Rider dies locally, be safe

[Alfatango1]

Although I didn't know the rider I know the girl who was directly behind him when it happened. She leads rides up Mt. Palomar for a Sportbike group I belong to. She is so distraught she's decided not to ride for a while. Can't say I blame her. Her email explaining the crash is not very descriptive and I'm not going to push her for more details but here's the link:

http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/01/08/marine-dies-in-motorcycle-accident-near-palomar-mountain/

 

[oh9bolt]

RIP [sad]

 

[beaterbaja]

RIP

 

[Stevenc150]

...a Marine too. [sad] Very sorry to hear - Take care out there fellas.

 

[BuddhaBuell]

RIP

 

[Arkitek]

Wow that sounds like just an everyday right turn! No foul play and a Marine... Very sad news. RIP.

 

[Alfatango1]

Yea, I don't know if he's a new rider, just spaced out or what. I guess we'll never know

 

[ATFIII]

Rest in peace brother. Ride safe gents, this incident should not have even happened.

 

[anrkizm95]

Yea, I don't know if he's a new rider

The marine was actually a motorcycle safety instructor and had successful motorcycle racing career after high school which he quit to join the marine corp. He rode palomar on a weekly basis so it wasn’t inexperience or lack of training that caused his death

 

[Alfatango1]

Wow, I guess when Irene decides to tell more of what she saw we'll get more of a picture of what happened. Maybe it was something mechanical. Either way it sucks. Prayers for his family

 

[garyphantom222]

Yeah,prayers out to his family,we all know that sometimes we have no control over what can happen,just try to be as safe and alert as possible.

 

[Alfatango1]

Here's another email from Irene, she is from Spain, hence the broken English:

1* Was him a member from Twist of Fate? (A north county San Diego riding group)

No, and to my knowledge I think he was not a member from any other motorcycle meetup group.



2* Was this a meetup event?

No. Sunday I decided to ride by my self. I did not posted it on the meetup and pretty much almost no body knew that I was going to ride that day.



3* Was this ride a large group?

No. When the accident happen was just him and me in our way to home.



4* Was him a new rider?

No. He was an expert riders with a lot of experience. Even at Palomar he was teaching me some good lines.



5* Was the accident at Palomar Mountain?

No. Was on the 76. A few miles far from Palomar.



6* Was he going fast?

Fast enough to kill himself when he impacted against the guard rail (about 40mph). Not fast enough to kill himself if he ended without hitting that damn guard rail. It should ended just as one more silly and slow low side. Not fast at all for that curve, and not even going over the speed limit (which is 55mph). Exactly after we left Palomar, he slowed down the speed and we started to cruise. I remember before that curve, I was riding with my left arm resting in the tank. (Just for your information: For those one that never had been in a bike accident, you don´t need high speed to kill your self. At my age of 18. I was between life and death because I hit a car while riding my 50cc bike at about 30mph. If you don´t hit anything, probably you will be good even at 80mph crash; BUT!, if you have the bad luck of hit something, your chances will be way different).



7* Why the accident happened?

I still making that question to myself again and again and again. I was right behind him. Everything looked perfect. I only can guess that after a half way in the curve for some reason that I don´t know, he lost the concentration or he was distracted by something.



Irene





P.S.: Thank you to all of you for your messages. I felt loved and supported by all of you; and that mean A LOT to me. Thank you for being there!

 

[killerBUELL]

It always makes you think when you lose a fellow biker. Condolences and best wishes to the fellows family. You never know when your time is up.

 

[netty2424]

Strange accident! RIP

 

[Stevenc150]

Just for your information: For those one that never had been in a bike accident, you don´t need high speed to kill your self.

Words of wisdom to take from this...