[Dr Dave]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...eed-limit.html

This is terrible....a motorcyclist chased and filmed his best friend at speeds of over 170mph before he was killed in a road accident, a court heard....

This is why bikes scare the crap outta me - I know the accident here wasn't caused by the biker, but seeing them cover ground at that speed makes me wince!

[willhollin]

[Dr Dave]

Quite sad watching the vid isn't it? Knowing what is going to happen.

I think your sums it up quite well, Will.

[mikem]

Awful.

Looks like the car he clipped was overtaking a stationary White Escort. I`d say the car should`ve seen the bike coming in his mirrors but we all know how easy it can be for a bike to suddenly appear over your shoulder.

As an experienced biker I would`ve expected him to have read that situation a little better, I guess we all make mistakes `tho and this guys paid with his life.

[Steve A]

every biker thinks it wont happen to them, but it can and it does.

I honestly feel more sorry for the van driver who couldnt help running over him.

then again any death is tragic apart from say sadams and the like.

[MMAJNKE]

damn that is sad i ve been riding for like 5+ years have to always ride safe

[Carrera RSR]

Many people will read into who was at fault, but the car clearly didn't check his mirrors before making his move. The road was clearly too narrow for three cars abreast so not sure what he was thinking. A real nasty accident that could have been avoided.

[zltm089]

why was the friend filming anyways? were they on a fun day out at breaking speed limits?

They were riding so fast with so many cars around! Unfortunately, by going so fast, he didn't see that the car was going to overtake the white one....

bikes are so dangerous and can cause so many accidents! I drive to work everyday, and so many bikers drive dangerously!!! let alone going over the speed limit...

[alcook]

That hashed area the van moved into can be entered if 'it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so' Highway code rule 130. You could argue whether it was necessary as that white vehicle was moving slowly....

I'm sure that van driver, or any of us, would not expect a motorcycle to be closing at 100MPH.... Even if he did see it briefly before making the move, can we all honestly say we'd expect that sort of closing speed? Possibly if you were a biker, but even then, that's a crazy closing speed so close from coming off a slow speed environment like a roundabout....

Their previous speeds gave clear indication of their intent. IT was poor riding in the extreme in a busy congested space...

Being a biker I can appreciate what they experiencing, but I can't put the blame on anyone but the biker....

[foxy-367]

I'd second that, whilst not a biker I cannot say I fully understand riding but as I have mates who ride I try to look out for and provide more space for bikes. I think you can blame both driver and rider, as you say alcook the driver may have checked his mirrors but not expected the bike to be closing at 100mph but should still not have been overtaking but the biker shouldn't have been passing a line of cars at 100mph. Its a tragic incident and I'm sure the guy who was following will be punished more by the loss of his friend than any sentence which could be handed out.

There are too many idiot bikers out there with mega bikes that are capable of silly speeds. Cars are bad enough but bikes scare the living bejesus out of me.

[NFS]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

I know the accident here wasn't caused by the biker

Very sad.

Watching the film it seems to me that the chap who died was 100% to blame for the accident.

The car that was overtaking indicated for a few seconds before slowly pulling out to pass.

The biker doesn't seem to slow, but instead seems intent on sneaking round the car as it's overtaking. Maybe it wasn't deliberate and he was simply closing too fast, but it definitely wasn't the car drivers fault.

When you are planning an overtake you do look for other vehicles who may be overtaking you - but no one would expect a bike to be closing up at that speed AND even it the driver did see him you would expect the biker to give way.

The court obviously felt that the only parties to blame were the bikers.

Extremely sad.

[reset]

unfortunate that these kind of accidents happen... but the blame solely goes to the biker.

[alcook]

His mate following may have gotten away with his 3 year ban and two year suspended sentence, but as in these caes where cameras are used.. they usually end up primary evidence..

[Z22Z]

Originally Posted by NFS

Very sad.

Watching the film it seems to me that the chap who died was 100% to blame for the accident.

The car that was overtaking indicated for a few seconds before slowly pulling out to pass.

The biker doesn't seem to slow, but instead seems intent on sneaking round the car as it's overtaking. Maybe it wasn't deliberate and he was simply closing too fast, but it definitely wasn't the car drivers fault.

When you are planning an overtake you do look for other vehicles who may be overtaking you - but no one would expect a bike to be closing up at that speed AND even it the driver did see him you would expect the biker to give way.

The court obviously felt that the only parties to blame were the bikers.

Extremely sad.

i agree that the biker is to blame as well, however, when it comes to bikes, expecting them to give way is not an assumption you want to make. whenever i see a bike riding in traffic i know he is going to pass between lanes. i move to the opposite side of my lane and give him as much room as i can. what is sad is how badly the other biker's body got torn up. im pretty sure he isn't going to get over seeing his childhood friend decapitated and without legs anytime soon.

[zltm089]

Originally Posted by NFS

Very sad.

Watching the film it seems to me that the chap who died was 100% to blame for the accident.

The car that was overtaking indicated for a few seconds before slowly pulling out to pass.

The biker doesn't seem to slow, but instead seems intent on sneaking round the car as it's overtaking. Maybe it wasn't deliberate and he was simply closing too fast, but it definitely wasn't the car drivers fault.

When you are planning an overtake you do look for other vehicles who may be overtaking you - but no one would expect a bike to be closing up at that speed AND even it the driver did see him you would expect the biker to give way.

The court obviously felt that the only parties to blame were the bikers.

Extremely sad.

+1
definitely the biker was so wrong! TOO FAST! and "pushing in" at that speed ...The car was just doing a "normal" overtaking...I do feel sorry all the other people around who must be shocked!

[NFS]

Originally Posted by Z22Z

expecting them to give way is not an assumption you want to make

What you don't expect is for a biker to try to 'push' a car driver into aborting an overtake.

In a 50:50 situation it's pretty much common sense for the smaller vehicle to give way, purely out of self preservation.

If I was driving a car in the outer lane of a dual carriageway and a 40 tonne HGV started to pull into my lane in front of me I wouldn't try to assert my position. I'd slap on the anchors and get out of his way.

I agree though, this must have been truly dreadful for everyone involved.

[- Paul -]

How quick a life can be extinguished. Sad and shocking to see the impact on film.

[Dr Dave]

Yep, in less than 3 secs the whole life is over. Very sad indeed.

[dxb335d]

Very sad, R.I.P

But although the biker was in the wrong and being pushy, the car pulled out without checking his mirror and went to overtake on the white lined central reservation bit which illegal.

[NFS]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Very sad, R.I.P

But although the biker was in the wrong and being pushy, the car pulled out without checking his mirror and went to overtake on the white lined central reservation bit which illegal.

It was a broken white line with diagonal hatching.

Covered by the Highway Code here (rule 130):

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...code/DG_070306

Originally Posted by highway code

Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right.

if the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so

In the car drivers case, it was clearly safe to enter as any vehicle approaching from behind would reasonably be expected to give way. Unfortunately, as it turned out the biker either decided not to give way, was not paying attention to the car, or was travelling at such excessive speed that they could not react to the situation in time.

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by NFS

It was a broken white line with diagonal hatching.

Covered by the Highway Code here (rule 130):

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...code/DG_070306



In the car drivers case, it was clearly safe to enter as any vehicle approaching from behind would reasonably be expected to give way. Unfortunately, as it turned out the biker either decided not to give way, was not paying attention to the car, or was travelling at such excessive speed that they could not react to the situation in time.

How was it clear...

The guy in the car went to overtake with a camper van coming...

[trixman]

It's the risk you run. Every biker knows it and, to a degree, accepts that's the deal if you are pushing on. I've always had the idea that that is the reason you get nods from fellow bikers, why the kinship is stronger than in cars.

One of the reasons I gave my bike up in the end. Part of the biking forum I was on was losing a member every month or so and it was sobering after a while. That and the fact I'm completely p*ssywhipped.