Are people serious?

[Latinbalar]

Oh and I hi to everyone btw. This is probably my second post but i have ben lurking on this board for about the past year, feeding off of the massive amount of information. I've had nothing to say for the most part because every question i have seems to have been answered before.

Me>>>

23yoM Full time finance/pre-med student in sunny Miami, FL where it's always riding weather (except when it's raining) Any one else here from miami..?

My Bike>>>

'02 M620 Purchased with 20k mi.

First thing i did was get rid of those ugly mickey mouse mirrors and put on the CRG's. waiting for the rizoma clip-ons

Yes, I'm from Miami, but i am a bit north from you. I live in Davie just PM me or check out the South Florida Ducati Brigade in the Local Club board for more info about what goes on in the Ducati Scene.

[Popeye the Sailor]

Personally, I would've stayed and helped, but consider the average cage driver.

Probably no medical training.

Probably no mechanical training (AKA, ain't helping fix your ride).

Probably nothing in the vehicle to aid getting a bike out of a ditch.

Probably, at most, would have a cell phone with a signal. Maybe, and might call for help.


The van may not have been aware of the motorcyclists, thus did not pull over. I mean-how quickly can you come up on a car in the twisties? Probably a lot quicker than the average cager would guess. After that, how long do you wait for them to find a turnout, or do you just pass?


Consider the mindset towards a group of large Harley riders. The people in the van might have actually 1) felt responsible to some degree and 2) thought they might legitimately get their asses kicked. Would you still stay?

Think of the times someone has made you bin it or almost made you bin it. Would you want their help after or to take a swing?  I'm typically not feeling all too happy at that moment.

We just consider them fellow motorcyclists-to the average population, they are a "motorcycle gang", and thus dangerous.


Depending on how upset the guys looked, I might've just kept driving, too.

[Slide Panda]

I always thought that if you were a witness to a crash you had to stay.

Nope, you're not legally obliged as a run of the mill citizen. Morally... perhaps. Last accident I saw I stopped, gave a statement and my info - even got summonsed to court to testify. Moral obligation and legal are quite different as we all know - but I'll stop there before I step up on a soap box.

Now, if the van driver/passengers were medical professionals/first responders - there rules are different there. But I don't know the detailed ins and outs of their responsibilities - in a situation like that - perhaps someone in the know can help out

[ducatiz]

Nope, you're not legally obliged as a run of the mill citizen. Morally... perhaps. Last accident I saw I stopped, gave a statement and my info - even got summonsed to court to testify. Moral obligation and legal are quite different as we all know - but I'll stop there before I step up on a soap box.

Vermont (edit:  and Minnesota) are the only states with a requirement to stop and render aid.  It is a misdemeanor if you do not. 

Witnesses are not required to stop.  Police cannot compel you to stay, but could require you to appear in court to testify with a subpoena, if a judge is willing to give one for such an event.

[Slide Panda]

Ah good, some more details... Since I've never lived in those states, and haven't even been to one (Vermont) since I was 10, I wasn't up on their rules.

[NorDog]

What gets me is that the HD rider HAD MADE THE PASS and was on what looked like the correct line, then he straightens up and goes off the left side.  Probably thought he was way to fast, tries to brake with substandard braking system (looks like he locked up the REAR brake) and then just goes with it; target fixation and all that.

[erkishhorde]

I'm not up on my Tenn laws - but it's pretty universal that if you were not involved, you don't have to stop.

It gets IZ_ when there's incidents like once vehicle cutting another off - the cut off vehicle crashes, but there's never any direct vehicle to vehicle contact - the old Left turning cage scenario. It's pretty clear in our heads that a car turning left across your nose is the direct cause of a spill - but it can be hard to prove if there's no evidence besides your word vs theirs and your torn up bike

In this case, yeah the van driver was going irritatingly slow it appears. But video can decieve - I've got films from the gap that seem slow while at my desk.. but I know we moving along. Either way, driving they way the van driver was would not put him at fault. Irritating, but not dangerous.

Yeah, if there's no contact it's hard to prove involvement in an accident. I've actually heard people suggest NOT to dump the bike trying to avoid the dreaded left turn and to just hit the guy instead because it leaves proof of involvement.   That's not to say you shouldn't try to avoid the accident but if you know you're going to wreck by either dumping the bike or hitting the car, hit the car. Of course hitting the car is usually more damaging to everything though. Lose lose either way.

Oh, on topic:
This greasy guy came out to join the lion dance team and he was all chatting me up since we both ride and when I finally saw his bike it was a total mess. Not a single part unscratched. Then when he rode away it made a scraping sound kinda like a dry clutch, but it was a Japanese bike. Turns out his chain was INCREDIBLY loose! When I finally convinced him to let me look at his chain we found no less than 8 broken links that were just barely hanging in there and another 4 frozen links. Popping off his front sprocket cover revealed a giant wad of mucky chain lube/grease with broken chain links stuck in it. A week later he was riding around a beach area and dumped it in some sand while making a left. The chain was still loose because tightening made it freeze and he didn't want to replace it yet.  So the chain jumped and cut up his foot since he was also wearing sandals.  I'm so glad I never road with that squid. We didn't talk much after that since he was such an idiot. When I took a favor with a friend (fellow Duc rider) to borrow her truck and time to help pick up his bike after the wreck she said we should just dump it in the junkyard. 

[bluemoco]

That Harley/Deals Gap video is as 'old as the hills', but it's still interesting to watch.  

Anyway, regarding the OP - I was on a ride through the Wisconsin twisties a couple months ago and saw a rear tire like that one.  A group of sportbikes came up behind me on one of the long straights and I waved them past.  The first bike to go around me had a white stripe on the middle of his rear tire.  I thought he had driven over some white paint or something, but it quickly dawned on me that some prolific burnouts had probably worn his tire to the cords.    

I can't imagine feeling safe at any speed on a rear tire w/ a 1" strip of cords showing down the middle.  These guys were well into triple-digit speeds down the straights.  

[miamiduc]

Yes, I'm from Miami, but i am a bit north from you. I live in Davie just PM me or check out the South Florida Ducati Brigade in the Local Club board for more info about what goes on in the Ducati Scene.

I grew up in Weston, so I'm up there all the time. I'll PM you next time i'm going up there.