Ducati Monster Forum

For those of you with a weak heart, weak stomach or are pregnant, please stop reading from here.  If you are standing, I would suggest you sit down first.  I don't want you to faint and hit your head.  The story that I am about to tell you will make you weep.

So I got some lunch today and just sat down at my desk when an email popped up in my inbox.  It was from a co-worker.  The subject line reads "you might want to go check out your motorcycle".  In the email, she attached a cellphone picture of the parking garage, with a view to the motorcycle parking area.

I rushed down to the parking garage and what I saw was only previously seen in movies or in nightmares.  

(http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo330/toc30/Photo0248.jpg)

Apparently, an elderly man, driving the green Lexus, seen at the left of the picture, drove thru the security gate in the garage and then proceeded to plow thru a row of parked motorcycle.  From talking to security and eye witnesses, it appears that the driver mistaken the gas pedal for the brake.  When he turned into the gate, instead of hitting the brake to slow down to take a ticket, he hit the gas.  Panicking, he floored the gas pedal.

(http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo330/toc30/Capture.jpg)

He first hit a 6-seat golf cart that the parking security used to serve as a road block in front of the motorcycles.  The golf cart's front end was mangled and the cart was pushed 40 feet out.  The first in line was a Harley cruiser that got hit so hard, it flew to the side, spinning like a top.  

2nd bike was a GSX-R, it got pushed into my CBR250.  Together, both bike got pushed back and pinned against a concrete pillar.  

(http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo330/toc30/Photo0249.jpg)

The Lexus went on and hit 2 more bikes, ran over a row of parking signs, and came to a stop before hitting the wall at the end of the garage.  When asked if he is ok, the elder driver said "I am looking for a place to park".   >:(

I am no bike expert but I think all these damage can be buffed out.  Right?   ;)

(http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo330/toc30/Photo0251.jpg)

(http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo330/toc30/Photo0253.jpg)

RIP CeeBee

2011 CBR250R
7,850+ miles / Avg 81 MPG Overall (83 MPG since 15T Sprocket)
11/25/2011 - 9/10/2012

and this is why i feel elderly drivers need to be tested once they reach a certain age.

BUT I must admit, I played dominoes with 4 Aprilias one time at a dealer years ago.  [bang]

That's one expensive game of dominos. 

Luckily for the driver (or for the insurance company), it was a cold day in Seattle.  It rained today for the first time in 50 days.  There were only 5 bikes parked there.  If this happened last week, there would have been 10-15 bikes...

Boo.   I hope he was at least well insured.

Gulp...WOW... :'(

At least no people were hurt.

Damn that sucks.
Good luck getting everything straight w/ the insurance company

Oh man... Poor lil honda, killed so young.

As noted, at least no one was hurt. Bike can be fixed or replaced - it's a good thing you were not just parking your ride when that happened or you would have been in quite a state

this is sad

I'd say that's less "dominoes" and more "bowling."

Still sucks.  [thumbsdown]

+1

Just think if it was first thing the am or last thing at night when the bike owners were around their bikes  :-\

Around here, the required drivers tests for elderly are happening more often - my dad just had one (and failed the first time for minor things like not stopping at a stop sign for 5 full seconds).  They are at the descretion of the DMV desk workers.



mitt

Not cool

That totally sucks.  Makes me think of this...



South Park-Old people cant drive (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdOfX18FT-A#)

The Humanity!

Well, we can take one positive from this story and that is that no Ducs were harmed in the destruction that took place.   ;D

That sucks!  [thumbsdown]

...and remember, this guy was driving on the street prior to this happening.  :o

I'm on a construction project (also in Seattle) where we had to close off a road and detour people around the block. No biggie, and well signed. About a week after the detour was installed, and in the middle of the day (bright & sunny), we notice a car pushing against a concrete jersey barrier we installed to protect the site. An eldery woman was driving. When approached (while still pushing on the barrier) she said she wanted to go straight!  [bang] Um...OK. She backed up and drove off.

Elderly drivers should definitely be tested.

Yikes.

I totally agree that after a certain age, yearly / every other year driving tests should be mandatory. If you pass, hey good for you; if not, then the rest of us are spared some headache. I would gladly submit to this if I were "of that age".

This would make it easier for a lot of families too.
When my grand parents started w/ Alzheimer's and dementia it was a huge fight to take the car keys away.  If testing more often was mandatory this would have been avoided as could have been my grandmother rearending a Harley trike at a red light.  Luckily it was at low speeds.

Holey moley!!!  I hope his insurance is good and paid up!! 

I think there are now laws in California to reduce the number of unaware seniors on the road.  A few years back, my mom (70 at the time) had an accident...little fender bender, the other guys fault...but she was required to take a driving exam afterwards.   After my dad died last year, we found out that mom was no longer capable of safe driving so we had to persuade her to relinquish her privileges.  Not easy.

no update yet from the motorcycle shop that's doing the damage assessment.  But I have a feeling that the bike is a total loss.  I should hear something back by Friday. 

The CBR250 has been an excellent bike for me in the past year.  I've been commuting on it rain or shine (light rain).  In the 8000 miles I racked up, I averaged 81 MPG (+1 on the front sprocket).  If my CBR is totaled, I am very tempted to pick up another one.  On the other hand, this would be a good opportunity to upgrade for a bigger and/or more comfortable bike for long trips.  The NC700X is looking pretty good.

No good!  [thumbsdown]

Good thing it wasn't your Duc though!!

Have to admit..the OP cracked me up!   ;D

My father in law passed away in 2007 at the age of 89. My wife wanted him to live with us so she could take care of him and it would be a way to get him to stop driving. He lived by himself (along with my wife's worthless half brother... who would do NOTHING for their Dad!!! >:( [thumbsdown]) Dad promised my wife he wasn't driving but we knew he was and the worthless half brother confirmed it. Although he would never offer to drive Dad anywhere or run any errands for Dad... again, worthless POS!

We all dreaded taking his keys away and the fight it might cause. But he moved in with us rather peacefully and left his car at his home. I think he enjoyed being pampered by us and being around his Grandson every day. Him not driving anymore was a HUGE relief to us all and a real gift of safety to the rest of the driving public! Thankfully he only had a couple of very mild fender benders and they were with fixed objects, not other cars.

My father on the other hand was a total pain in the ass about driving until his final days. Surprised we didn't have to pry his cold dead hands off the steering wheel. [roll]

Anyway, terribly sorry about the bike mayhem. And glad no one was hurt.

It's Dominoes, unless you're referring to the pizza joint.  :D

http://ninja300.kawasaki.com/ (http://ninja300.kawasaki.com/)

BC.

CBR are great commuting bike .... I add a little 125cc and it serve me well  [thumbsup]

R.I.P. little CB  [Dolph] [bow_down]

Wow....thats a good looking bike!!!

At least no duc's were injured in the making of this thread... My condolences for the cb

 :o - That is why I park in out of the way places you are not supposed. Look like kind of a jerk, but I make sure not to block a loading zone / exit or anything like that. 

Its a terrible feeling when your bike is wrecked. Hope you get it all sorted out. I have a CBR and love it to death, they are great bikes. Let us know how it turns out.