sonavabeech Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Below is an article of another motorcycle fatality. Mary Ellen was/is the aunt of a friend of mine back home in NC. I was told that she wasn't new to riding but still had not been riding on her own bike for very long.Anyway, even though I've been riding for over three whole years, I still consider myself an unexperienced rider. The worst that I have dealt with was riding in torrential rain and having to ride/jump over a spare tire laying in the road in the middle of the night going down I-71 in a construction zone. It skeered me real good! Didn't ride for about a month!I still hate hate hate riding close to semi's. Sometimes a mad-man wheel jockey will fly by and I can feel the pull of the wind sucking me in towards the underside of the trailer. I hate hate hate that. I even feel like I feel it when I am passing a semi so I get by them as fast as I can and stay away from them. I don't want to be in the blind spot of a semi any longer that I have to be either.I didn't get any other details of what exactly may have happened. I didn't feel it was a good time to ask if ever there is a good time to do so. I'm guessing she may have possibly gotten spooked by that feeling I get when I'm around semi's and moved her self too much.I hope I don't sound lame but as a bit of advice / reminder to any rider of any skill level, know your comfort zone for riding and stay calm and focused if your not in that zone. It'll help you get through it to be able to ride another day.http://www.theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080707/NEWS01/807070318/-1/NEWS17A 48-year-old Clarksville woman died Sunday afternoon after she lost control of her motorcycle and ran into a tractor-trailer on state Highway 48/13 near Ramblewood Drive, officials said.Mary Ellen Stokes was driving her motorcycle south on Highway 48/13 just after 2 p.m. when the wreck happened, said Laura McPherson, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.Stokes was in the right lane alongside a tractor-trailer in the left lane when she lost control, McPherson said. Stokes and the tractor-trailer were heading the same direction.Stokes lost control of her motorcycle, swerved right then back to the left when her bike went under the tractor-trailer truck, McPherson said.Trooper Rick Vien is investigating the wreck. McPherson said troopers didn't know on Sunday why Stokes lost control of her motorcycle.Troopers had no reason to suspect alcohol was a factor in the wreck, McPherson said.Nobody else was injured.The truck was driven by James D. Maxfield, 52, of New Hampshire.No other vehicles were involved in the wreck, though Stokes' husband was riding a motorcycle just ahead of her, McPherson said.The wreck backed up traffic, and the road was reopened late Sunday afternoon.McReynolds-Nave & Larson Funeral Home is handling funeral arrangements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinjaNick Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 That is horrible! I can't imagine how that husband felt seeing that. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomcat0403 Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I feel the same way about semis, my dad was a truck driver and i know that they are generally better drivers than regular motorists, but the sheer physics of the wind sheer will pull you in or push you away. I do that same and pass them quickly to get through the wind and to get in and out of the blind spot. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAMBUSA Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 That sux. I hate semis. Another reason to ship via rail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kawi kid Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 i came around an up hill blind corner and there was a semi sitting with the hazards on and i about had him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinjaNick Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I've had it happen once or twice, be out riding a country road and pop over a hill and SURPRISE...a HUGE tractor taking up both lines! Huge pucker factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magley64 Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I'm sorry to hear that...personally I feel safer around semis than any other vehicle. Typically they have more rigorous "training" when it comes to driving...my least favorite vehicles to be around are those F350/3500 dually diesel mini-semis, and hummers that many idiots commute in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 personally I feel safer around semis than any other vehicle. Typically they have more rigorous "training" when it comes to driving...id agree with that. semi drivers are probably much better drivers than cagers.however there are 2 things that i dont like about being around semis, other than the wind... 1 is stopping distance. i dont like to have a semi somewhat close behind me. what if i have to stop very quickly? a 400lb motorcycle is going to stop a LOT quicker than an 60,000lb semi truck.2 is blown tires. youve seen the retreads lying on the side of the freeway... they are bad enough if they are in your lane. imagine them exploding at 65 mph right next to you. not cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustinsn3485 Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 2 is blown tires. youve seen the retreads lying on the side of the freeway... they are bad enough if they are in your lane. imagine them exploding at 65 mph right next to you. not cool.It sounds like a shotgun blast too! One of the scary moments I wish I haven't had to experience.After working in receiving and dealing with a lot of semi drivers, I'm skeptical of which trucks have the good drivers and which don't. A lot of the guys I deal with have been driving overnight or haven't slept in 20-30 hours. It makes you wonder.Any other vehicle in close proximity to a bike is bad. My .02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magley64 Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 id agree with that. semi drivers are probably much better drivers than cagers.however there are 2 things that i dont like about being around semis, other than the wind... 1 is stopping distance. i dont like to have a semi somewhat close behind me. what if i have to stop very quickly? a 400lb motorcycle is going to stop a LOT quicker than an 60,000lb semi truck.2 is blown tires. youve seen the retreads lying on the side of the freeway... they are bad enough if they are in your lane. imagine them exploding at 65 mph right next to you. not cool.no argument here, agree with both of those points:plus1:we stop faster than anything else on the road, except maybe a lotus... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kawi kid Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 I've had it happen once or twice, be out riding a country road and pop over a hill and SURPRISE...a HUGE tractor taking up both lines! Huge pucker factor.my vison of my own death is like that only the tractor has a round bale prong on the rear of it and i impale myself on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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