Bad crash in Florida

[OreoGaborio]

I always hate seeing this shit & normally I don't post it, but this just goes to show ya crashing a motorcycle doesn't always hurt just the rider. Damn shame.

Northpinellas: Two families lost sons in crash

[butcher bergs]

If that article isn't one-sided...

I love how they built up the SUV driver to be almost saint-like...not so much for the Kawi rider though.

Either way, a needless and tragic loss of two lives.

[ChR1s]

American Motorcyclist Association - Action Alert 01/08/2008 Draconian Legislation Proposed in Florida

[OreoGaborio]

If that article isn't one-sided...

I love how they built up the SUV driver to be almost saint-like...not so much for the Kawi rider though.

Either way, a needless and tragic loss of two lives.

I dunno, given the circumstances I thought the article was pretty well written. He was obviously hauling BALLS if he put an SUV on its side.

[butcher bergs]

Pete, I agree the biker broke many laws but let's paint a proper picture for both individuals.

Forget the circumstances, it's all about word association here.

I'll see if I can show you what I mean:

One was a hard-luck crabber looking for rare coins on his day off.

Choice words "hard luck"...like "Ohh I feel especially bad about that guy cuz he's had hard luck."

The other was a young man with a suspended license riding the motorcycle his family hated.

Choice words "young man" "motorcycle" and "hated".....again, association of words

So already, two paragraphs in, the "light" and "dark" have been observed. A reader already dislikes the biker based on word association.

It just gets more sickening from there. The article continues to paint the SUV-guy as a saint and apparently the biker has done little or no good in his life other than a few tatoos, graduating high school and preparing for fire acadamy.

engaging in his favorite pastime: coin collecting; like the good fisherman he was; bunch of half dollars in the victim's pocket

I'd like to take a moment to say "Errrr, WTF? Aren't they BOTH victims??!!"

Again, word association--> SUV-guy is considered the "victim" here as the biker had full intentions of killing him...right?

I can keep going if you wish.





On a side note: Is Denno's last name "Norton" by any chance? I ask only because the fire-pic was taken by a "Gay Norton"

[The Crashing Tomato]

*ninja edit*

I forgot DENNO has a repreeve*sp from the G/j


BERGS how well you stir the pot

[OreoGaborio]

Again... considering all the circumstances (the kid's prior record & his inability to legally operate a motorcycle) & other articles that have been published about motorcycle accidents like this, I think the article was pretty lenient on the kid. They talked about how he was trying to become a fire fighter & an actor & all that jazz & didn't paint paint this horrible picture of him.

The headline even says "Two families lost sons....", not "Son killed by motorcyclist.... oh yeah, the motorcyclist died too"

I've seen probably hundreds of articles where the writer completely ignors the personal side of the motorcyclist, paints him out to be a criminal and completely sensationalized the danger of motorcycles. This didn't come across as one. I think the article was pretty fair all things considered.

[butcher bergs]

I'm not saying the facts of each individual are inaccurate (as I really have no idea), I'm saying the author could have used different wording and sentence structure to promote a feeling of two victims....one innocent and one that made a stupid decision....both ultimately dead as a result.

Instead, IMO, the author makes the kid sound like a total asshole through and through, regardless of his infractions to cause the accident, and the crabber was a saint that led the "hard knock life"...like we're all supposed to feel especially bad for him.

And yes, I too have seen the "other" types of articles you speak of. This is modest in comparison.

My point is these authors should start looking at composing more constuctive articles that identify the consequences of riders with a lack of ability or law-abdingness (if that's even a word) rather than who's the asshole and who's the victim. Pointing fingers never did any good, ya know?

Let's educate the masses instead of placing blame on one or the other.

EDIT: And stop editing...I can't keep up!

[TTD]

Not taking sides, but U-Turns should be illegal.

Take a freakin' left hand turn into a driveway or sidestreet and then turn around.

I've been scared a few times by people that pull over to the right, and the next thing you know you're looking at the side of their vehicle blocking the whole damn road!

[OreoGaborio]

All I'm sayin is look at that pic & the kid's driving record. I thought the article was pretty fair given the circumstances... that's all.

Anyway, we're officially going in circles. I'm gonna stop before I get dizzy.

[OreoGaborio]

Not taking sides, but U-Turns should be illegal.

Take a freakin' left hand turn into a driveway or sidestreet and then turn around.

I've been scared a few times by people that pull over to the right, and the next thing you know you're looking at the side of their vehicle blocking the whole damn road!

They are.... I should know, I was cited for one when I totaled my old 325.

I went to do exactly as you described but it turned out to be a one way road in the opposite direction, so i waited for traffic to clear & swung around... unfortunately I didn't see the Subaru coming up behind me until it was about 6" away from my door. The only thing I've got that even resembles a defense is he didn't have his headlights on & it was very overcast, rainy, shitty weather out... other than that, I'm just an asshat & didn't look hard enough like I shoulda. 100% my fault. I thank God every time I think about it that it wasn't someone on a motorcycle.

Learned my lesson though... I look around like a sunuvabitch whenever I make any kind of turn.

[The Crashing Tomato]

OFFICIALLY

[butcher bergs]

Word.

I've been scared a few times by people that pull over to the right, and the next thing you know you're looking at the side of their vehicle blocking the whole damn road!

A friend of mine, Jim, was t-boned on his bike by a girl doing almost exactly that. She moved right (mind you, no signal) as if to turn up this street so Jim moved left to go around her and she simply cut left trying to go to the fire station across the street. Busted leg and bike. Her insurance payed.

[CEO]

That's an awful story.

I agree with Bergs about the biased diction in the article...

...but I am it would be nice to know more about what really happened before making a judgement. You never really get that luxury with today's news.

Not taking sides, but U-Turns should be illegal.

I've been scared a few times by people that pull over to the right, and the next thing you know you're looking at the side of their vehicle blocking the whole damn road!

I agree.

It's happened to me a bunch of times. It's scary in heavier traffic because you don't want to slow down too much as they pull over in fear of them making a u-turn in front of you because then someone behind you not paying attention could rear end you.

[The Crashing Tomato]

YUP the old catch 22


guy i knew went out late october a few years ago for a "last ride of the season" with his wife on the back ...... little did he know it would be his last ride ever.

guy in his late 70's driving car was lost and started to pull over towards a one way (headed up the wrong way) Guy on motorcycle being a concerned motorist beeps to the car as to help him to be aware of the one way ..... car driver got the hint and turned back into and across traffic to pull a U turn .... as you might have guessed just in time for the drivers door to catch the front tire of the bike. it was a low speed crash but the wife being on the back compressed him into the bars ... he went on the way to the Hospital internal bleeding. Tragic loss. pilot was a great dad friend hard worker good husband always helpful in a humble sort'a way

[wylee]

I don't like the rider because of the facts offered, not the wording. It's a shame he died, but I wouldn't go as far as calling him a victim.

[The Crashing Tomato]

OK kurt here goes ....

*blah blah blah crabby paddy,..... blah blah blah firefighting academy, .... blah blah ACCIDENT, .... sad sad sad

too many excuses / bad choices = untimely death

news reporters have been submitting poorly written articles like this for decades. we all need a job, right?

U-turns are legal at most intersections in FL. Speeding not so much.

[Doc]

I don't like the rider because of the facts offered, not the wording. It's a shame he died, but I wouldn't go as far as calling him a victim.

+1

BUT

The crabber...
"At 19, Taschereau was thrown from his motorcycle by a driver running a red light. A quarter century later, his leg still hurt so much from the crash that he had to wear flip-flops everywhere. "

Does this not already paint an unflattering picture of motorcycling?

"green Kawasaki Ninja bike" It is always a Ninja or a GSXR.

"Witnesses to the crash said the motorcycle appeared to be traveling faster than 100 mph, authorities said." Wow... what do we need radar for?

That said...
I agree that the rider was irresponsiable and most likely the major contributing factor in this collision (they are not accidents). Was probably wearing a T-shirt and flip flops too.

They COULD have written a more accurate article but it gets the point across.

[Doc]

American Motorcyclist Association - Action Alert 01/08/2008 Draconian Legislation Proposed in Florida

I think this is a good law but it SHOULD apply to ALL motorists.

[wylee]

"Witnesses to the crash said the motorcycle appeared to be traveling faster than 100 mph, authorities said." Wow... what do we need radar for?

500 pound bike flips a 5000 pound SUV...I'd say over a ton is probably pretty accurate.

[jwm2k3]

Not taking sides, but U-Turns should be illegal.

Ive been ticketed for a U-turn here in mass. It was termed by the officer 'a town by-law' and it was $25 I think. Of course it was late at night, I was 18 or 19 years old, etc. Once the officer figured out I wasnt drinking or had any drugs, he told me to get out of 'his' town and go back to my own....

Now, a motorcycle rider, I would NEVER pull a u turn. I dont even like to pull out onto a road and go left with out a stoplight....