Accident footage - bike rear ended

[03Worc9R]

This is always one of my fears. The car behind me not paying attention.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/trans...ay-traffic.ece

[Hoon]

The guy that hit him had no license, no insurance, and wasn't arrested.

As much as i hate our sue happy culture, I hope he sues for the cost of his bike and his medical bills.

[kellis159]

Being a new rider... this seems to be one of the most common things people advise about... 'watch behind you!'... nothing like a video to drive the message home... ouch!! Thanks for sharing

[The Snowman]

It wasn't completely the car's fault. Take a good look at the bike's rear tire just prior to being hit. The guy on the bike may not have been focused, because he locked the rear up.

Look at the smoke.

It was probably one of those highway chain reactions when some douchebag slams on his brakes in panic and 3 others behind him get hit.

[Paul_E_D]

Rear enders represent 5% of motorcycling accidents. I think that biker's error was following too close and over braking instead of using an escape route. He didn't have much time to look behind, but with that heavy traffic, I'd assume someone was on my tail and unable to stop as fast as me...

The car never even slowed and would have rear ended to car in front of the bike anyway. He was at fault, but the bike made it tougher on him by getting to the point of panic braking in traffic...

[Ray-Ray]

It wasn't completely the car's fault. Take a good look at the bike's rear tire just prior to being hit. The guy on the bike may not have been focused, because he locked the rear up.

Look at the smoke.

It was probably one of those highway chain reactions when some douchebag slams on his brakes in panic and 3 others behind him get hit.

agreed.

[DucDave]

I saw this on tv and was left with the vague impression that the bike and the car had been exchanging places and maybe a bit of road rage was involved. really only an impression. no matter...he was one very lucky bastard for sure....

[Eddie]

Wow....very eye opening my friends. I'm glad that he is okay. I mean...when people freak out in traffic they just slam the brakes and that of course has a domino effect...only with each car behind now having to respond a lot faster.

By no means I'm going to suggest that the motorcyclist was at fault but you can observe the cars ahead of him slowing down and smoke coming out of his rear wheel prior to the accident. I believe it is evident that the guy who hit him should have had sufficient time to stop...nonetheless as I driver you have to have control of your vehicle and constantly pay attention to what's going on around and specially ahead of you.

I'm really glad that the motorcyclist made out okay.

[gregp]

It wasn't completely the car's fault. Take a good look at the bike's rear tire just prior to being hit. The guy on the bike may not have been focused, because he locked the rear up.

I respectfully disagree. IMO - Just because the rider applied a bit much rear brake does not automatically shift any portion of the responsibility of this accident onto him. It appears that, if the accident had not occurred, he would have had plenty of distance between his bike and the car in front of him for a completely safe stop.
I am a bit surprised that the driver was not arrested. I guess that state must not require insurance.
This video is an example of one of the reasons I rarely ride my bike on congested highways.

[Paul_E_D]

When you get hit it doesn't matter whose fault it is. Once injured or killed, there is no turning back the clock...

The question should be: could the biker have done anything different to avoid getting hit. In this case the answer is definitely YES. He could have slowed less agressively, shifted his lane position to the right (or left) and split lanes past the cars that slowed in front of him. Simple.

Stubbornly believing you did nothing wrong can't give you your life back...

[gregp]

I agree with all of that, Paul, but IMO, none of it shifts the blame for the accident. The Police most likely agree with me, as the rider was not cited.

[Paul_E_D]

In the question of fault, the rider has none. That issue distracts too many riders from the right path of action though IMO. There was almost enough room for the CAR to squeeze past on the left. That bike could have gone through without even needing to panic or slow much at all.

[Jaynnus]

The difference is a discussion between who is at fault and was it preventable. Two very different questions and answers.

I have not watched the video yet (at work) but from the responses here it sounds like neither driver was looking well enough ahead (12 second anticipated path) to anticipate....

[scubasteveRR]

The question should be: could the biker have done anything different to avoid getting hit.

The one thing I try to do on a congested Highway is use your handle signals for stopping. (obviously if you have enough time)

Its definitely more noticeable than a brake light, especially in the middle of a very bright and sunny day when it can be tough to notice the change between the normal red and the bright red in the brake light.

[KingCast 650R]

The guy that hit him had no license, no insurance, and wasn't arrested.

As much as i hate our sue happy culture, I hope he sues for the cost of his bike and his medical bills.

And those bills will likely be VERY extensive, even without malingering. The guy could have easily been killed.

Holy shit I have driven that road hundreds of times.... it's northside.... the guy really had no out..... I don't see what he could have done to avoid that and it really sucks. Constant scanning would do him no good, his lane was blocked to the right and the jackass who rear-ended him probably would have hit the car ahead. as well. Sheesh.

The one thing I try to do on a congested Highway is use your handle signals for stopping. (obviously if you have enough time)

Its definitely more noticeable than a brake light, especially in the middle of a very bright and sunny day when it can be tough to notice the change between the normal red and the bright red in the brake light.

A friend of mine has that flashing license plate surround on her Monster. I think I am buying one today it DOES make a difference and that difference could be YOUR ASS, literally.

[Jaynnus]

A friend of mine has

[Paul_E_D]

And those bills will likely be VERY extensive, even without malingering. The guy could have easily been killed.

Holy shit I have driven that road hundreds of times.... it's northside.... the guy really had no out..... I don't see what he could have done to avoid that and it really sucks. Constant scanning would do him no good, his lane was blocked to the right and the jackass who rear-ended him probably would have hit the car ahead. as well. Sheesh.
A friend of mine has that flashing license plate surround on her Monster. I think I am buying one today it DOES make a difference and that difference could be YOUR ASS, literally.

Are you kidding me! That guy had tons of room to go past the car infront of him. He target fixated on the back of it and never considered the escape routes open ON BOTH SIDES. That is what scanning does for you. Makes you aware of possible escape routes. Someone needs to take MSF...

[CBR929RE]

It wasn't completely the car's fault.

regardless of anything the guy on the bike did or should have done differently the car driver is 1000% at fault. it looks like he never even applied his brakes until he hit the guy. Had the bike not been there he woulda creamed the car in front of him.

[TheIglu]

It looks like he didn't hit the brakes even AFTER hitting the guy.

[NobodySpecific]

After getting rear-ended on the bike last year, I get really nervous when I feel like anybody behind me isn't paying attention, or is riding too close. I've noticed that I have been turning around and giving some sort of signal (sometimes just a look back is enough, sometimes I have to wave them back, sometimes I just give the "WTF?" arms, but I don't ever try to do anything obscene that might invoke some road rage) much more often to people I feel are too close for my comfort. All it takes is one quick traffic jam for things to go from boring to terrifying.

[Paul_E_D]

The best thing to do is set up at the left of your lane so you can see past the car in front of you and also escape a rear ender by lanesplitting (sometimes the right may be better, depends on escape routes). The guy in the vid is hanging dead center in the lane giving him none of these advantages.

[Rossco]

The best thing to do is set up at the left of your lane so you can see past the car in front of you and also escape a rear ender by lanesplitting (sometimes the right may be better, depends on escape routes). The guy in the vid is hanging dead center in the lane giving him none of these advantages.

Lane splitting may not be legal, but sometimes it may be your only way out.

I'd rather end up with a ticket than a toe-tag.

[Rusty the Scoob]

The steaky thing about doing things like following too close on the highway is that 99 times out of 100 nothing bad happens.... but if you make it a daily habit, that 1 time out of 100 will catch up to you a lot quicker.

[Jaynnus]

Lane splitting may not be legal, but sometimes it may be your only way out.

I'd rather end up with a ticket than a toe-tag.

He is not talking about lane splitting.....it's about leaving yourself an out. It's about seeing and being seen. Basic strategy.










Oh no, I sound like an MSF instructor

[overtorqued]

Almost the exact same thing happened to me a couple years ago in New Haven, CT. Left lane, the car in front of me was tailgating and stopped short. I hit the brakes hard, and probably had enough tarmac in front of me to stop in time but my spidey sense told me to get the F out of the way because I knew there was someone behind me. So I swerved to the left between the cars and the concrete barrier.

The car behind me hit the car in front of me. In total it was a 4-car pile up, and I escaped from the middle of it with nothing worse than frayed nerves.

I'm proud that I reacted correctly and that had left enough following distance. But also realize I was lucky to have the space to swerve to, and that no one else decided to swerve left. God, that's really scary seeing what could have happened to me.