GODDAMNITSOMUCH

[kopfjäger]

it seems that many drivers would rather not kill the animal and take out a family in its place.  which is truly pathetic.

In the instant that someone is about to hit/avoid an animal, I don't think they are thinking about taking out a family. That's
a helluva stretch. 

[RAT900]

instructions from a country girl I once dated

you keep going...

brace and flinch for the thud and crunch

bless yourself and tell the good lord you're sending one home to him

do not look in rear-view

then she added it worked for animals as well as cheating boyfriends

[psycledelic]

Hearing stories like this makes me wonder how I am going to handle the situation of my kids wanting to ride as they get older.  I love to ride, and my children (as young as they are) know it.  I just don't know what my answer is going to be the first time the topic comes up involving them and a motorcycle.  My wife wouldn't get on a motorcycle for anything.  We are on opposite sides of the fence on the topic, but both believe that we should neither push anything on them, or deny them the opportunity to take part in something they might enjoy (to an extent of course).   Just the thought of riding with my daughter and something happening to her, be it her fault, my fault, or someone else's fault, turns my stomach. 

In the instant that someone is about to hit/avoid an animal, I don't think they are thinking about taking out a family. That's
a helluva stretch. 

I agree with you on this, I doubt it was a choice between the two.  More on the lines of most drivers pay more attention to wildlife than motorcycles.  Whether she looked back or not before she stopped, at some point beforehand, she had to know other vehicles were behind her.  I wonder if the case would have been the same if it were a semi truck following.  I would guess that there would have been a couple of flattened mallards.

[sbrguy]

In the instant that someone is about to hit/avoid an animal, I don't think they are thinking about taking out a family. That's
a helluva stretch.  

sorry but you are driving a 4000lb car with other cars around you, every action you do potentially can kill someone. and i doubt that a semi behind you would have changed the situation most people are just not aware of their surroundings period.

Its not a stretch to be aware of your surroundings and realize that if you hit the brakes to avoid hitting a cat, that the people behind you might drive into the back of you.  If you aren't thinking of that, you just aren't paying attention and you have not been checking your mirrors like you should be.  Maybe if people did consider what they were doing when driving there would be less deaths.

[kopfjäger]

^^ No..no. You said a person/people would rather take out a family then an animal, as if it was a premeditated thought.

[Popeye the Sailor]

I'm not even sure what you're all arguing about.

Don't outride your sight line.


Follow at a distance you're able to stop in.


If it was a boulder, tree, or pileup, would it be anyone but the riders fault? I think not.

[el_loco]

...But the rest of the day I was wondering why you would drive into an oncoming lane of traffic, around a blind corner to avoid an already dead animal?

Because you are a moron.

[kopfjäger]

I'm not even sure what you're all arguing about.

Don't outride your sight line.


Follow at a distance you're able to stop in.


If it was a boulder, tree, or pileup, would it be anyone but the riders fault? I think not.

No, That would put the responsibility in the hands of the rider, and their never at fault.  

[xcaptainxbloodx]

I'm not even sure what you're all arguing about.

Don't outride your sight line.


Follow at a distance you're able to stop in.


If it was a boulder, tree, or pileup, would it be anyone but the riders fault? I think not.

^truth.

 car stopped dead in the middle of a highway should be rather easy to stop behind or go around if youre paying any kind of attention.

[psycledelic]

....i doubt that a semi behind you would have changed the situation ......

I don't know, a motorcycle following a car vs. a semi following a car.  Seems to me that would be a totally different situation.  I would think that 500lbs following closely would spark a different reaction than 60000lbs.  The bike being a spec in your mirror that you look right past and the truck filling your mirror up with it's grill.  I see your point though.  It shouldn't matter.  I comes down to people's lack of awareness and consideration.  Unfortunately, it quite possibly was all parties involved in this story.

[Goat_Herder]

"The mother of the girl and spouse of the man driving the motorcycle were riding on another motorcycle and witnessed the tragic incident."

I felt bad for the 2 involved in the accident and felt worse for the surviving family members who had to see the whole thing happening...

[The Bacon Junkie]

I ran over a Squirrel one day.

Felt bad for the rest of the day.

Dolph      

Dolph just reminded me of an incident I had coming home from work.

I was driving home up Box Canyon (a very smooth, super twisty road) in my pickup when an off-leash dog (big rottie) dashed out into the road chasing a squirrel.  I didn't even have time to hit the brakes. It ran right under the truck and my rear wheel.  It died instantly and I felt like absolute shit until a riding buddy had this to say:

Him: You ok?

Me: I killed a make the beast with two backsing dog! How the make the beast with two backs do you think I feel?!

Him: What if you took your bike to work today?

Me: Huh?

Him: If you were riding, it would be you getting scraped up off the road as well as the dog.  I feel bad that the dog died, but it's his owner's fault, not yours.  Dog shoulda been on a leash or behind a gate.  What if I was riding and one of my boys was on the back?  Dog shoulda been tied up.

My point is this. People only think about themselves and either are too dumb to think about the consequences of their actions, or they just don't care.
  In this case the owner actually told me that he thought it was okay not to have tied up the dog because she had never chased a squirrel into the road before! 
  It's a busy road!!!! How can you just assume nothing will ever happen?

  In the case of the woman and the ducks, same thing.     Actually a bit worse.  It's a major highway.  There is traffic all around moving at a high rate of speed.  DON'T JUST make the beast with two backsING STOP DUMBASS!!!

On another note:
If the speed limit is 65mph on a highway and you round a curve, would you honestly expect a car to be stopped in the middle of the road? I mean, really?

You can make statements like this:

I'm not even sure what you're all arguing about.

Don't outride your sight line.


Follow at a distance you're able to stop in.


If it was a boulder, tree, or pileup, would it be anyone but the riders fault? I think not.

...But in real life; traveling on a major thoroughfare; does anyone really expect to come upon a vehicle stopped dead in the road?  I don't think so.

  On back roads and twisties we, as motorcycle riders, are more aware of the dangers that may lie in wait for us around every corner. Therefore we ride with an added sense of alertness and focus, expecting hazards to be in the road.

 Do we ride with the same level of attention and focus on a highway where all the traffic is moving in the same direction?  I know I relax a bit more and just cruise on the highway (unless there is the typical L.A. traffic jam and I'm splitting).

Sorry Dave, but I gotta disagree with ya on this one. 

RIP Dad and Daughter...  Condolences to the family that is left behind.   

[Howley]

I'm sure if a motorcyclist had stopped for ducks and a car had run into the back of it, this would be a very different discussion.

[Greg]

^^^^ +1

It does not matter if it is against the law to stop, every user of the road has the responsibility to leave enough distance between them and the person in front to be able to stop in time. If you rear end somebody, then either you did not leave enough gap, or you were not paying attention.

[KRJ]

   I agree, it is the responsibility of the operator to avoid the accident. Here in Colorado You will, at any time, have stopped Tourists, Fishermen, Rocks, Cows,Etc. on 75mph, blind corners, and I'm sure it happens everywhere else. When the driver in front of You intentionally slams on their brakes, to avoid an accident, or to cause one, ( oh, yeah, it happened to Me..) everyone should be able to respond to it with proper following distance and driver awareness,tailgating and distractions will kill You..