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Scooter rider dies from injuries

2K views 18 replies 14 participants last post by  lojo 
#1 ·
#2 ·
I wonder if this is a case of having a 50cc out on the road and not going fast enough when someone comes up from behind.
 
#3 ·
I wonder how much of it was caused by inexperience, not being seen, and a lack of protective gear.

One of the first things I was concerned with in commuting year around from the north end of Seattle to the south end, was being visible. The road looks gray. The sky is gray. And the road spray in between is gray. It is a perfect opportunity to be hit from behind. So I added reflective tape in various places on the Burgman and my helmet, and bought a reflective vest.

She got her scooter a month ago, which doesn't mean she didn't have previous experience, but it could also indicate that this was her first month of riding. If she was dressed like in the picture, the gas tank that seems like it exploded, would've drenched her bare skin. She wouldn't have stayed with the bike after impact, but would also be skidding across the pavement. Either or both would've taken her life.

Riding is a wonderful way to get around, but it is also dangerous and needs to be respected. It is sad she learned the hard way.

Chris
 
#4 ·
The story is evolving as they say, today's Saint Augustine paper describes the woman on the scooter and the driver of the car as "friends", and includes a statement from her aunt that they were "...going out to take pictures of the moon when the accident happened." Thing is the moon was a waxing crescent that day, rising at 6:26 am and setting at 6:14 pm--I.e. not "out" at 3:30 am.

Word on the street is that there was some "kidding around" going on...
 
#5 ·
Daboo said:
I wonder how much of it was caused by inexperience, not being seen, and a lack of protective gear.

One of the first things I was concerned with in commuting year around from the north end of Seattle to the south end, was being visible. The road looks gray. The sky is gray. And the road spray in between is gray. It is a perfect opportunity to be hit from behind. So I added reflective tape in various places on the Burgman and my helmet, and bought a reflective vest.

She got her scooter a month ago, which doesn't mean she didn't have previous experience, but it could also indicate that this was her first month of riding. If she was dressed like in the picture, the gas tank that seems like it exploded, would've drenched her bare skin. She wouldn't have stayed with the bike after impact, but would also be skidding across the pavement. Either or both would've taken her life.

Riding is a wonderful way to get around, but it is also dangerous and needs to be respected. It is sad she learned the hard way.

Chris
I have to say I agree. It happened at 3:30 AM. Very dark down south at that time of the morning. That scooter she was riding has two small taillights that are hard to see at the best of times. We can guess on the amount or lack of safe riding gear unless someone finds the facts for us. The police have only stated an investigation has begun for toxicology but did not state who may have been under the influence, if any...... RIP young one.
 
#7 ·
Daboo said:
I wonder how much of it was caused by inexperience, not being seen, and a lack of protective gear.

One of the first things I was concerned with in commuting year around from the north end of Seattle to the south end, was being visible. The road looks gray. The sky is gray. And the road spray in between is gray. It is a perfect opportunity to be hit from behind. So I added reflective tape in various places on the Burgman and my helmet, and bought a reflective vest.

<Snipped>

Riding is a wonderful way to get around, but it is also dangerous and needs to be respected. It is sad she learned the hard way.

Chris

+1 Amen Brother!

I went with led running lights for Visibility and this weekend it paid off very well. We had to run freeway as night with fog settling in the low laying valleys. A police exited with us and pulled in when we gassed up. He pulled over to us and said that a group of bikers had passed him just ahead of us and he could barely see them in the fog where he was sitting but when I rode by he could see I me with no problem. He jumped up on the freeway to catch up with us and get a good look at my lights. He got out of his car and really checked them out and that's when I told him about the under carriage white LED strips and he asked to see them on. I turned them on and he seemed to like them as well But I told him I only use those on country roads and not in higher traffic areas or FOG. I have the Side Emitting Amber LED strips wrapped around the pillion floorboard so they can be seen from the side and rear. He said it worked well and Visibility or the lack there of is the main cause of accidents riding and every advantage you can take is well worth it. It has convinced me to put some on my riding partner's Scoot so she can be more visible as well. I got the placement idea from Daboo's Reflective tape. :wink:
 
#9 ·
Scootereno, do you have any pictures of your bike at night? I'd be interested in seeing what it looks like, especially in the dark.

It is a complete tragedy what happened to the girl. And though I thoroughly understand she was an adult I have found that nothing good usually comes about at 3:30 in the morning. I'm not blaming her per se, but I would hope that any reasonable person would question a decision to be out at 3:30 in the morning on a small scooter that's hard to see in the daytime. Studies show that after midnight about 40% of drivers are drunk. So, to stay safe and mitigate risk I would hope people wouldn't be joyriding that late. Just my $.02. It's a very sad situation though.
 
#10 ·
["Scootereno"

I went with led running lights for Visibility and this weekend it paid off very well. We had to run freeway as night with fog settling in the low laying valleys. A police exited with us and pulled in when we gassed up. He pulled over to us and said that a group of bikers had passed him just ahead of us and he could barely see them in the fog where he was sitting but when I rode by he could see I me with no problem. He jumped up on the freeway to catch up with us and get a good look at my lights. He got out of his car and really checked them out and that's when I told him about the under carriage white LED strips and he asked to see them on. I turned them on and he seemed to like them as well But I told him I only use those on country roads and not in higher traffic areas or FOG. I have the Side Emitting Amber LED strips wrapped around the pillion floorboard so they can be seen from the side and rear. He said it worked well and Visibility or the lack there of is the main cause of accidents riding and every advantage you can take is well worth it. It has convinced me to put some on my riding partner's Scoot so she can be more visible as well. I got the placement idea from Daboo's Reflective tape. :wink:[/quote]

Scootereno

Sounds like some nice lighting. Do you have any pictures or write ups of what you have added.
Thanks
Mike
 
#11 ·
Seems it was a couple of things. It all goes back to education. I don't know if there was alcohol involved or not...but simple don't drink and ride. A scooter is dangerous at any cc....respect it. Helmets should be mandatory....even if your state doesn't require them. ATTGAT is a way of life. Traveling at night requires certain precautions.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and it seems this could have been prevented. That makes it all more tragic.
 
#14 ·
Ok we really do not need to turn this in to posting the gory pictures. The OP posted a story, if anyone has an update on that story then please post it. If you want to post storys about other stupid stunts or accidents then please start a new thread.
 
#15 ·
I really feel that all scooters and motorcyles need to have several LEDs on their bikes and it should be standard on all bikes. The smaller the scooter the harder for four wheelers to see them. Another problem for smaller scooters is if a trunk in on the back. The break lights are under the trunk and sometimes you don't see them as well if you drive a car. It should be standard to have working break lights on the back of the trunk as well as the bike.

The more visibility you have on a bike the safer you might be.
 
#16 ·
I'll circle back on something I've tried to relate again and again on this board:

47 percent of all motorcycles involved in fatal accidents collided with another type of motor vehicle on the road. In these accidents, 77 percent of the motorcycles were struck in the front, while only 7 were rear-ended. 41 percent of these accidents involve the other vehicle turning left when the motorcycle was going straight or passing the vehicle. -NHTSA, 2008
So, across the board - it's about a 50% chance that a fatal wreck will be with a car. And then, that 50% is further divided into an overwhelming majority (77%) of frontal collisions. And, ya got two headlights up there. If they didn't see that... :roll:

Worrying about a side or rear collision is illogical.

The best defense is a good offense. Be wary of other vehicles. Passive visual safety (like reflectivity, extra lighting and hi-viz) may, in fact, help. But I certainly don't rely on it. The best safety device is between your ears.
 
#17 ·
rustynail said:
I'll circle back on something I've tried to relate again and again on this board:

47 percent of all motorcycles involved in fatal accidents collided with another type of motor vehicle on the road. In these accidents, 77 percent of the motorcycles were struck in the front, while only 7 were rear-ended. 41 percent of these accidents involve the other vehicle turning left when the motorcycle was going straight or passing the vehicle. -NHTSA, 2008
So, across the board - it's about a 50% chance that a fatal wreck will be with a car. And then, that 50% is further divided into an overwhelming majority (77%) of frontal collisions. And, ya got two headlights up there. If they didn't see that... :roll:

Worrying about a side or rear collision is illogical.

The best defense is a good offense. Be wary of other vehicles. Passive visual safety (like reflectivity, extra lighting and hi-viz) may, in fact, help. But I certainly don't rely on it. The best safety device is between your ears.
This is so true. While adding all the extra vizability items to my bike, I do hope they make me more conspicuous but I do not rely on them to save me. If anyone followed my Dec 2010 accident I was lit up like a Christmas tree and the other driver still pulled out in front of me. He stated to the LEO "I didn't see him". At that time my bike had SilverStar Ultra's, two bright 3 chip LED's mounted on the lower tupperware and my turnsignals were lit up with "Magic Blinkers" and 18 chip Amber LED's. It had a more amber glow than white light. I was wearing a high-viz rain suit too.

I ride watching others mirrors. If they glance at the mirror once they are just checking whats around them. But if they glance, look ahead and glance again I know they are coming over even if I am there.
I also ride watching my mirrors. I have passed the vehicle in front of me a few times because the one coming up behind me is not stopping, only to have the two vehicles crash "WITHOUT" me in-between. Once it was a Metro Bus, it plowed thru 3 vehicles, I would have been the first one.

But in the case of this young lady that was killed, we know nothing of what she was wearing or how much lighting she had. Or if anyone involved was under the influence. Its a big unknown.
 
#18 ·
I was riding in to work this morning, and ran over something. What it was, I don't know. I was riding complacently. :roll: It reminded me that I'm not driving a car. I'm riding a motorcycle and it demands all my attention. I do all the "right" things to make myself visible. I have reflective tape that lights up me and my Burgman when the light is low. I have hi-vis riding gear to be seen. I actively look for the blind spots on other cars and the situations that might be a problem.

When I'm riding like I should be, I'm paying attention to what is going on around me, and what hazards I'm facing. I wasn't this morning. I really believe that the only reason I'm alive with the miles I ride, is that I have a guardian angel watching out for me. It definitely isn't my "skillls" that has me surviving this wonderful way to go to work. But little things like whatever it was that my tire hit, woke me up enough to get the brain cells working again and start thinking actively of what I was doing. It might've saved my life.

BTW Dave_J, I was thinking of you this morning. It was dark, raining, and the traffic was a mess. Why did I think of you????...I guess it was because you would understand what I was going through.

Chris
 
#19 ·
Daboo said:
I was riding in to work this morning, and ran over something. What it was, I don't know. I was riding complacently. :roll: It reminded me that I'm not driving a car. I'm riding a motorcycle and it demands all my attention. I do all the "right" things to make myself visible. I have reflective tape that lights up me and my Burgman when the light is low. I have hi-vis riding gear to be seen. I actively look for the blind spots on other cars and the situations that might be a problem.

When I'm riding like I should be, I'm paying attention to what is going on around me, and what hazards I'm facing. I wasn't this morning. I really believe that the only reason I'm alive with the miles I ride, is that I have a guardian angel watching out for me. It definitely isn't my "skillls" that has me surviving this wonderful way to go to work. But little things like whatever it was that my tire hit, woke me up enough to get the brain cells working again and start thinking actively of what I was doing. It might've saved my life.

BTW Dave_J, I was thinking of you this morning. It was dark, raining, and the traffic was a mess. Why did I think of you????...I guess it was because you would understand what I was going through.

Chris
Thanks Chris for your post. Your reminder to be fully engaged while operating any form of transport is well received by me. Driving is such a huge responsibility.

Happy Trails to all. :D

LoJo
 
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