a major part in the accident, based on all the information that I have:

Accident type: Single-vehicle accident. Rider goes forward, strikes dash/windshield, goes airbone, strikes ground head-first, possibly with bike landing upon him at the same time.

Location: a 5-lane wide chunk of interstate with no entrance access for the previous 11 miles at that point, as the accident location lies at the end of a very long, extremely wide bridge about 20' off the water that only supports one direction of traffic (opposite direction has it's own bridge). Roadway at this point has 2 lanes splitting off very lazily to the right at about a 4 degree angle, one splitting off extremely lazily another few hundred yards up [parallel until it formed an over-pass], and 2 lanes going straight as an arrow.

Weather: bright overcast with scattered clouds, very limited (100 meter long?) cloud bursts moving at high speeds to the NNW. Rain at my place lasted all of 90 seconds that day before moving away. It is very possible that he didn't see any rain at that time (the rain at my place came later).

Given this situation, something caused him & the bike to pitch forward hard enough to leave the bike (true highside), if I understand correctly -- but without striking anyone else. That would mean that either he grabbed the brakes strong enough to stoppie in the middle of a well-flowing interstate (doubious at best), or something else made the bike suddenly loose control (given the shredded rear tire, this is what I am inclined to believe -- perhaps a truck tire previously delaminated and rolled up into his wheelwell, for example).

This is not to say that he wasn't moving too fast, slipping in- and out- of lanes, and potentially being wreckless...
Although we have to understand that the point of view of the one quoted source may be radically different than what you as a fellow biker would have called the same maneuvers, if he was moving from the left of one lane to the right of the next lane and back... Every rider I know other than cruiser riders do this across this bridge -- as do quite a lot of cagers, changing lanes to move forward faster or to maintain a high average speed. Average car speeds across the bridge are usually close to 90 mph, with some hitting triple digits, and the occasional slower traffic acting as rolling road-blocks (speed limit is officially 70 there, but no one pays any attention because there is no where to place enforcement vehicles except if they're flowing with you in traffic).

Let's just to say the actual accident doesn't jive completely in my mind with solely rider error with no other input, given the circumstances. I think you can see what I'm trying to say here... Even the inept don't highside on a blank piece of straight highway for no reason.

RIP Jason.
=-= The CyberPoet

[Najus]

Man the Pepsi Challenge was sooo much easier.

[BobKat2002]

All right, I'm in....

...but, no more numbers. After 10 I'm outta fingers and toes,..
... and then I have to get creative.

[JaxKat]

Count me in...

[DreKat]

no MSF course where i live. but i can do everything else.

[The CyberPoet]

no MSF course where i live. but i can do everything else.

Get a copy of one of the multiple British books called "Road Craft" (Police Rider's Guide) that focuses on the the motorcycle and read it (caution: there are car versions as well).
IMHO: it's far more valuable to anyone who already has a year under their belt than the MSF course in terms of improving road-survival-odds.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[steves]

no MSF course where i live. but i can do everything else.

I think this is MSF for Canadians... http://www.ridertraining.org/

[Anonymous]

Mojoe, Cyber, I'll go one step further:

This challenge has become required reading (and doing) for BF. And for Lisa. And for Raquel who want to learn how to ride in the dirt. And for any other new or want-to-be rider. Jason's posts and threads will be required reading for BF not because I want to bash Jason, but because I want to him to read the advice... good advice... that was given.

We may never know exactly what caused his accident, mechanical, mental, or a combination of both. I prefer to (and want to) believe that he was starting to get his riding under control and it was the mechanical that caught up to him. It's just so sad and wasteful.

So....we'll see you guys at the next SkillzDays??!!

[slayergsxf1]

Yep I'm in..

[tdrcomm]

Mojoe, Cyber, I'll go one step further:

This challenge has become required reading (and doing) for BF. And for Lisa. And for Raquel who want to learn how to ride in the dirt. And for any other new or want-to-be rider. Jason's posts and threads will be required reading for BF not because I want to bash Jason, but because I want to him to read the advice... good advice... that was given.

We may never know exactly what caused his accident, mechanical, mental, or a combination of both. I prefer to (and want to) believe that he was starting to get his riding under control and it was the mechanical that caught up to him. It's just so sad and wasteful.

So....we'll see you guys at the next SkillzDays??!!

Gimme a date, my friend