"I Read the News Today, Oh Boy....."
I was reading my local news online a couple of days ago, when a
headline grabbed my attention:
"1 Dead After Crash on Route 18 in East Brunswick"
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100712/NEWS/100712019/1004/NEWS0102
Somehow, without the headline saying it, I knew a motorcycle was involved. Sadly, I was correct. Sadder yet, the motorcyclist died in the accident; the passenger on the bike was taken to the hospital and was in stable condition at the time. Apparently, the 19 year old driver of the automobile that was involved was not injured.
I know nothing about this accident (other than what little was written up in the local paper) and I know none of the people involved. But motorcycle accidents send chills down my spine whenever they occur, and especially when they occur on local roads that I travel all the time. Perhaps many of you will agree with me when I say that it seems like we are often a bit too interested in the gory details of motor vehicle accidents. Yet, hopefully, we can learn something from even the most tragic of accidents. I looked at the photos that were taken of the accident (and there was controversy about the newspaper even posting some of them, especially the ones that show what appears to be covering over the body of the biker) in an attempt to understand better what had happened and I am baffled. Was the biker making a right turn onto Route 18 from the side street? Did the vehicles collide while merging into the same lane? Was someone driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs? Was one of the operators distracted? I don't have an answer. What I do know is that, regardless of the roads that we ride on, the moment we let down our guard is the moment that we will be in big trouble. Defensive motorcycling is necessary on all roads at all times....because our lives depend upon it.
Take a look at the photos after this accident to see if you can learn anything from them:
And, for those of you who might live in my area, and who just might have been witness to what happened on Sunday evening, this is what I found on the road today:
"1 Dead After Crash on Route 18 in East Brunswick"
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100712/NEWS/100712019/1004/NEWS0102
Somehow, without the headline saying it, I knew a motorcycle was involved. Sadly, I was correct. Sadder yet, the motorcyclist died in the accident; the passenger on the bike was taken to the hospital and was in stable condition at the time. Apparently, the 19 year old driver of the automobile that was involved was not injured.
I know nothing about this accident (other than what little was written up in the local paper) and I know none of the people involved. But motorcycle accidents send chills down my spine whenever they occur, and especially when they occur on local roads that I travel all the time. Perhaps many of you will agree with me when I say that it seems like we are often a bit too interested in the gory details of motor vehicle accidents. Yet, hopefully, we can learn something from even the most tragic of accidents. I looked at the photos that were taken of the accident (and there was controversy about the newspaper even posting some of them, especially the ones that show what appears to be covering over the body of the biker) in an attempt to understand better what had happened and I am baffled. Was the biker making a right turn onto Route 18 from the side street? Did the vehicles collide while merging into the same lane? Was someone driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs? Was one of the operators distracted? I don't have an answer. What I do know is that, regardless of the roads that we ride on, the moment we let down our guard is the moment that we will be in big trouble. Defensive motorcycling is necessary on all roads at all times....because our lives depend upon it.
Take a look at the photos after this accident to see if you can learn anything from them:
And, for those of you who might live in my area, and who just might have been witness to what happened on Sunday evening, this is what I found on the road today:
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