Days like today suck.

[erixun]

Some days are harder than others and we all have crappy days at work. Usually on bad days a little throttle time helps the day's troubles go away. However, after working an overtime shift on my day off yesterday, and prior to working an overtime shift today to help pay for the NAFO trip and Red Lodge trip, I got the call I dread last night about 11:15 PM. A call that makes me hesitate to take that much needed throttle time for myself.

'Bad crash, motorcycle vs car, you need to come out.' You see, I am the department accident reconstructionist and get the lovely job of investigating all of the fatals. A motorcycist was going south, a car was going north. The driver was young, it was dark. A simple mis-judgement of time/distance perception and the car turns in front of the bike at the last second. No skids, no swerves, just impact marks.

The rider was vaulted over the car, and impacted the pavement. He was not wearing a helmet. The helmet was on the back of the bike, near as I can figure out at this point. Overheard one of the paramedics say 'if he only had a helmet.'

A helmet will not stop every fatal, and bad crashes are sensless endings to peoples lives, but to see this first hand, time and time again, and having made that long crappy walk up to someones door to tell them that their love one will not come home again, ever. It takes its toll.

Not be a downer and weigh everyone down, but this forum has been a form of therapy for me, (it lets me see into some normal lives as well as some not so normal lives - you know who you are), so instead of being able to ride the bike today or tomorrow because of working another overtime shift, I am taking a few minutes from my shift to vent.

Please ride like no one ever see's you, and wear your gear. If not for you, or your loved ones, for dumb asses like me that respond to these things. And then take the incident home whether we want to or not. Not asking for sympathy here, I chose what I do, just asking all to take a extra bit of precaution.

Thanks for letting me off gas a bit. B

 

[radiummadman]

lots of people need to see this, thanks for sharing.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I have often thought about the poor souls that get the crappy job of scraping up the remains of unhelmeted fools. During several discussions about personal freedom vs. helmet laws when the Helmetless Freedom Fighter has said, "Well it is only me, it is my head, that don't affect nobody else if I crash.", I have brought up the First Responder. Never, ever, not once has the anti-helmet advocate understood or cared.

I care. I am sorry you had to deal with that. I hope that sharing this with us and reading our responses helps you just a little.

 

[BakerBoy]

Sorry you have to deal with that stuff, but thanks for posting and sharing. If it changes just one person's practices, it was worth posting.

 

[NTXFJR]

Thanks for sharing your perspective. We all have to check out sometime, and it's been said that life will kill you, all you have to do is stick around long enough. But it still seems like such a shame that needless events like this have to happen. +1 on riding like you're invisible, thanks for the reminder

 

[dcarver]

I get it. Hang in there. Let the cob webs clear for a couple of days. Find a good friend with a bike, find some nice back roads....

 

[Fontanaman]

Thanks for sharing. It is a difficult job you have sir. Time will heal would. Best wish and thank for your service.

 

[Surly]

I sure hope tomorrow is better for you.

Take care all.

Best regards

Steve

 

[HotRodZilla]

That seems to be going around.

I pulled an OT shift this afternoon for a supervisor who is out on vacation. About an hour after shift started we got a call of a motorcycle Vs. car crash on NM337, which used to be South-14. That is a very fun stretch of road for the first 10 or 12 miles as it is all fast sweepers, and pretty smooth. Two guys on bikes, one with a female passenger were riding too fast and something went wrong. I don't know if the guy with the passenger was passing on the double yellow, or lost control somehow. He was on a pretty new Triumph 675. The other guy was on a Ducati 899 Corse. He said his buddy lost control, but since I'm not in charge of that unit anymore, I had my own stuff to do and left them to it. All three were wearing helmets, but shitty gloves, shitty jackets, jeans and tennis shoes. The 2 up driver was killed instantly. His helmet hit the A-pillar of the oncoming car and crushed his helmet; then he hit the ground. Rescue thought his ring finger was taken off, but it was simply torn and folded underneath his hand. His jeans were torn through at the knees, and his cheesy boots popped off. He had serious road-rash on his left shoulder and his jacket was unzipped. Maybe he was wearing it that way.

His female passenger blew out her elbow when she hit the pavement, and her tennis shoes came off. She was in a fetal position when rescue showed up, so they loaded her as-is, and left. The single rider was ok, but had some roadrash and was having an anxiety attack. I'm wondering if he was making an illegal pass, braked and barely missed the car. Guy/girl bike was too slow to brake, rear-ended bike #1, lost it and hit the car almost head-on. I heard someone say something about one bike rear-ending the other. That would explain the location of the bikes and the body, as the deceased guy was right in front of the Duc, which was in front of the Triumph. Everyone was pointing to the deceased guy riding the Duc, until I pointed out he had his GF on the back and the Duc had a smuggler, so no place for a passenger. I guess in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter. One thing we found interesting was the Triumph had the license plate folded up into the rear fender and the Duc had the plate inside the smuggler. So, I hate to say it, but these guys hide their plates because they ride above their skill level on the roads and run from the cops every chance they get...

Days like this make me think about selling my FJR and using the money to buy dirt bikes for my daughters and just doing that. Then I remember that although I can't control everything, there are many things I can control on the bike, including how I pass and how aggressively I ride. Sometimes it is not up to us, and I would rather go, out on my motorcycle, than laying in a bed rotting away, but when it is up to me, I hope I continue to make the smarter choices.

Sorry for your shitty day Brandon...I'll buy you a beer in Red Lodge. Not the first dead guys we have seen, and it won't be the last...There is always a lesson.

 

[Bugnatr]

Even my worst days at work do not involve people dying, I'll buy both you guys a few beverages at NAFO. You deserve them.

 

[majicmaker]

Mad Kudos to all that have to deal with that stuff after the fact. I could not imagine doing that job. You guys have my utmost respect.

 

[Mudslide Miller]

Mad Kudos to all that have to deal with that stuff after the fact. I could not imagine doing that job. You guys have my utmost respect.

Yes, just as we give props to those in the military, thanks for all those who serve on the police force, fire dept's, paramedics and emergency rooms. Most of us couldn't handle that type of work.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Heavy stuff. I hate how "the cops" are so often seen as the enemy by so many, but who else takes care of the worst things that come up in the life of a society, who do you call to deal with the bullies, and the disasters, and the tragedies, and has to go home and try to be a normal parent or spouse or just citizen? Echoing all the props expressed here. Seriously, guys, like it's become popular to say to a veteran, "thank you for your service."

I always think of an old line that I heard quite a long time ago: "If you don't like the cops, next time you're in trouble, call a hippie." If it wasn't so true, guess it wouldn't be so funny.

 

[steveoreno]

Just lost a young cousin to a deer-4 wheeler collision this weekend and he probably would've been ok with a helmet. I know we are preaching to the choir on this forum but don't even go on a short ride without wearing as much protective gear possible.

 

[stose85]

I'm right there with you Brandon. Injury/fatality accidents were always the hardest part of the job for me. It helps to talk about it, but it doesn't erase the images. I see a lot of the guys running helmets on the backs of their bikes just in case they run into Missouri and "have to" wear it. I'm back working at my old department on the weekends for extra money. It's kind of like riding a motorcycle, once it gets into your blood it's hard to get away. Stay safe brother and I'll see you at NAFO.

Days like this make me think about selling my FJR and using the money to buy dirt bikes for my daughters and just doing that. Then I remember that although I can't control everything, there are many things I can control on the bike, including how I pass and how aggressively I ride. Sometimes it is not up to us, and I would rather go, out on my motorcycle, than laying in a bed rotting away, but when it is up to me, I hope I continue to make the smarter choices.
Sorry for your shitty day Brandon...I'll buy you a beer in Red Lodge. Not the first dead guys we have seen, and it won't be the last...There is always a lesson.

HotRod that is exactly why I'm going to teach my son the same lessons my dad taught me. "If you don't respect the bike and the speed it will kill you." I do the police work for the adrenaline rush and ride the motorcycle to relax.

 

[Fly Bye]

I can not express enough gratitude to both Brandon and A J for the services they provide us.

I do understand what you guys go through when serious injuries and fatalities occur on our public corridors. I and my riding partner at the time had been involved in assisting both law enforcement and EMT units in car vs. motorcycle incidents. One was a fatality in Strawberry Az. non helmet user, and the other was a serious but non fatal incident on Angeles Crest Hwy. I felt helpless because I could not undo what had happened. I realized anything can happen in a split second, a life changing split second.

I did get some gratification sever months later when I was introduced to the survivor of the Angeles Crest rider while visiting the Rock Store. He was an editor for a motorcycle magazine and was out on a test ride when a car crossed the double yellow line. I was glad to see that he was mending well and he was appreciative of our assistance.

Both of these incidents are carved deeply into my memory. I just hope both Brandon and A J can shake haunting memories.

Again, we thank you guys for what you do.

 

[erixun]

Thanks for all the replies. This is why I posted on here for sure, one of the pit falls of police work is that you lose your touch with normal people and only associate with other cops - 'they are the only ones who can understand' is the mantra. While to some extent that is true, I have tried to make an effort to expand my social circles to a point.

So thanks for lending me your ear, days like yesterday also makes me put on a helmet even when I am riding the 'wee machine'. I bought a Honda Ruckus to run about the campgrounds and run into a close store while staying at a campground in the trailer. It is hard to do because it is 'just a scooter' and max speed is only 30 mph. But I have to remind myself that I would not want take my head and throw it on the pavement even at 15 mph. Let alone subject it to the force the other car might have.

 

[Mudslide Miller]

But I have to remind myself that I would not want take my head and throw it on the pavement even at 15 mph. Let alone subject it to the force the other car might have.

That is so true Brandon. Many years back a guy died at Iron Horse BMW just moving a bike from the back of the shop up to the front without a helmet on when he somehow clipped a curb and it threw him to the pavement and he smacked his head.

 

[BobCo]

I can not express enough gratitude to both Brandon and A J for the services they provide us.

^

+++

My SIL is an EMT for Flight for Life. I am humbled by what people like you do. Thank you.