Please pass this to all your motorcycle riding friends.

One of the things I do outside of Northrop Grumman is ride a motorcycle and belong to the local chapter of the Gold Wing Road Rider’s Association. Part of my volunteer efforts as Chapter Director is to bring things to member’s attention that will make them think about SAFETY… especially since our motto is Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge.

All that to say… when riding your motorcycle, NEVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN!!

Thursday, March 25, 2010, Phoenix, AZ: Eight motorcycles carrying nine people were stopped at a traffic light at Carefree Highway and 27th Drive Thursday when the large sanitation truck driving eastbound failed to control its speed, striking the rear of the motorcycles (actually running OVER them!) and four other vehicles (in front of the motorcycles!), police said. Three motorcyclists were killed at the scene: Clyde R. Nachand, 67, Stephen Punch, 52. Both men were riding Harley Davidson motorcycles. Daniel L. Butler, 35, also died. He was on a Honda motorcycle, police said.

Eight motorcycles out for a leisurely ride just stopped at a stop light when WHAM! Ever think about that? …about getting hit from behind? In this day and age when drivers are ‘texting’ while driving, talking on their cell phones, falling asleep, taking drugs, or doing any one of a number of distracting activities while driving, we have to always be thinking: THEY ARE OUT TO KILL ME! Sounds harsh, but – if we ride with that thought in mind – we might make it home safely.

Three died at the scene and the fourth just died in the hospital from injuries. Others still remain in the hospital. So again, NEVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN when you’re out there on your bike no matter if you’re in or out of town, on residential streets, stopped at a stop sign, whatever.

One of the things GWRRA teaches in the Advance Rider’s Course is what I would call the “three-point stop and look.” I remember Jerry Cowan, our instructor, drilling that “look in the mirror when you stop” thing into our heads. At the time, I didn’t really think about it. I think a LOT about it now!

The procedure is probably something you already do, but it goes like this:

As you approach a stop:

(1) Shift down to 1st gear

(2) Squeeze in the clutch lever.

(3) Put your left foot on the ground

(4) Right foot remains on the brake and…

(5) LOOK IN YOUR MIRRORS for oncoming traffic from behind!

This gives you the option of letting out the clutch and MOVING if someone is going to hit you from behind. But that also means YOU HAVE TO LOOK to see if anyone is coming. I never did that before the ARC course; I do it all the time now… especially now.

Along with that, when you stop, look for an escape route! I always “try” to stop so that I still have room to move forward – perhaps go between vehicles or just stop half-a-car-length back from the vehicle in front of me… just in case I see someone coming from behind. This is ESPECIALLY important in stop-and-go traffic on the freeway. Just after attending the ARC course, I was riding home with two other friends on the I-5 when traffic stopped and right next to me, a truck plowed into the back of a car. I immediately thought – what if that had been me? We on motorcycles are especially vulnerable being smaller and less conspicuous.

The bottom line: BE AWARE of what’s going on in front of and behind you, at all times.

Ride often… and ride SAFE!



Gary and Dee Bowers

Chapter Directors - CA1A

Gold Wing Road Rider’s Association

Webmaster – CA1A

MEC - CA District

Excellent advice and reminders!
Thanks for posting this. I'm a fairly new, senior rider and although I love riding my '08 Road* I am quite concerned about being hit by an inattentive driver.
Regards,
BillD
Michigan

my company is the one who provides production ( lighting and sound )for the national events GWRRA holds
It is a very organized and well thought out event..offering a lot of information that makes riding safer and fun

there are mostly Goldwings there but we see a lot of other bikes and some of the best people on the planet


rick

Thanks for the post. Man, is that a sad story. I'm sure there are many of us out there that have had close calls with an reckless driver that made us think twice about riding a motorcycle again. There is never enough education and advice to get when it comes to being safe on the road. Safe riding, Pat

I beleive it was in my MSF course back in the dark ages (1978) the instructor suggested that one should check their mirrors as they slow for a stop and keep the clutch pulled in and bike in gear until at least the vehicle behind you had come to a full stop before shifting to neutral and letting out the clutch. I frequently check my mirrors and except at long lights keep the bike in gear and ready to move. Another tip is to leave yourself room to manuveur when stopped. I often see motorcylcs stopping with only a foot or 2 between themselves and the car in front of them. If the situation arises that you must move quickly to get out of the way you will need more than a couple of feet to get out. Always consider the escape route, and minimize the risk.

From what I have read about the tragic events in Arizona, no matter how ready those riders might have been there was not much chance of getting out of the way of a speeding truck. It will be in interesting to see if the truck driver was texting at the time of the crash. It sure smells like a seriously distracted driver!!!

Crusierbob wrote:
It will be in interesting to see if the truck driver was texting at the time of the crash. It sure smells like a seriously distracted driver!!!
I read that the driver told witnesses that he was "fishing for papers."

Good advice and a good reminder,6hrtbt3. The "three point stop and look" is also taught in the beginner MSF courses and probably one of the most important things to remember. Thanks for posting the info.

silver_fox wrote:
Crusierbob wrote:
It will be in interesting to see if the truck driver was texting at the time of the crash. It sure smells like a seriously distracted driver!!!
I read that the driver told witnesses that he was "fishing for papers."

I heard the same thing on the news.......The guy didn't even brake.....and also had recent prior driving infractions.

6hrtbt3 wrote:

...
(5) LOOK IN YOUR MIRRORS for oncoming traffic from behind!

This gives you the option of letting out the clutch and MOVING if someone is going to hit you from behind. But that also means YOU HAVE TO LOOK to see if anyone is coming. I never did that before the ARC course; I do it all the time now… especially now.
...


Sorry to say, I learned this one the hard way -- but at least not on a bike, I would probably have been dead.

A Jeep hit the rear-end of my Mazda Miata because the driver had been on the cell phone and not paying attention to the traffic lights (I was stopped at a red light). Totaled my car, but I suffered no harm.

I always check the mirrors, especially if I see a hard stop coming up ("hard" meaning anything other than a smooth glide to stop).