Bike and potato chip truck collide

[Hemibee]

I haven't found out much about the accident involving a relative of the wife's boss but it was really bad. We don't know who hit who or which one pulled out in front of the other. It sounds like the bike ridden by the relative was coming down the road from a fairly dark wooded area approaching the service road for I-45 at about 06:00 without his light on. Delivery truck did not see him and pulled out in to the intersection. To make a long story short, the relative lost a leg at mid thigh, may lose the lower portion of the other leg, all ribs are broke on at least one side and may lose an arm at the shoulder. They were never able to locate the one leg at the accident scene, family figures a hog found it.

Be aware of where you are riding and use your freakin' lights in the dark or when it is just starting to get light. A dark bike coming out of a dark location at a high rate of speed and with no light(s) on is not going to be seen. Even as much as I watch for bikes on the road, I don't think I would have seen this bike either and that is scary.

PLEASE, Be careful out there!

[Bayou Boy]

Sucks for the family but he was an idiot for not using his headlight.

Too bad a cop didn't see him before the accident and give him a ticket.

[ka5ysy]

Stupid hurts. A lot !

[2Evil4U]

No headlight is not necessarily a ticketing offense depending on where you live.

When I was in CT almost 20 years ago and riding the '78, the law was, if the bike was newer than 1983 it had to have the light on at all times, older, and it was up to the rider's discretion. (Same weirdness with turn signals on bikes. If it had them installed you could be ticketed if they didn't work, but it was legal to not have them installed.)

The '78 gives you a choice. There is an 'On' key position and an "On with lights" key position.

I have to say I rarely rode with the headlight on back then and I never had anyone pull out in front of me.

Nowadays, however, I'm not happy with the lights on my Buell and am trying to figure out how to install a small nuclear fuel cell so I can power one of the Death Valley Stadium lights.

[Redbird]

I don't know what the situation was here, nor do I pretend to speak for this rider. But I see so many people ride around with their headlights off (in cages) at Dusk, Dawn, and while it's Raining. And all the ones I've spoken to say basically the same thing... "I can see fineqwer".
Then I get the deer in headlights (no pun intended) look while trying to explain that it's about BEING SEEN more than it's about SEEING.

[Bayou Boy]

Not to mention that the original poster mentioned something about a "fairly dark wooded area."

[Hemibee]

On the date of the crash, a week and a half ago, it was light enough around here to see without lights on. The problem was it was before actual sunrise so while you were able to see, you really weren't able to see far enough down the road to see safely not to mention to have someone down the road see you and your dark clothing riding a dark colored bike coming out of the trees. At the speed the bike must have been traveling, between 60 and 70 is what is believed he was traveling, the truck driver never had the chance to see the bike until it was way too late. I'm still trying to locate more information on the wreck and will pass that on along with the condition of the rider.

[Bayou Boy]

It's always horrible to hear of bike crashes. I get a sick feeling in my stomach every time.

The one thing we can always remind ourselves of is that most collisions can be avoided with a little more situational awareness.