I was put very early this morning/late last evening on a late-night ride, as usual. I came over the bridge and down into Gulf Shores when I came across a road full of ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles. I figured there must have been a pretty bad accident as they had the entire road (all 5 lanes) blocked to traffic, but did not think much of it. After a bit more riding I made a stop at the beach, again as usual, only to find out that the wreck had been a motorcycle that T-boned a car that pulled out in front of it with a drunk driver behind the wheel.
It was not until later that I found out that it was a friend of mine. Two local girls were riding up the main highway at a higher speed than they should have, even with it being the off-season and virtually a ghost-town. A drunk driver pulled out onto the highway in front of them. One was able to swerve and miss the car but the other rider did not react fast enough to avoid the collision. She t-boned the car, most likely killing her instantly.
It is just sad to see another friend gone to the hobby and because of two poor decisions. The first is some asshat that decided it was okay to get behind the wheel of a car after spending the night at a bar drinking. It goes without saying that this is unacceptable. The second poor decision, and reason I place fault with the rider too, was the fact that two friends were "goofing" around in a delinquent way in an area that is too-often busy. Wrong time, wrong place.
This was a young girl, absolutely beautiful, going to college, ,a great outlook on life, and an amazing attitude rarely found in girls of her beauty. She had far too long to live for such a tragedy to happen to her.
So I want to urge everyone here to be safe. Riding is inherently dangerous enough when you think of how many things can go wrong from mechanical failure, traction failure, and even rider-error. Adding in unnecessary risk and poor judgement often equals disaster, or in this case, tragedy.
Keep the stupid riding for the right time, in the right place, and do so mitigating as much risk as possible. Down the main highway of a town is simply not the right place. Wear your gear, ride within your limits, mitigate as much risk as possible, ride smart, and stay alive.
It was not until later that I found out that it was a friend of mine. Two local girls were riding up the main highway at a higher speed than they should have, even with it being the off-season and virtually a ghost-town. A drunk driver pulled out onto the highway in front of them. One was able to swerve and miss the car but the other rider did not react fast enough to avoid the collision. She t-boned the car, most likely killing her instantly.
It is just sad to see another friend gone to the hobby and because of two poor decisions. The first is some asshat that decided it was okay to get behind the wheel of a car after spending the night at a bar drinking. It goes without saying that this is unacceptable. The second poor decision, and reason I place fault with the rider too, was the fact that two friends were "goofing" around in a delinquent way in an area that is too-often busy. Wrong time, wrong place.
This was a young girl, absolutely beautiful, going to college, ,a great outlook on life, and an amazing attitude rarely found in girls of her beauty. She had far too long to live for such a tragedy to happen to her.
So I want to urge everyone here to be safe. Riding is inherently dangerous enough when you think of how many things can go wrong from mechanical failure, traction failure, and even rider-error. Adding in unnecessary risk and poor judgement often equals disaster, or in this case, tragedy.
Keep the stupid riding for the right time, in the right place, and do so mitigating as much risk as possible. Down the main highway of a town is simply not the right place. Wear your gear, ride within your limits, mitigate as much risk as possible, ride smart, and stay alive.