The Things I've Seen

[Keyser Soze]

Pretty good post from a rider on the Barf forums

Of my years of riding on infamous backroads such as Highway 9/Woodside areas/ infamous Highway 1, Skaggs, and other roads I forgot the names of, I've seen quite a bit of crashes and it's aftermath....

I came upon a body where the head was twisted completely around on the body lying in the middle of Highway 35.....I didn't know the person nor did anyone else....just a nameless person who was out there to enjoy the day as everyone else...

I had to hold the jugular vein of a woman's neck after she went head on into a van's bumper after crossing the double yellow over a blind hill resulting in tearing her jaw off and barely passing out from shock and lost of blood only to find out she just started to ride but had a chip on her shoulder to prove something to someone which only thing she proved was how easily one can lose a life....

I had to explain to San Mateo Sheriffs and CHP how a young man was decapitated after going off the road and into barbwire fence on a goat trail on Pescadero.....

I had to direct traffic, give statements to best of my knowledge after 2 Ducati riders went head with each other on 84 and one was literally split in half while staring at his liver and organs in the middle of the road.....

I watch as an ambulance crew put a yellow tarp over the body of a recent father of his first child leaving his wife a widow after he hit a mail box on 84 just before the Fire Station.....

I had to take apart a guardrail to pull out a leg of a rider who target fixated and went over the hill only to have his leg caught underneath his FZR1000...

I hold in my arms a good friend who I had to watch his life fade from his eyes after he highsided and had his bike crush and puncture his lungs and heart only to remember him crying for his mother who he hasn't seen in years and was to have dinner the same night as his tragic death only to tell his mother what had happened and watch his family break down in front of me asking me why do we ride...

Then there are countless broken bones that needed first aids to after a rider was trying to keep up with the faster guys or those who got scrapes and scratches all over which are the lucky ones.....

And I'll also never forget only to be laughing, joking around, going out for a ride one weekend only to find out they were killed while riding on the same roads theyve seen 100s of times....

With the internet, I witness the body of a good friend lying on the road with a car on fire in the background.....

If you're wondering why I'm posting this, well, let me say if you don't want to be or watch friends go through the same thing, then slow the hell down on the streets......

ALL THESE ACCIDENTS AND DEATH COULD OF BEEN PREVENTED AND THESE VERY LIVES COULD OF BEEN STILL WITH US LAUGHING IT UP WITH THE REST OF US ON BARF...

There are NO prizes for the fastest rider and the ONLY REWARD worth deserving is coming home safely and to hug your loved ones another day.....

Please be safe out there and leave your ego and pride at home ....

[Dr. Joe Siphek]

One of your best thread's ever rob! :up:

pretty gruesome to read each little paragraph, but the last 4 paragraphs say it all.

[mclarke]

pretty moving.. makes you think twice about some of the times (and i know everyone here has done it) has pushed it a little to far, but you have come out of it. Passed the slow car on a double lane, sped through an area you know you shouldnt be, show off a little, amoung other things.

We all need to think twice about the way we ride. It is dangerous enough as it is, why do a lot of riders expedentially increase there chances to get hurt? Riding is a very fun, exciting spot. But just as much fun, it is also dangerous.

What really gets me is the no helmet thing...
Why o fucking why would anyone not wear a helmet? In my eyes you are insane enough to belong in a hospital. What are you without your head?

For those of you who dont ride without a helmet dont take offense, but I see you as careless and dumb.

[RAGrote]

Watched as a riding partner tried to drive through the trailer of a semi. Picked him up with a 2x4 and a dust bin...

Watched as a friend got thrown through the window of his truck and bleed to death in front of me after he lost control and flipped, while I was following him on my bike....

Dug blood clots, bone and teeth out of a person's mouth to try to clear the airway after she went face first into the pavement trying to emergency brake, knowing full well she was dead and there was nothing I could do for her...


Sometimes life just gives you too much reality... :( :( :(

[Nick_Ninja]

Try taking off a helmet to manage the patients airway and having the head split in two pieces. I'm not a medic any more due to crap like that.

[EliR6]

I learned to ride on those roads, and conitinued to ride them for years. I was lucky enough not to see TOO MUCH of that sort of thing, but if you ride up there long enough, you'll see some pretty gruesome stuff. I've seen more than my share of road rash, also compound fractures in legs and arms, broken collar bones, and a dislocated shoulder. I've seen a bike that was cut in half by a car, and (you guessed it) a plastic yellow tarp over the body of the rider. I even crashed on Hwy 9 myself, and left quite a bit of skin there. Thankfully that was the only time I've crashed on the street. Seeing any one of those things is sobering. It's a wonder so many people still ride so agressively on the streets.

It's hard to say after reading this post, but if you've never ridden around the Bay Area, you're missing out on the best roads in the country (IMO) and yes, I've been to Deal's gap. The two places are comparible, but I knew the NorCal roads better, so I think they're more fun.

Rob, what was the screenname of the person who posted that?

Eli

[Keyser Soze]

The guy's screenname is V4.

[EVO8]

I've done some pretty messed up things and crazy stunts when I was younger, I've crashed a total of 3 bikes. Once in the snow (comming home from Cali): I did this every weekened, once in Golden canyon (75mph) and once in Vegas with the Las Vegas Extreme boys (doing stupid stunts on the highway).
Yeah, 2 broken ribs, left collar bone, tore all the muscles on my left side and finally quit for 6 years. Now the R1 has lured me back but this time I have too much to live for so I only ride on a nice day and around the speed limit.
Take it easy on the street guys, I know the power of these new bikes are very addicting. For me, it's not about proving anything on the streets, it was just the pure addrenalin of accelleration of 1-100mph in seconds. If you do it enough (going around the canyons at 100+mph), it just gets to be very slow and boring. My old crew and I use to do canyons close to 100mph between 12am-5am because running in the daylight was just plain boring and not fun anymore. Those days are long gone and I have alot of respect for life now so please take it slow.