Posted by Gordon Maney on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 1:27AM :
Many of you are motorcyclists, I suspect, as I am....
Last weekend in Eastern Iowa there was a really bad motorcycle accident involving a van crossing a centerline and hitting a motorcycle, with a resulting chain reaction involving five more bikes. There were six riders total, one (if I am getting the details correct) was treated for a minor injury, as he was hit by flying motorcycle parts. He was the only one wearing a helmet. Of the five involved, three are dead, and two in critical condition, one of which had lost a foot.
After all the machinery stopped moving, two of the dead riders and their motorcycles were in FRONT of the van.
They were all on their way to a motorcycle event in Anamosa, Iowa. It was a group of six Harley Davidsons. The first rider, and one or two of the others had no chance, as the impacts were pretty direct, apparently the van carried two of the men, with their motorcycles, along the highway for some distance.
It would be good to avoid generalizations about Harleys and helmets, and also good if we could learn something from this. The best I can conclude is that they rode too close together. Their staggered column was way too short. One paper's account, based upon remarks made by the least injured rider, said that those riding in the staggered formation close to the centerline were all dead.
What made it even more meaningful to me is that it is a highway that I ride regularly. There are lots of hills and places where problems could occur. Although, from what I can learn, this was on flat ground.
I can see how a first rider in a column might not have a chance, and maybe a second, but.... five? I think they were too close.
Give that a lot of thought when you ride in a group.
Joe, forgive me if I have done a bad thing here, and delete this if you wish.
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