Why I drive a BMW and not a motorcycle.

["Steve" <smcastle@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I had a front row view of a motorcyclist getting clobbered by a
car today at an intersection.  It's a sight I've never seen in
person before, and definitely one I'll not soon forget.

I was stopped in a left turn lane, light green, waiting for
oncoming traffic to clear.  Across from me, three cars were in
their left turn lane waiting for traffic from my direction to
clear as well.  All of a sudden, the motorcyclist approaches the
intersection from the direction opposite me, passes the three cars
on their right, does not have his headlamp on, and then proceeds,
without even stopping or looking (remember, he was about 10 feet
from me when he turned) to make his ill-advised, totally illegal
left turn.  He paid dearly.

An instant later out of the corner of my eye I see a gray Accord
entering the intersection.  Immediately following was a horrible
"WHUNK" and my next view is literally seeing both the motorcyclist
and his bike flying through the air.  Both came to rest in the
middle of the intersection, the cyclist totally unconscious and
perhaps even dead.  It was a hard impact.  The poor woman stopped
and we all told her it wasn't her fault.  It's a grey, rainy day
here, the bike's light wasn't on, and there's no way she could
have seen the fool entering the intersection.  But it really drove
home the point we often hear about how totally vulnerable you are
on a motorcycle.  Had he been in a car, it would have been a good
fender bender.  As it is, it could be a fatality.  It shook me up
to see it happen - so for any of you motorcyclists out there - you
can't ever drive too safely.

Steve C.

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