Thursday, September 2, 2010

Motorcycle Accident Love Story - True or Not?

As an Auto Accident Investigator, I have investigated more auto and motorcycle accidents than I can count. Lately, the motorcycle investigations have increased exponentially....due, I believe, to a number of factors -- the high price of gas, cars, the desire for some people to feel free on the road rather than confined, so they buy bikes.

There are the new bikers.... the younger unexperienced drivers, cocky newbies, addicted to the "fast and the furious," the movies, video games and the rush. They buy crotch rockets, race down the freeway at ridiculous speeds, and show off doing wheelies. They have no clue what happens when a human body and concrete meet at 90 mph.

Then there are the bikers who've been riding  Harleys, Triumph, Indians... you name it..all their lives either in groups, clubs, or gangs. They're good riders. They know people often don't see motorcycles at intersections. They also know some people hate bikers and will deliberately cause a hit. They are very defensive drivers.

There are also the mid life-crisis types, who choose the Gold Wings over the Harleys.

In my opinion, most of the bikers -- the older ones and many of the younger one --  are very serious, very responsible and cautious when it comes to their rides and passengers.
They are as protective of themselves as they are of their bikes.

And in the accidents I investigate, since I investigate on behalf of the victims, the bikers are not at fault.
A vehicle hits them, either claiming they didn't see them, or it was the biker's fault when it wasn't.
In almost all of my motorcycle investigations, I work for the attorney who represents the victims. My job is to find the evidence to substantiate the case.

If my clients... the victims...live, they are usually shattered.
I will never forget one guy, who had a part of his skull cap removed and sewn into his side to preserve it while he was in a coma in Intensive Care.
He did live, his frontal skull cap section put back in place. But he was never the same.
The image of his handsome, 18 year old son weeping at his side in the hospital will never escape my head.
Nor will the many hospital visits I have had with the young women in hospitals, nursing homes, or graveside markers..,.. who rode on the back of their honey's bikes.

In most of my cases, the biker passengers are hurt worse than the biker drivers. Their arms wrapped around the driver's waist is no challenge for the law of physics in a hit. Off they fly and off I go to meet them.... or their families, if they live.

I have seen the clip above a few times.
I don't know what to make of it because it is allegedly 100% true. However, I just can't see the dialogue going on, the helmet exchange, the whole romantic scenario happening in the instant it takes for an accident to occur.
I also wonder why the guy wore the helmet to begin with and then gave it to the girl.
They both needed the helmets.
So I am therefore suspect and wonder if you might be too.

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