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I'm always reminded every time I get on a motorcycle of what a good close friend of mine once told me:
He held up a cigarette at arms length to demonstrate; " This is enough to completely block a cager's view of a motorcycle at 100 yards".
A windshield wiper, the "A"-pillar, a *Bird Splat* (or bugsplat), - all these things are far wider than a lowly cigarette. This doesn't even take into account all the "background noise" that serves to mask us from those who aren't paying attention to us anyway. Or distractions coming from inside the cage (you ever been inside a Police Cruiser? - Distraction City).
At 60mph, you're traveling at what - 88ft per second? That's less than 4 seconds away. Given reaction time of a second to register the threat (-88ft), a second to react and get off the gas and on the brakes (-88again), how much time and distance do you have left?
If you're paying attention, have good tires, good traction, braking system in top shape, reflexes as good as I outlined above, and have actually PRACTICED Emergency Braking techniques and can bring one down as quick as guys like Sean, you *just barely* have enough time and space to save your life.
Just.
Remove any one of those things, and you have a tragedy in the making.
Mind, I'm not excusing the Trooper. I'm not commenting on the punishment one way or another, period. But maybe, just MAYBE, the Trooper wasn't 100% at fault here.
I'm also not saying the motorcyclist is even 1% at fault. But these things happen.
You're taking your life in your hands every time you walk out your front door, let alone getting in a car or straddling a motorcycle - so act like it.
The article is from the News Media - you think they're going to print how distraught and torn-up the guy is over killing someone? Not unless it's more sensational to make it look like the guy has false sorrow, just to "get out of trouble" or get a Judge to take pity on him.
Practice these things, your life just may depend on it. If not for yourself, think of the people who will be left grieving your absence.
-Scott
He held up a cigarette at arms length to demonstrate; " This is enough to completely block a cager's view of a motorcycle at 100 yards".
A windshield wiper, the "A"-pillar, a *Bird Splat* (or bugsplat), - all these things are far wider than a lowly cigarette. This doesn't even take into account all the "background noise" that serves to mask us from those who aren't paying attention to us anyway. Or distractions coming from inside the cage (you ever been inside a Police Cruiser? - Distraction City).
At 60mph, you're traveling at what - 88ft per second? That's less than 4 seconds away. Given reaction time of a second to register the threat (-88ft), a second to react and get off the gas and on the brakes (-88again), how much time and distance do you have left?
If you're paying attention, have good tires, good traction, braking system in top shape, reflexes as good as I outlined above, and have actually PRACTICED Emergency Braking techniques and can bring one down as quick as guys like Sean, you *just barely* have enough time and space to save your life.
Just.
Remove any one of those things, and you have a tragedy in the making.
Mind, I'm not excusing the Trooper. I'm not commenting on the punishment one way or another, period. But maybe, just MAYBE, the Trooper wasn't 100% at fault here.
I'm also not saying the motorcyclist is even 1% at fault. But these things happen.
You're taking your life in your hands every time you walk out your front door, let alone getting in a car or straddling a motorcycle - so act like it.
The article is from the News Media - you think they're going to print how distraught and torn-up the guy is over killing someone? Not unless it's more sensational to make it look like the guy has false sorrow, just to "get out of trouble" or get a Judge to take pity on him.
Practice these things, your life just may depend on it. If not for yourself, think of the people who will be left grieving your absence.
-Scott
