What should I have done?

[socalrob]

The other day while driving in Albequerque New Mexico with my entire family in a suburban & following a friend's car holding his family, I see a rider on the other side of a divided road cruising along at about 30 mph.

Pretty custom HD
No Helmet
Shorts
T-shirt
tennis shoes
.
.
.
.
AND HIS SHINEY CHROME SIDESTAND WAS DOWN!!!!

In the moment of indecision it took me to ponder if I should swing a U turn & run him down & point out the hazard, he was pretty far gone. My wife pointed out that a suburban racing up to him might well have caused him to panick, but I'm still a bit uncomfortable at having made no attempt to help.

Were I alone I would have made chase, it seemed to difficult at the time as I was following my friend, in a strange city, not knowing where we were going. I'd like to think the side stand down was no big deal, but I do remember from the 70's making the mistake maybe once or so myself. I thought all bikes had switches, I guess not.

Sure hope the guy was OK.

[vintagemxr]

The other day while driving in Albequerque New Mexico with my entire family in a suburban & following a friend's car holding his family, I see a rider on the other side of a divided road cruising along at about 30 mph.

Pretty custom HD
No Helmet
Shorts
T-shirt
tennis shoes
.
.
.
.
AND HIS SHINEY CHROME SIDESTAND WAS DOWN!!!!
>snip<



My first thought is that it's another example of Darwinian-Davidson evolution in progress. Apart from that since he was headed the other way there wasn't much you could do without exceeding the speed limit to catch up to him. Sometimes you just have to let things take their course.

[Ed K]

Rob, We all like to think we'd help out a fellow rider in need when-ever and where-ever, no exceptions... but then again, there is reality. And in this situation, with family, friends, etc, I must admit, I prolly would have done the same... and also thought about it after, as you did.

Sometimes when I am riding I see gravel in twisties around a blind turn, I think someone is going to go down there, and wish I had shovel or broom or something to fix it.

But we can only do, what we can do... and in the end, as Peter Egan said in a recent article (which he picked up from someone else)... everyone has to be responsible to "Ride their own Motorcycle."

[DJ Down Under]

Sometimes we learn things the hard way.

We have a famous motorcycle hangout here in Melbourne..Elizabeth St in the city on a Saturday morning...I've seen the same thing a few times as the Harley guys roar off..you can point and yell..but they just think you're trying to say..Hey nice bike..I listen for a crash sound in the distance when they take their first left hander.

I try not to smile..but I do.

DJ

[Acacia]

Then, on the other hand, quite a lot of cruiser riders dont lean far enough in corners to snag their stands! :)

I tend to make a fuss when a rider is endagering others. Like the time I saw a 350lb rider on his cruiser in beach thongs for shoes, no helmet etc, his 250lb insignificant other in similar dress and their 4 year old daughter sandwiched between them, also dressed for the beach and no helmet. The picture of an accident and torn flesh was one bad thought, but to imagine the innocent kid getting landed on by one of those morons after hitting the ground really got my blood up!

[Wild Will]

headed to the beach sanwiched between two puncture-proof pontoons. There are air bags and there are...what? Meat bags?

What can be done? Nothing at all, sadly. One may only give the lesson to his family about riding foolishly, and hope the knowledge gets spread around to their pals. It may save someone gross pain and hardship one day.

A better solution would be to mandate that new riders take a course in Motorcycling Mortality, which includes a film on the results of a low side wearing thongs and shorts. But that would never happen! It would be deemed immoral! Also, make all new riders learn on a 250cc machine for a year THEN pass another test.

What a dichotomy we are privileged to live with; hurl your precious flesh down the cheese grater highway unprotected, wear no helmet because your rights are being infringed upon, buy a Hayabusa as your first bike, and be absolutely clueless as to the possibilities that can occur down the road.

Is ignorance truly bliss? I think not.

[socalrob]

Acacia posted

Then, on the other hand, quite a lot of cruiser riders dont lean far enough in corners to snag their stands!

That thought actually was the deciding factor on whether or not to give chase. I pictured being told to mind my own business as why would anyone bother to put up the side stand? Maybe its not even the first thing to drag?

Do most/all modern bikes have side stand safety switches? I do recall in the 70's checking the sidestand before the first big curve of a ride, just to make sure. I'd like to think on a cruiser with a mild rider the stand would scrap a bit but not be catostrophic.

[Deans BMW]

Even my KLR 650 has a side stand switch.

[DJ Down Under]

Also, make all new riders learn on a 250cc machine for a year THEN pass another test.
That's exactly what they do here in Oz...the only problem is that there's a few 250 rocket-ships out there.

DJ

[BobFV1]

The other day while driving in Albequerque New Mexico with my entire family in a suburban & following a friend's car holding his family, I see a rider on the other side of a divided road cruising along at about 30 mph.

Pretty custom HD
No Helmet
Shorts
T-shirt
tennis shoes
.
.
.
.
AND HIS SHINEY CHROME SIDESTAND WAS DOWN!!!!

In the moment of indecision it took me to ponder if I should swing a U turn & run him down & point out the hazard, he was pretty far gone. My wife pointed out that a suburban racing up to him might well have caused him to panick, but I'm still a bit uncomfortable at having made no attempt to help.

Were I alone I would have made chase, it seemed to difficult at the time as I was following my friend, in a strange city, not knowing where we were going. I'd like to think the side stand down was no big deal, but I do remember from the 70's making the mistake maybe once or so myself. I thought all bikes had switches, I guess not.

Sure hope the guy was OK.

Let him ride - natural selection at work. The idiot has no business on a bike, if he hooks his side stand and goes down maybe he'll learn something about motorcycle safety.

[Wild Will]

there are no 250 rocket ships here in California. There is only 1 250 one sees from time to time, the 250 Ninja, hardly more than a light weight starter bike with a sport riding lean instead of a cruiser lean (I mean non-lean...)

Things may be better for the lowly 250 elsewhere, but not here. Now my old 250 Metralla would throw some sparks off the foot pegs, but that's now history, alas.

[DarthRider]

That's a tough one Rob.
I dunno about this "let 'em crash" stuff...it's still a human and the sting of the road rash I got in my most painful ever crash 33 years ago is ever present.
I imagine I would have done what you did...under all your circumstances. Gone on, worried about him and had second thoughts later.
But if I'd been on a bike I'd have made it my business to warn him fast...before the first left turn.

[Road Dog]

It'll slap back when it touches down and scare the shit out of him.

A few years back when the full time headlights had just come out on vehicles, I came across one with no tail lights after dark and decided I'd be a nice guy and tell the driver. I pulled alongside and waved at them, they thought I was shooting at them and stomped on the brakes and ran off the road. I've thought better of trying to cummunicate with other drivers after that one.

[slipknot]

People that well dressed will usually not even notice your attempts to get their attention. Even if he did, would he understand your hand signals?
Are you sure it wasn't the training wheel bracket? He could have been on his first solo without the wheels.

[supermotoC]

Are you sure it wasn't the training wheel bracket? He could have been on his first solo without the wheels.

:rofl:

You can GET those?
http://www.hmhd.com/hdimagesbig/BS008304.jpg

I've discovered/realized that you cannot convey your desired meaning to another motorist, whilst motoring - it ALWAYS comes across wrong. Unless you have a sign you could hold out the window that says "LOOK DOWN, DUMBASS", you really cannot help anyone on the road (unless they're already stopped).

Albuquerque isn't that strange. Odd, yes. Terrible traffic on 25.