Fort Worth, Texas Accident. Hope everyone and their family are ok!

Highwayman

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Being someone who cleans up the messes on the freeways..... Thats cute.

I can tell you the majority (not all) of these folks drive just as much of jackassess as the cagers. Tailgating, speeding, out of lane, road raging, talking ish to each other on 19. Aside from the oversize load drivers, the days of "professional" drivers has been gone for awhile. The play that cagers dont understand those stats... The drivers themselves drive like they dont understand those stats....
 

PhilPhilippines

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Being someone who cleans up the messes on the freeways..... Thats cute.

I can tell you the majority (not all) of these folks drive just as much of jackassess as the cagers. Tailgating, speeding, out of lane, road raging, talking ish to each other on 19. Aside from the oversize load drivers, the days of "professional" drivers has been gone for awhile. The play that cagers dont understand those stats... The drivers themselves drive like they dont understand those stats....
I agree. 95% drive like they are immune. Much of it may be because of the protection from the elements. Cosseted in a plush protective cell with music, air-conditioning and no exposure to the elements can be very distancing.

Like the situation I was in when a pileup occurred in front of me - at the risk of repeating myself.

1) If someone is tailgating, increase/double your distance from the vehicle in front so that the vehicle behind can brake comfortably. Most people react by getting closer to the vehicle in front. You are not increasing the distance to irritate, you are increasing the distance to protect yourself from being rear-ended.

2) Move out of the way if a safe gap presents itself.

3)
(a) Leaving a safe gap of 3 seconds is the minimum in the dry/6 wet/10+ snow and ice.
(b) An alert driver/rider will take 0.7 secs to get to the brake in an emergency (more commonly it is over a second).
(c) Modern brake lights can be quicker now, but they can take 0.1 second to illuminate.
(d) The vehicle in front is already into the maximum retardation at the point you are starting to brake.

Hopefully everyone on this forum has the right attitude, but in my profession I regularly came up against "resistance to change" even when they were paying me to become safer.

And no, I am fully for swift, safe progress - as long as it is in the right place. 16mph may be too fast in a hazard rich 20mph (max) environment, just as 200mph may be safe in a 70mph (max) environment.
 

Sierra1

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. . . . 16mph may be too fast in a hazard rich 20mph (max) environment, just as 200mph may be safe in a 70mph (max) environment.
Texas has two charges for what you describe: 1) Unsafe Speed for Conditions & 2) Fail to Control Speed. Same thing, If you can't stop without hitting something, regardless of how fast you were going. . . . it was too fast. . . . and you didn't control that speed.
 

PhilPhilippines

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Texas has two charges for what you describe: 1) Unsafe Speed for Conditions & 2) Fail to Control Speed. Same thing, If you can't stop without hitting something, regardless of how fast you were going. . . . it was too fast. . . . and you didn't control that speed.
Exactly
 

SHUMBA

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The only thing political about climate change is where red or blue places the blame for it. The planet has gone through several ice ages. . . . and then warmed up again. . . . with no human influence. Just the cycle of the planet.
I agree with you. Where are all of those people shouting global warming? Hiding under their beds? maybe..Our mother earth has been and currently is in a state of flux.
Recently, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba have all clocked all time cold temperature records!!
Fortunately, in Canada we are equipped to handle very cold temperatures with regards to the delivery of natural gas. Lucky us.
SHUMBA



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SHUMBA

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It is a weather front, which short-term has little bearing on global climate change.
Of course, I know that....soon, Texas will be back to normal, and likely have a blistering summer.
I'm in Southern Ontario, Canada and we're in the freeze at this time of year, snow, and more snow on the way.
I'm hoping to get the bikes out soon, around mid-March, if last year repeats.
Despite where I live, my last day of riding was December 23rd, 2020.
Looking forward to the coming riding season .
My thoughts go out to those good folks in Texas...
SHUMBA

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PhilPhilippines

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Of course, I know that....soon, Texas will be back to normal, and likely have a blistering summer.
I'm in Southern Ontario, Canada and we're in the freeze at this time of year, snow, and more snow on the way.
I'm hoping to get the bikes out soon, around mid-March, if last year repeats.
Despite where I live, my last day of riding was December 23rd, 2020.
Looking forward to the coming riding season .
My thoughts go out to those good folks in Texas...
SHUMBA

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My misunderstanding.

I can't say I envy everyone in the cold. It's great for a week, but after that it gets old very quickly for me. My sister lives in Queensland, Oz where the ambient annual temps are 20 °C | 68 °F which seem ideal. In the dry season temps here (Phils) can be up to 40 °C | 104 °F, so the bike has to be constantly moving.
 

SHUMBA

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My misunderstanding.

I can't say I envy everyone in the cold. It's great for a week, but after that it gets old very quickly for me. My sister lives in Queensland, Oz where the ambient annual temps are 20 °C | 68 °F which seem ideal. In the dry season temps here (Phils) can be up to 40 °C | 104 °F, so the bike has to be constantly moving.
Oh, you make me envious..
SHUMBA

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Dirt_Dad

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The seriousness of the accident is awful. The overall situation in Texas is downright tragic. When I lived there cold and snow were not rare, but we had power. Seeing the devastation from so much cold, snow, and lack of reliable power is sickening.

Wishing you guys well down there. From here it looks very bad.
 

Sierra1

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Watching the news, and all the people in positions of authority pointing the finger at everybody else. . . . but, not taking any responsibility for the situation. . . .makes me think they are getting us ready for the summer version of this. The official explanation for the power outages is that the demand is greater than the ability to supply. Yes, it was very cold. . . . for Texas. But, it's not like it was below 0F for weeks, and it was just a couple of days before they started shutting the power off. Our power demand time is in the summer. Weeks and months of 100F+ temps are common. Our night time lows will stay above 80F. I'm suspecting that we're in for a part 2 come July & August.
 

SHUMBA

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Ah, but you have camping, scenery, competent motorists, etc...pros/cons :D
Competent motorists? ya right.
Canada has an aging population, a lot of whom should NOT be driving at all!!
In addition Canada has very low standards and minimal requirements to obtain a driver's license, same for motorcyclists...most riders are unable to do a U-turn without "duck walking" their bikes....I crack up laughing when I see this.
SHUMBA

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PhilPhilippines

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Competent motorists? ya right.
SHUMBA
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Compared to here my friend.
On my first drive of 800km here I saw three dead by collision, heavies and buses overtaking on approach to brows, bends and oncoming vehicles forced off the road by buses when they could be clearly seen on a 1 kilometer straight. I personally had to stop once and leave the road once on entry to a bend.

I make swift progress and don't miss many overtakes, but I was being overtaken where only someone with a death wish or a firm belief that rubbing a cross really can ensure you get to your destination. Delivery trucks overtaking a 2004 "unicorn'' STi Forester and the clear expectation I would shoehorn them out of whatever situation they barreled into - which I did.

WARNING!!! do not watch if easily upset (ADMIN please remove if not suitable viewing...)


Unfortunately there is often someone doing something borderline dangerous approximately every 5 km or less. Great training ground though.
 

PhilPhilippines

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Although, not exclusive to Asia. I've worked some that would fit right in on that video.
:D I know what you mean. I was often commissioned by companies to coach their drivers to a higher standard in order to reduce collisions, wear and tear, insurance etc. Some of the driving and reasoning was a real eye-opener. It really did reinforce why I and others should have a chat, often 20+ years into their driving career...
 

PhilPhilippines

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Yikes!! I see what you mean, no standards, no enforcement leads to these accidents. The injuries must be in the thousands.
SHUMBA

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Yep. Horrific. There are worse countries though amazingly...
135 deaths per 100,000 vehicles per year.
5/6 deaths per 100,000 vehicles per year in the UK by contrast.
 
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