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Thin Blue Line group ride crash

Tour1

Tour1

Guest
Guest
This year's (hopefully only) tragic car vs bikes crash.
It happened where the corona virus is stretching resources, though.
The article says 3 were killed and 9 critically injured.
The 2nd article from last Tuesday says there were 81 ICU beds left in San Antonio & the population is 3 million.
9 critical injuries could be 11% of that ICU capacity, a risky environment when so many have the virus.
My co-worker went in for scheduled surgery, successful, and apparently was exposed to the virus sometime after "recovery".
He didn't make it.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/3-thin-blue-line-motorcycle-club-members-killed-9-injured-by-drunk-driver-police/ar-BB16VQDy?ocid=msedgdhp

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/number-icu-hospital-beds-texas-drops-below-10/269-6431a1d3-efc9-4201-b694-781ad48ac53e
 
This is a tragedy and I don't mean to be unkind, but riding side by side in a lane or 4 across in two lanes makes emergency maneuvering VERY difficult. Collisions prior to the 4 wheeler arriving often prove just as fatal.

Too many near misses in my years to start creating my own hazards. Single file riding is safe riding with a group.  :??: If not, I rather ride alone. ;)

Be safe all,
Jon
 
Tour1 said:
This year's (hopefully only) tragic car vs bikes crash.
It happened where the corona virus is stretching resources, though.
The article says 3 were killed and 9 critically injured.
The 2nd article from last Tuesday says there were 81 ICU beds left in San Antonio & the population is 3 million.
9 critical injuries could be 11% of that ICU capacity, a risky environment when so many have the virus.
My co-worker went in for scheduled surgery, successful, and apparently was exposed to the virus sometime after "recovery".
He didn't make it.
Click to expand...

I like the way you bring home the point with actual numbers. The health care workers are working under the same conditions that infected your coworker. The hospital system is set up to give all kinds of care yet have to mix highly infectious patients with others because of the need to keep critical care workers close to the patients that need that level of care.

Alcohol seems to be the connecting theme for car vs. bike mass murders. Last year was a Harley group in NH Year before was a mixed group in CT. Each time an inebriated cage driver ran over a riding group.
 
ursharkfuel said:
This is a tragedy and I don't mean to be unkind, but riding side by side in a lane or 4 across in two lanes makes emergency maneuvering VERY difficult. Collisions prior to the 4 wheeler arriving often prove just as fatal.
Click to expand...

I don't see in the article that they were riding like that. Are you assuming?
 
gsun said:
ursharkfuel said:
This is a tragedy and I don't mean to be unkind, but riding side by side in a lane or 4 across in two lanes makes emergency maneuvering VERY difficult. Collisions prior to the 4 wheeler arriving often prove just as fatal.
Click to expand...

I don't see in the article that they were riding like that. Are you assuming?
Click to expand...

No more than you are assuming they were not.  :-[  Kind of difficult to cause that much damage unless they were bunched up.

Jon
 
I couldn't find anything about how the "pack" was packed but one article said 6 bikes were damaged.  With 12 injured that makes every one 2-up.
I've never understood the tight group ride thing except as a show of force.  It reminds me of the scene in Endless Summer where the South African surfing club goes by convoy to the surfing spot.  To me convoy means protection, safety in numbers.
I wouldn't say it was a waste of time for a government statistician to look for coincidences when this stuff happens.  The later stories say the driver was drunk, an  illegal, out on bond, and named Ivan.  Just sayin', I also didn't see what country he was from.  Considering how much effort was applied to kill ratios in our country's history it is necessary to investigate with a truly open mind.
 
The group could've easily been in a staggered formation.  The auto driver could've taken out the first two and the next 2+ might have ridden into the crash due to "target fixation."  Behind them, the riders trying to avoid bikes/bodies could've easily lost control and crashed.

All this is speculation but I've known of crashes that occurred like this.
 
A crash happened 3 years ago in CT just the way you described. A group of 9 rounded a corner and the first 3 were hit. Momentum from the car and opposing motorcycles pushed more of the group together into each other. 1 man seriously injured himself escaping the collisions by driving over a curb and into a tree.

I remember a particularly gruesome crash. A hillside gave way on a busy Colorado highway. Rocks and trees were crashing down on the road with massive amounts of dirt. It hit a tour bus and a pickup truck A motorcyclist on a Goldwing did a herculean effort to avoid all that was happening. He was about to be clear of the mess when he was run over by someone fixated on the landslide.
 
I rode with one of the local Meetup groups yesterday.  They ride in the staggered formation all the time.  One second spacing.  I watched (from the rear) as they all bunched up in some corners with probably less space than that.  To me, that's an accident waiting to happen.  And when it does, they'll all go down.

Chris
 
Group rides scare me. Too many unknowns, people, traffic, riding skill, etc.
I belong to a group that does a lot of charity rides, I'm the guy that does the loop alone to the next meeting point, if I've ridden with someone previously then yes we will pace each other, otherwise I like solo for safety.
 
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