Image via OnScene TV/YouTube
Many motorcyclists derisively refer to people in cars as “cagers” because of the safety cage which surrounds them. Those on a bike don’t enjoy such protection, so the assumption is that in collisions between motorcycles and cars, riders are the ones who lose every time. While oftentimes that’s the case, it isn’t always true.
Fleeing motorcyclist jumps into river for a ridiculous escape attempt.
A collision between a sedan and a motorcycle in Fontana, California on June 26 shows a different outcome. Police believe speed was a factor, at least for the rider but it isn’t clear if they believe the sedan was also speeding. Either way, not only was the motorcyclist declared dead at the scene, so was the driver of the sedan.
Speeding motorcycles can hit vehicles with ferocity. We’ve seen them embed themselves into engine bays as well as render the safety cage of a car almost useless.
This flies in the face of what many riders want to believe: that motorcyclists are the only ones whose lives are at risk in a crash. It simply isn’t true. In fact, if you’re speeding on your bike, you’re putting the lives of car drivers and passengers at risk. Colliding with one of them could not only end your life but the lives of some “cagers.”
While in areas like Southern California it’s always prime weather for riding, in other parts the summer is when many get out on their motorcycle and look for fun and the feeling of freedom. It’s easy to get caught up in that, twist the throttle, and just enjoy the wind in your face. Just remember, riding fast through city streets with cross traffic and other hazards that pop up almost out of nowhere is tremendously risky.
You’re not just putting your own life on the line for some summertime diversion, you’re doing the same for everyone else sharing the road.
Image via OnScene TV/YouTube
