Life is very fragile......

tanstaafl72555

tanstaafl72555

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so my wife was coming to Raleigh to meet some friends for dinner on Friday, when she came up on a big congestion point near the Wendell exit on 64. A sheriff's car caught fire and was burning. Fire engine there, a few sheriff cars and 2 staties, all blue lights flashing. She moved over to left lane, driving about 60. Two vehicles in front of her.... a car and behind the car, a motorcycle. The car slowed with the traffic, everyone rubbernecking to see the fire and all the hoo hah.

The biker turned as well, and missed the brakes slowing in front of him. He hit the car going about 60, while the car was almost stopped. Face planted into the back of the vehicle and rolled out into the median, where my wife had gone to avoid him. He was likely dead upon the first impact, but my wife rolled over him, certainly killing him if he was not already dead.

She is "ok" in that she had actually been praying for some friends when this came up, using as a template an old prayer by St Benedict (no we are not Catholics, but have a deep appreciation for church fathers), who prayed, addressing Satan said "in light of the cross of Christ, we command you to go away. Go drink your own poison which you are offering me." Guilt has no place with us. It is also true that it helped that the cops saw it all, and were eager to confirm (MULTIPLE TIMES) that "we saw this all.... You were NOT at fault. There was nothing you could do different. Nothing."

It is still a sober thing to end someone's life, even though as a nurse, she saw people die.

One thing is for sure. Carole did not think as she left that she would be a causal factor in ending a man's life. Nor did that guy hop on his bike thinking "I will die in a few minutes."

The old book says "your life is only a vapor." It also says that our inmost thoughts are that "my life is going to last a long, indeterminate time." True that. Serious stuff for me. Death sux. Life and joy win in the end. I wanna be on the winning team.

FWIW
 
Jp8819 said:
Life can for sure change in a instant. Prayers for your wife, the bikers family and anyone else involved.
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We find ourselves praying as a family for his family. Like I said, we are not Catholics, so don't "pray for the dead".... but actually we do. It is weird. I find myself praying that Christ will be merciful good and kind as He brings that man into eternity. Like I said, it has been a sobering thing.

I cannot contact the family (it wouldn't be wise, anyway), but I find myself grieving for them, whoever they are. Carole is holding up pretty well, but we did have a crying spell yesterday.
 
That would just suck. I hope your wife will be able cope with this, it's got to be hard.:(
Prayers for wife.
 
I'm sorry that happened to all involved.... especially the man that died. We are praying for you all.

If you have accepted Christ as your savior you ARE on the winning team!
 
Goofyfoot2001 said:
Well as a daily motorcycle commuter I can say that it certainly isn't your wife's fault. The motorcyclists should have known that cages are attracted to blue lights like a moth to a flame. I experience this almost on a daily basis in Charlotte. Hate to hear when a fellow rider rides on...
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I think all my hopes for buying another bike myself just vanished. I had a gixxer 1000 a few years back and loved it. I am afraid I loved it a little too much...., which all seems so shallow right now.
 
I was reminded of this last week reading about an 11 year old girl who was at Girl Scout camp. She died when a tree fell on her while she was walking to an activity with some counselors and another scout.

My condolences to your wife for having such a traumatic experience.
 
I want to preface my probably taken as inflammatory comments about street (and all) motorcycles:

I love riding motorcycles. Dad was a vintage 60s motorcross guy and he owned Honda 750s throughout my early childhood. I was a baby when Dad put me on my first big 2 stroke (Yamaha IT400) and rode wheelies in the yard.
I owned a Honda 50 monkeybike before I rode bicycles on pavement. I rode on the back of a streetbike to elementary school ALOT. But that was a different time when there were less people on NC roads and less technology distracted the eff out of everyone.
I wrecked a large streetbike when I was 19 and walked away. It happened by being a bit distracted and someone turning left in front of me without signaling on a 2 lane highway. Still have a bad scar where the faceshield busted and cut me bad. I could have died or been crippled for life. I would have never known what it was like to get married, have 3 awesome children and a generally all around great life.

FVCK riding on public streets especially highways. I have owned bikes my entire life, been around hardcore riders forever it seems. But if you value life and limb, don't ride on public streets. Period.

It literally hurts me to type that, but the golden age of 2 wheels on pavement is gone and over.
Maybe one day, when cage-widlding idiots are actually NOT DRIVING THEMSELVES it will again be safe for bikers.
But today, that probably one of the most dangerous legal activities a person can do is to join in with oblivious selfish morons in vehicles that weight 5 times what you do.

I don't care if you're Valentino Rossi, you cannot avoid it over a lifetime of riding nowadays. There's too many cagers that just don't GAF.
 
Mr Chess Pigeon said:
I think all my hopes for buying another bike myself just vanished. I had a gixxer 1000 a few years back and loved it. I am afraid I loved it a little too much...., which all seems so shallow right now.
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buy more guns. Being muzzleswept at public ranges is alot safer than getting on I-77 with cagers at 3PM.
 
Ikarus1 said:
I want to preface my probably taken as inflammatory comments about street (and all) motorcycles:

I love riding motorcycles. Dad was a vintage 60s motorcross guy and he owned Honda 750s throughout my early childhood. I was a baby when Dad put me on my first big 2 stroke (Yamaha IT400) and rode wheelies in the yard.
I owned a Honda 50 monkeybike before I rode bicycles on pavement. I rode on the back of a streetbike to elementary school ALOT. But that was a different time when there were less people on NC roads and less technology distracted the eff out of everyone.
I wrecked a large streetbike when I was 19 and walked away. It happened by being a bit distracted and someone turning left in front of me without signaling on a 2 lane highway. Still have a bad scar where the faceshield busted and cut me bad. I could have died or been crippled for life. I would have never known what it was like to get married, have 3 awesome children and a generally all around great life.

FVCK riding on public streets especially highways. I have owned bikes my entire life, been around hardcore riders forever it seems. But if you value life and limb, don't ride on public streets. Period.

It literally hurts me to type that, but the golden age of 2 wheels on pavement is gone and over.
Maybe one day, when cage-widlding idiots are actually NOT DRIVING THEMSELVES it will again be safe for bikers.
But today, that probably one of the most dangerous legal activities a person can do is to join in with oblivious selfish morons in vehicles that weight 5 times what you do.

I don't care if you're Valentino Rossi, you cannot avoid it over a lifetime of riding nowadays. There's too many cagers that just don't GAF.
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I am -going away- the most stubborn and most convinced of my "rightness" on most issues that you will find, and I hate you for saying all this ( :) ), but I think you are right. It pains me to read it as much as you to say it, but I think all my biking in the future is going to have to be off road.
 
I'm sorry Carole had to experience this Eddie.
 
Mr Chess Pigeon said:
I am -going away- the most stubborn and most convinced of my "rightness" on most issues that you will find, and I hate you for saying all this ( :) ), but I think you are right. It pains me to read it as much as you to say it, but I think all my biking in the future is going to have to be off road.
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Well let me tell you about my 14 year old son's torn ACL debacle that ruined his summer ;)
 
Goofyfoot2001 said:
Well as a daily motorcycle commuter I can say that it certainly isn't your wife's fault. The motorcyclists should have known that cages are attracted to blue lights like a moth to a flame. I experience this almost on a daily basis in Charlotte. Hate to hear when a fellow rider rides on...
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Just donā€™t play your flute while riding


@Mr Chess Pigeon i hope your wife gets in a better place soon
 
Ikarus1 said:
FVCK riding on public streets especially highways. I have owned bikes my entire life, been around hardcore riders forever it seems. But if you value life and limb, don't ride on public streets. Period.

It literally hurts me to type that, but the golden age of 2 wheels on pavement is gone and over.
Maybe one day, when cage-widlding idiots are actually NOT DRIVING THEMSELVES it will again be safe for bikers.
But today, that probably one of the most dangerous legal activities a person can do is to join in with oblivious selfish morons in vehicles that weight 5 times what you do.

I don't care if you're Valentino Rossi, you cannot avoid it over a lifetime of riding nowadays. There's too many cagers that just don't GAF.
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Ikarus1, you are 100% correct in your statement as much I hate to admit it too. My wife was never so happy when I sold both bikes. She did not care what I did with the money as long as the bikes were gone. I do not think it will ever be safe to ride on public streets again.
 
KnotRight said:
Ikarus1, you are 100% correct in your statement as much I hate to admit it too. My wife was never so happy when I sold both bikes. She did not care what I did with the money as long as the bikes were gone. I do not think it will ever be safe to ride on public streets again.
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Sure there are safe streets. They're all West of the Continental divide and involve mountains.
 
Thanks for posting your wife's story, as well as y'all's process for handling it. My heart goes out to her and you, and prayers for all, especially the unfortunate biker and his loved ones.
 
I'm very sorry for all involved in this accident. I hope your wife will get some extra help if she feels she needs it. She must be under a lot of stress.

By extra help I actually do mean therapy, as I am a believer in it. I hit up my therapist every time some crisis overtakes me, luckily for me it's only been deaths in the family and my cancer Dx/chemo Tx, not something like your wife has seen/been in the middle of.

It sounds like you have things well taken care in the religion area.
 
Prayers for all involved. That's a terrible situation all the way around.
 
That's a terrible thing for your wife to experience. It sounds like she'll be okay but like Millie mentioned, it probably wouldn't hurt to get some professional assistance to help her if she discovers the need.
 
Ikarus1 said:
Sure there are safe streets. They're all West of the Continental divide and involve mountains.
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Not really. Lots of wildlife out west that will jump right in front of you. I just recently lost a friend who hit a deer in Montana on his bike at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. Life is a risk. We must all decide what levels of risk we are willing to take. I've been riding on the street since 1976. I don't plan on giving it up until I can't hold a bike upright. I'd rather be on my bike in Charlotte traffic than in my car. That's just me. I feel much more comfortable and safe on a bike than I do in a car. Always ride like everyone else is trying to kill you.
Sorry for the guy and the OP's wife.
 
SPST said:
Not really. Lots of wildlife out west that will jump right in front of you.
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My wife's cousin hit a bear in Alaska on his. He survived but it banged him up quite a bit.
 
My condolences for your wife, I am sure this is a difficult thing for her to process.
 
noway2 said:
Sorry that happened to your wife.

There is a reason those bikes are referred to as either Donor Cycles or Murder Cycles.
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Though I always wore a helmet, I oppose helmet laws.
I used to joke that helmet laws reduce the supply of donor organs.
But sometimes no amount of safety gear can stop the grim reaper.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 
Sorry for your wife's misfortune. The Lord placed her in that moment for reason and with prayers and time the reason will be clear.
 
@Mr Chess Pigeon Damn that's a lot for you and your wife to process, it could have been anyone of us or our loved ones on the bike or in the car. She only had seconds to react and indeed may have made a different choice that might have actually ended far far worse for herself and others. I drive that route often and if you have to take to the median its either the trees or the oncoming traffic- there is no place to go in some areas.
 
Plott Hound said:
Driving/riding is a FULL time task, not 95%, not 99%, but 100%
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And even then, you don't and cannot control the other vehicles on the road. I've seen too many riders down to know I'm not above it. Nobody is, not in the age of the glued-to-my-cellphone idiot cager who just DGAF.

I would love to have another bike. Preferably a big bore Kawi like the now defunct ZXR. But I know as soon as I get used to being back on 2 wheels, every day.........the odds are you're gonna get complacement. It happens with guns, it happens with everything but the danger factory thanks to technology and drivers merging has brought it to a peak.
 
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I live and ride in Charlotte and @Ikarus1 is absolutely right about the roads around here. Certain times and routes I just will not attempt on 2 wheels.

I feel terrible about what your wife is going through. Be strong for her she's going to need you.
 
Wow, a little Final Destination'ish for sure. Prayers for your wife's coping. Though, if she's a nurse, she probably will cope better than most.
 
Ikarus1 said:
I want to preface my probably taken as inflammatory comments about street (and all) motorcycles:

I love riding motorcycles. Dad was a vintage 60s motorcross guy and he owned Honda 750s throughout my early childhood. I was a baby when Dad put me on my first big 2 stroke (Yamaha IT400) and rode wheelies in the yard.
I owned a Honda 50 monkeybike before I rode bicycles on pavement. I rode on the back of a streetbike to elementary school ALOT. But that was a different time when there were less people on NC roads and less technology distracted the eff out of everyone.
I wrecked a large streetbike when I was 19 and walked away. It happened by being a bit distracted and someone turning left in front of me without signaling on a 2 lane highway. Still have a bad scar where the faceshield busted and cut me bad. I could have died or been crippled for life. I would have never known what it was like to get married, have 3 awesome children and a generally all around great life.

FVCK riding on public streets especially highways. I have owned bikes my entire life, been around hardcore riders forever it seems. But if you value life and limb, don't ride on public streets. Period.

It literally hurts me to type that, but the golden age of 2 wheels on pavement is gone and over.
Maybe one day, when cage-widlding idiots are actually NOT DRIVING THEMSELVES it will again be safe for bikers.
But today, that probably one of the most dangerous legal activities a person can do is to join in with oblivious selfish morons in vehicles that weight 5 times what you do.

I don't care if you're Valentino Rossi, you cannot avoid it over a lifetime of riding nowadays. There's too many cagers that just don't GAF.
Click to expand...
This is true and sucks... the worstest part is Iā€™m responding driving in Atlanta traffic.


Kidding about driving!
I stopped driving a street bike 30+ years ago when I was still bullet proof. Slammed into too many cars that pulled out and didnā€™t see me, even with 3 halogen lights on.
 
Damn man, sorry to hear this..I know my wife would be a mess if this happened to her. Hopefully she can accept that its not her fault and move on. Sounds like she has good support which will definetly help.
 
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