Motorcycle Accident on Hwy 53

[Mickey 1]

As I was driving south on Hwy 53 about a 1/2 hour out of I-Falls about 8:30am this morning there was a motorcycle burning in the northbound lane and a seemingly dead motorcyclist lying on the road. The traffic was stopped both ways and numerous people were around the victim but does anybody know what happened? Was there anyone else hurt? Very sad ending to a vacation but, it gave me a chance to talk with my son about how quickly lives can change and how we should enjoy the time we have with family/friends. Very tragic scene with the other motorcyclists(part of the victims group I assume) seemingly in shock. My heart goes out to the victims family and friends. God Bless you all, Mickey 1

[Duck Hunter]

Motorcyclist killed in St. Louis County

As from the Star Tribune
A 56-year-old motorcyclist from International Falls, Minn., was killed Saturday morning in St. Louis County in an accident involving two other vehicles.
The victim, whose name has not been released, was heading south on Hwy. 53 about 8:50 a.m. when he lost control of the motorcycle and crossed into oncoming traffic, the State Patrol said.

The motorcycle sideswiped a boat trailer being towed by a truck and, after the motorcyclist laid his cycle down, he and it were struck by another vehicle, the patrol said.

No one in the other two vehicles was seriously injured.

The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, the patrol said.


TOM FORD

[dclhomes]

WE came by also. Didn't look good. If you ride Neil says it's not "if" but "when " you'll have a cycle accident.

[walteye]

My heart goes out to the family and friends of the riders. It is not a wrong statement as to when-I've had two and seriously thought about getting rid of my Harley after the last one (slid on gravel in a turn)- but I love it so much (both my Harley and the riding). Unfortunetely-we all have a destiny that is predetermined and we cannot control, if one thing doesn't get you-another will. Prayers to all....
Walteye

[Tom B]

>WE came by also. Didn't look good. If you ride Neil says it's
>not "if" but "when " you'll have a cycle accident.

I really disagree with that. If you take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, you lower your chances dramatically. I've been riding for 25+ years and have yet to be in a cycle crash.

I heard about the crash while in Grand Rapids to participate in a motorcycle racing event. Sounded like the guy laid his bike down on purpose, something an MSF instructor would tell you to never, ever do on purpose.

Tom B

[Mickey 1]

My thoughts and prayers also go out to the people in the 2 vehicles that were involved in yesterday's accident. I don't know how I could ever be the same if I was the driver of the vehicle that he sideswiped/hit, even if it wasn't my fault. Just a horrific scene that sticks in your mind.

[Not A Fan]

Motorcycles are as dangerous as cigarettes, but death comes much quicker. The goverment should NOT ban them because as we all know that doesn't work because banning alcohol didn't work did it? What should happen is the goverment should tax motorcycles out of existance just like they do cigarettes currently. Slap a 50% tax on new motorcyles and a huge tax on motorcycle license plates and the 2 wheel death machine will go away like the 8 track tape player. The remaining rich jokers that continue to kill themselves on them need to have laws passed requiring cyclists to have contastrophic health care that covers nursing home care for the rest of a cylclist's life when he is in a vegatative state or is a quadra-palegic for the rest of his life or is on a breathing machine like SUPERMAN CHRIS REEVES. That insurance cost alone will run a minimum of 1800-5000 per month to ride a motorcycle and that will bust the backs of at least 80% of the 2 wheel death riders. The remaining idiots that pay the insurance AND the tax will be killed off in wrecks and it will only be a short time when they cease to ride the rodes without helmets. Another good idea that needs to be looked at is not allowing motorcyclists on public streets or highwways just like cigarette smoking and handgun ownership in Hew York City. Cigarette smoking is not allowed on public owned property in most places and laws have been passed to ban smoking in CA's eateries. Let the motorcylcle guy ride around in circles in his own back yard. POOF----no more motor cyclists to be butchered on America's streets and highways. The tax payer shouldn't be funding a known death machines like motorcycles and cigarettes.

Don't ban anything--------just TAX it to death and pass laws that make it expensive and illegal to use motorcyles on public streets. WORKS EVERY TIME. If they want to run a motorcycle on their own property----no big deal.

[Mark Klossner]

Lighten up Frances...geez

[You are kidding yourself]

Keep rolling the dice and the little old lady or the soccer Mom talking on the cell phone will pull out in front your 2 wheel death machine and kill you quicker than a bug on a windshield. In Michigan last week a 72 year old lady, "I never even seen that motorcycle coming", pulled out in front of a motorcylist that had all evasive training and had been riding 30 years -----HE WAS KILLED INSTANTLY....END OF STORY.

2 days later, a 52 year old GM worker driving a 4x4, made an illegal left hand turn in front of a motorcylclist and killed him INSTANTLY when his head was splattered against a steel street light post.

The fact remains, until they invent seat belts for motorcycles to keep the rider from flying through the air and into walls, cars, trees, posts, curbs....the carnage will continue. The good thing is that once a cyclist becomes dead he will not contribute to the gene pool to produce kids that will want to ride the 2 wheel death machine.

QUESTION...why did the goverment ban the manufactuer of 3 wheel ATVs and and not ban 2 wheel motor cycles??????? Makes you wonder doesn't it?

[rock2me]

Not A Fan,

You must be kidding. I was laughing as I read it but after I was done, it appears you are serious. Under what logic does this make sense?

Far more people are killed/maimed on the roads due to driving small fuel efficient cars that disintegrate after hitting a much larger vehicle. Do you suggest a punitive tax here?

Where next? Kenworth - for those large killing machines? Breyers Ice cream - fat content? Folgers - addictive caffeine? .... Where does it end?

Unfortunately, people die everyday by their own choices. Personal responsibility is YOUR responsiblity.

[Reels]

I wonder if this is the same guy that wanted to shoot the unleashed dog with a shotgun..... must be a full moon.


<{{}}><

[Jack G]

My son was paralyzed in 2000 when he was on his motorcycle, stopped in the road, waiting to make a left hand turn and a drunk driver slammed into him from the rear.

I had warned my son about the hazards of motorcycles and had told him that if he only risked getting killed it might be a better than the terrible crippling damage that could occur from an accident. He was not impressed with my concern and joked that his mechanic said that there are two kinds of people who ride motorcycles, those who have been down and those who are going down.

I do not object to people pursuing risky activities, but I do believe that they should not delude themselves about possible consequences. Motorcycle riders, mountain climbers, sky divers, race drivers, etc should realize the possible horrendous consequences of their activity and be willing to fully accept the consequences should the worst happen. They should realize the horrible pain and suffering that their loved ones will endure and should not expect that others will step up to meet the drastic challenges that will face them if they are badly crippled.

Every person has the right to chose their own path but they must accept the consequences of their decisions.

Jack

[doubleheader]

Jack G, so sorry for your son and family. I think you hit the nail right on the head, one needs to be aware of the risks and be willing to accept the responsibility. While I wouldn't say every cyclist will have an accident, many will, and for many it won't be their fault but they will be injured or die nontheless.
I have a small bike which I purchased last year. I've taken the motorcycle saftey training, and I ride with a helmet and most of the recommened safety gear back and forth to work. I'm one of those geek riders you see every once in awhile. Every time I get on the bike I tell myself "someone will try to kill me today, don't let it happen", yet I know that sometimes it's just beyond one's control. My kids are grown, but I worry for my wife if something happened to me. I do what I can to keep my risk to a minimum.
Tonight I'll say a prayer for your son and your family.

[hammer_gold_spinner]

Just talked to my brother who knew the guy very well. The guy just got into M/C riding this year. The reason he did was that he wanted to find something he could enjoy alone as his wife was hit head-on and killed by a pulp truck earlier this winter. The word is that other riders with him said that the cycle was in a sweeping curve and all of a sudden it wobbled a few times and shot over into the other lane hitting a utility trailer then after he hit the ground he was run over by another vehicle. Speed was not a cause. Real sad deal all around.

Mac

[Yup]

I bought my first bike in 1976 -- a Yamaha 650 vertical twin. I sold my last bike (AND I DO MEAN LAST!!) in March 2004 -- a Honda 1100 V-twin.

After numerous close calls, I decided riding wasn't fun anymore because I was always scared! Back when I was riding I used to tell my wife that if this was my last ride to at least understand that I died doing what I loved to do. But, at the end, the love was gone and was replaced by fear.

Bikes are so much fun because the rider is so exposed to the elements and surroundings. Unfortunately, that is what also makes them so dangerous.

I hope the deceased rider's family finds solace and then peace. For those folks with spinal cord injuries -- stem cell research folks have just announced results in re-establishing spinal cord function in lab mice. I hope it translates soon into help for humans.

[dog trainer]

Excuse me for not seeing the point here. wasn't christopher Reeves in a Horse Riding Accedent ? So should horse riding be banned. What about boating accidents. Where are the seat belts there. Besides we let the illeagls run wild here collecting insurance and benifits that we as citizens don't get, and we worry about what motorcycle accidents cost us????? our priorities may be a little screwed up here.

[Shovelhead]

Prayers go out to the tragic accident, but TO NOT A FAN who wants to ban cigerettes and motorcycles, I think there is a mental issue here ! I have been riding since I was 7 years old, I am now 47, sure you have to be careful, but you have to be careful on everything you do, should you outlaw ladders so you can not clean your gutters, becuase you can fall? Do you realize .2% of head injuries are motorcyle related? To NOT A FAN ease up and get real,do not judge.

[karpbuster]

I don't know if you are serious, I will assume you are dealing with something difficult in your life right now. I doubt that would make any difference, as far as banning things. I will take your suggestion as a "Be Careful". And thank you for that.

I hope everyone get's a chance to be careful and keep going, you make someone smile, just by thinking of you. Don't let it take you out of living your life. Prepare your soul and live your life.

karpbuster

I had a cousin thrown by a horse not hurt but killed, so horses, motorcycles it doesn't matter. Be careful, you are extremely valauble!

[Muskiefool]

Danger is everywhere, you can be roller blading down a bike path with your little foam helmet and all the appropriate pads and accoutrement, whistling and enjoying the breeze, when a Mad man jumps out and beats you to death with a hammer for your fanny pack and change purse, the point is live your life, everything is a chance, and you may not see tomorrow, Love life while you have some and if you die enjoying yourself God Bless, how would it have been less a tragedy had a crate fell on him at work, I wanna go out with a pig on the line.

[Not a Fan]

To Rock,

Here we go. The reason more people are killed in small cars is THERE is 100 times more small cars than 2 wheel death machines. There also 100 times MORE people that survive small car accidents than seat-beltless motorcycles. When was the last time you heard of a small car person being run over by the car in the opposing lane 12 times as with a flying body off a a 2 wheel death machine? Sorry to inform you, but your personal responsibility and right to kill yourself is being made by a higher power just like cigarettes. The goverment passed a law to ban the manufacturer of 3 wheel ATVs and the deaths on those ATVs was a .1 of the carnage created by motorcycles. The goverment bans advertising of cigarettes on ALL TV stations in the USA. It is about time we start taxing the Harley crowd onto private property to let them kill theirselves on their own time.

TAX Em Dano....Tax the 2 wheel seatbeltless death machines right out of existance. Works every time.

[NOT a Fan]

Full moon or no full moon, there are plenty of funeral homes that bury dead motorcycles guys and they don't care what phase the moon is at.

[Not a Fan]

I used Chris Reeves as a medical example of a person on breathing machine. READ BEFORE YOU POST KIND SIR!!!!

[NOT a fan]

You proved my point 100% This 2 wheel death machine rider killed himself and another motorist has a guilty conscience for running over him. Law enforcment personnal wasted their time and insurance companies are paying becauuse SOME 2 wheel death machine lover HAD THE RIGHT TO KILL HIMSELF????? YUP, THAT MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE TO ME!!!! TAX THEM TO DEATH JUST LIKE CIGARTTES.

[NOT A fan]

I NEVER said ban cigarettes I SAID TAX THEM TO DEATH and ban the cigarette advertising on TV and that is what is now happening. READ BEFORE YOU POST THERE BUDDY. BANNING ANYTHING WILL NOT WORK...REMEMBER PROHIBITION IN THE 1920S? DID THAT WORK? TAX IT DEATH and IT WILL WORK ...QUARANTEED.

[not A fan]

How many times has that type of death happened in the last year? In one week in one state's county 3 people were killed INSTANTLY on 2 wheel deathmachines. Why did they ban 3 wheel ATVS with less than 500 people killed in 15 years? Why have they banned cigarette smoking adverising on TV? TAX THE 2 Wheel death machines right into the stone age. NOT ONE PERSON HAS ANSWERED ANY OF MY 2 WHEEL DEATH MACHINE QUESTIONS. Motorcycles are a pain the arse for law enforcement, insurance companies, and certainily the people that get killed on them and the people in cars and trucks that kill them. Funeral homes love them though! Why hasn't the goverment put air bag, seat belt requirements, side impact standards on motorcycles like they hassle the automakers for?????

TAX THEM TO DEATH....IT WORKS

[Not a Fan]

Karpbuster,


Can you read? RE-READ the posts before you jump to state opinions. I never said to ban anything ...I SAID TAX IT DEATH. GO back and re-read my posts. GEEZUS. READ BEFORE YOU POST IN THE FUTURE.

[unlogged rock2me]

Not A Fan,

You are too fuuny. Except for the fact that there are others just like you. I'm talking about people who look to others for everything. I sure hope you do not live in the United States because that is not what the good old USA stands for.

I can send you pictures of me and my sons on Honda three wheelers. Man, they were fun! I also have pictures of me and my sons on motorcycles. A lot of good times. Surely, they were/are dangerous. However, LIFE is dangerous. Period. We do not need the government to protect us from ourselves at every turn.

If you are serious about curbing motorcycle use, like tobacco use, you also need to address alcohol, with extreme punitive taxes. The carnage that alcohol inflicts on society is easily ten-fold that of motorcycles. Then do not leave out the Dairy council for fattening up our kids - more punitive taxes. Please, also tax candy manufacturers like Nestle... come on back to reality.

I really love your higher power statement, too. You've hit the nail on the head with that one. Kneel down and worship the government, the keeper of all that empowers you. TeeHeeHee... but really sad.

Obviously, you must have a negative story to tell about motorcycles. Please, tell us your real story why you hate them. Your reply that the hundreds/thousands killed in small cars is just due to the numbers, tells me you do not care about lives saved. There is something in your past...

FYI - I do not ride street bikes anymore. I also was hit, sent flying, and had a long recovery. I also do not want any of my friends or family street riding today. There is no need for government involvement here. Education (and not public education - :o )

[Loose cannon]

Good thing Scott doesn't tax stupid comments because Not A Fan you would be broke.

[NOT a fan]

To Jack,

Sorry about your son but once again you prove my point 100%. A motorcyclist can be 100% in the right but still be just as dead or paralized. Is the taxpayer picking up the long term medical coverage for your son? Probably. I will bet dollars to donuts that that the U.S. Taxpayer is paying Social Security disability for his poor judgement? Why does the taxpayer have to pay for your son's poor judgement whether he was riding a 2 wheel death machine or smoking cigarettes so he could get cancer. I'm personally sick and tired of paying taxes to pay for other people's poor judgement and the goverment seems to be headed in that direction too.

TAX Motorcycles into the Stone age.

[NOT a Fan]

I never rode a 2 wheel death machine in my life, but then again I never put my finger in a hot blow torch either. We tried banning alcohol in the 1920s by constitutional amendmant called Prohibition and is was the worst failure in American legisaltive history. Read up on Prohibition if you doubt me. I agree that we have a greater carnage on people dying on the road with alcohol induced driving but until drunk drivers start getting executed for driving drunk and killing other people, IT WILL CONTINUE unabated. The U.S can't build nor can it afford the number of prisons it would take to house the drunkards that kill people.

[Thinking About Buying One]

I just looked at the Bad Dog bikes and the Iron Horse line . WOW what a step up from a Harley a true custom look . While I was looking at the Pit Bull line of Bad Dog bikes I told my brother we could both buy one and head out west for a year . But he was right our pictures would be on every milk carton made and we would have to come home sometime . I pray for the family and to God that my sons NEVER buy a bike .

[Not a fan]

I have not one single problem with motorcycles that you ride and kill yourself with on your own property, with youe own money, on your own time. What I have a problem with is, me the tax payer, and insurance premium payer paying/subsidizing for long term disability for the 2 wheel death machine riders. You pay the medical charges and you pay the catastrophic disability payments out of YOUR OWN POCKET and leave the taxpayer and insurance premium payer out of the equation of your right to kill yourself on a 2 wheel death machine. Make your motorcycle accident tax money free and I couldn't care less what you do. Matter of fact, when you splatter your head against a non movable object, why don't you pay for the law enforcement agency's time to investigate your accident. I think the police agencies have better thinngs to do that go out and write reports on stupid idiots who kill themselves on 2 wheel death machines. Besides, the chance of an elderly person EVER spending any time in a jail or prison for killing a motorcyclist is SLIM TO NONE and that is a FACT. A motorcylcle rider's death is cheap when it get to the court system and was caused by an old person or a single mother with kids. Those 2 groups just don't get any serious jail time do they?