Horrible Motorcycle Accident ,Steel cable Hwy Divider

[chip]

Took my I/S to get its  state safety inspection . An 8 mile Hwy ride from home. 2 miles out as I passed under a overpass the three cars in front of me made a panic stop, and swerved to the right shoulder. I was following far enough back I felt comfortable slowing in the left lane. Cars across the grassy median traveling in the opposite direction were just braking . I looked toward the on coming traffic trying to figure out my best escape from what ever was happening. Then I saw a motorcycle laying in the grass with dust still in the air ,front tire still turning. But there was a divider of three cables between it and me. I was trying to figure out how to get to the bikes location quickly . As I got closer the first vehicles doors were swinging open and another motorcyclist was getting off his bike. Thats when I visually located the rider. He had been heading north the same as I, and was forced off the road by a vehicle described as a black SUV,that had change lanes to avoid vehicles  merging on to the highway. The 29 yr old high school teacher / football coaches upper torso laid partially on the shoulder ,and partially in my lane. His body severed by the steel cable about 4 inches bellow his belly button, Lower half at least 30 ft away . Not being a policemen or paramedic I have been lucky enough to have never seen anything this bad. Neither half of the young mans body looked to have sustained serious cuts or compound fractures. Just one clean cut. I was feeling real sick. By the time I pulled over there were several people looking on from the shoulder ,two lanes away. Most likely feeling sick like myself. There were no passengers. Know one got the SUV's plate. I had read about the dangers of these cables. The other motorcyclist was his friend They had been ridding together. Very sad.

[Serk]

 

And then I got

 

Ever since they started putting those highway guillotines up I've been terrified of just that happening... I HATE those things...

Sorry you had to see that. I've seen a gruesome wreck (Non-motorcycle) a few years back, and I still get glimpses of it in my mind's eye when I'm least expecting it. I used to see a wreck and say "Oh goodie, I hope I get to see a body!"... I stopped saying that after I actually saw one...

[Daniel Meyer]

I've been bitching about those things since TXDOT started putting them up everywhere...they are low, concealed (usually by grass), usually put in places that would have normally made a decent "run-off"...and as you just described...it will turn any minor "oops" with a motorcycle into a fatal event. You'd be better off with a concrete wall, as at least if you didn't hit it direct-on you stand a chance of sliding along without being cut into lunchmeat.

They do these because they are cheap. They've (TXDOT) have never answered the letters I sent warning them and objecting...

Sad to hear this...my prayers to his family and those that had to witness this event.

Y'all be careful out there.

[bsnicely]

Sorry you had to see that Chip. I see them all the time, it never gets easier. Last one was 3 burned to death and one more died in extraction from his car.  Three weeks ago and I can still smell it............................

[sugerbear]

the sight and smell NEVER goes away.

early 70's, i worked as a deputy sheriff, worked an accident on dec 20.

a very good friend was going over 110 mph (in a dodge charger) lifted off over a small hill, hit a giant oak tree.

didn't know it was him until i picked up the head to put on the stretcher.

he was due to be best man in another friends wedding on the 23.

you never forget.

sorry you had to see that.

[chip]

You know sometimes I run things through my head, like if forced off the road and into the grass could I ride it out . Not on that stretch of hwy. I road a with a few friends on Sat. Still have that picture in my mind. I did ask them to be sure to give me room on the twisties. I loosened up a bit and the ride was good. But  I'm sure I wont soon forget what I saw.

[fudgie]

Yep, those 'safety cables'are going up in Ind. I'm not afraid of wrecking on my scoot, its what I'm gonna hit that does, and gaurd rails scare me! Had a dude on a crotch rocket hit one a few years ago. He was 'lucky' enough to hit it and ride along it still on the bike. You could count every upright post he hit with his leg before it flung him into the ditch. I think it took us 4 turns to untwist his whole leg. He made it but lost his leg at the hip.
People always say wear a helmet, it'll save you life. True to some point but you have alot of torso that has alot of important organ that is not protected. Blunt force trauma to the chest will do it every time.
Sorry you had to see it Chip. Pics will fad to a distant memory but may always be in the back of your head. You need to talk about personally, let us know.

[Kidd]

http://www.stuntlife.com/forums/47-non-stunt-motorcycle-pictures/181169-bike-wreck-warning-dont.html

you mean like this ?
Scroll down
If you vomit easy , do not look

[chip]

Thanks Fudgie and everyone else I'm fine. Just a bad wakeup call.   Kidd, thanks but I've seen enough.

[Valker]

My DPS friends don't like it when I call the new cable rails going in "Slice 'N Dice" barriers. ???

[Normandog]

That's horrible man. I'm sorry you had to see it. 

[big turkey]

Those things don't work at all .

A car could exp. the same thing, and behead the driver.

I don't know what idiot thought this up , but we should stop doing it anywhere.

A trap of the worst kind is what it is.

It's almost negligence by the feds or state.

Big Al

[Gunslinger]

I can't imagine these barriers will be allowed forever, unfortunately it will take more lost lives to get someone to take notice.

[MAD6Gun]

 Like Fudgie stated before. Indiana has put these cables up as well. The first time I saw them I said that would kill a motorcyclist. A few years ago a semi crossed the center grass median on highway 69 south of Ft Wayne and hit a van full of students from a local college on there way home. Killed all but one of them. The truck driver fell asleep.

 I think putting those cables up was in response to that crash. I Don't know for sure but they were up not long after that.

[highcountry]

How sad! I am sorry that you had to witness the result of the tragedy.

[fudgie]

Like Fudgie stated before. Indiana has put these cables up as well. The first time I saw them I said that would kill a motorcyclist. A few years ago a semi crossed the center grass median on highway 69 south of Ft Wayne and hit a van full of students from a local college on there way home. Killed all but one of them. The truck driver fell asleep.

 I think putting those cables up was in response to that crash. I Don't know for sure but they were up not long after that.

Yea your right Mark, I do believe it was in response to it.

[12voltclothing]

I hope the SUV driver realizes what he did.

[Craig N. AZ]

We have those decapitation barriers Here in the Phoenix area too. They scare the crap out of me.

[stormrider]

Saw those same barriers two years ago going north on I-85, north east of Atlanta. Starting to see them on more of the interstates. And my exact thoughts, sure death for a biker.
Hey Chip, sorry you had to witness that and hate it for the family, his friend and loved ones. Hopefully for you, as time passes, the memory and images will fade. As a FF, seen more than my share, never easy, always with you. Just remember, there are some of us here that'll help talk you through it if needed.

[Daniel Meyer]

I can't imagine these barriers will be allowed forever, unfortunately it will take more lost lives to get someone to take notice.

As long as it's motorcyclists that are doing the dying...they won't take notice.

[BF]

I don't guess we have those things in this part of Florida.  Anyone have any pictures of these things so I know what it is that you all are talking about?

[Serk]

I don't guess we have those things in this part of Florida.  Anyone have any pictures of these things so I know what it is that you all are talking about?

Here's a video extolling the virtues of the cheese slicer barriers:

Median Cable Guardrail	powered by Aeva

[Ice]

Ya Know,

I think it is interesting that here in the US we are installing "cheese slicers" on the road and in Europe they are fixing the guard rails so that a motorcylce ca not even slide under the rail because too many bikers have been ripped apart by the guard rail posts. Makes me wonder, they always preach safety here but do little for the growing motorcycle population

Yuri

[2qmedic]

It is certainly a sad incident. How ever, I for one have always tried to learn from these incidents. As a paramedic, I have seen quite a few bike injuries and deaths. As a motorcyclist, it has made me more aware of the higher risk positioning of myself in different situations. Unfortunately, the vast majority of incidents that I have responded to, the motorcyclist was in a high risk position (in relation to other vehicles and conditions) at the onset of the incident or was riding irresponsibly. I am not saying that he caused the incident.

I also ride as a motorcycle escort for funerals with some of the local police. I have learned a great deal from them also as they have been riding this high risk job for many years.

So what are you saying here???

Quite simply that riding safety is more than wearing protective gear, it is more than knowing and practicing the 4 main accident avoidance maneuvers, it is more than making yourself visible, it is also analyzing the traffic situation in the next 3-5 seconds in front of you and preparing appropriately. After a while it is second nature in the positioning your self in traffic to ensure that you are in the safest position possible.

Remember the motor officers that I mentioned above. They will not let some LEO's ride because of their lack of understanding what I have been writing about here. I feel very honored, they accepted me based on riding ability and knowing where to be based on the situation, not because of being able to twist the throttle.

I recommend reading the HURT Report, it says it like it is. pay attention to # 25, 26, 27. 28, 29. 43.
http://www.ct.gov/dot/LIB/dot/Documents/dhighwaysafety/CTDOT_Hurt.pdf

In the summer, when it's to hot to wear the proper jacket, I wear one of these under my uniform shirt.
http://www.mxsouth.com/oneal/oneal-racing-chest-protectors-hammer-protector.htm

Sometime, there is no escape. However, we, the motorcyclist hold the most responsibility in ensuring our own safety.

[fiddle mike]

...
They do these because they are cheap. They've (TXDOT) have never answered the letters I sent warning them and objecting...


Y'all be careful out there.

TXDOT is another alphabet agency that doesn't answer to anyone, but it seems to me that we have some motorcycle friendly legislators in Austin.

[Windjammer]

Unbelievable how DOT can get away with this???? Hell you can't do this in and around snowmobile areas?  Why on State highways?

[fudgie]

Unbelievable how DOT can get away with this???? Hell you can't do this in and around snowmobile areas?  Why on State highways?

My guess is due to the high amount of vehicles crossing the median and going into oncomming traffic. Happens quite a bit in my county. Usually 1 or 2 a month. Roll overs are more common. Heck I think we had 3 last sunday roll over. Rarely do motorcycles cross the median. Cables are cheaper to run then solid guard rails and tend to slow a vehicle better then a solid rail that will have you bounce off and back into traffic. Tho I dont agree with the cables, I understand why they are up.

[stormrider]

I still hate em, no matter the reasoning. Even in a cage rollover. You could survive the rollover but not being impaled by one of those stakes.

[alph]

My brothers were out snowmobiling one winter.  My older brother was driving, going full throttle towards a barbwire fence.  My other brother was yelling at him telling him of the fence ahead, he didn’t listen that is until my other brother jumped off the machine causing my older brother to stop and ask what the hell he was doing!  He was about 50’ from the fence when he realized what could have happened.

[Jeff K]

I don't guess we have those things in this part of Florida.  Anyone have any pictures of these things so I know what it is that you all are talking about?

Quite a few of them on I4 between Orlando and Tampa. I see them out there fixing them quite often. They get some use.

[chip]

 They do get used, Usually on Monday afternoon on my way home from work I see a lot of orange spray paint on the post where a weekend warrier has taken out a few post. The cables seem to have stopped most of the cars from crossing over into oncoming traffic. How these cable barriers are laid out might have a little effect on how well they do their job. That being saving lives. The accident that sparked this thread happened on a section of Hwy where the cables are run about  eight feet off of the north bound lane( the direction this motorcyclist was heading) and about fifty feet off the south bound lane. Between the edge of the Hwy pavement and the barrier is a asphalt shoulder  at  a very steep angle forcing you into the cable, should you leave the road. If any vehicle left the road, to avoid anything, in the event of a flat tire or any other emergency they would be forced into the " Decapitation Barriers " This area of the highway is worst than most because of the angled shoulder. The lay out ,or lack of engineering really is piss poor. I will be passing that area tomorrow, maybe I'll take the camera to better show this specific area. Most of the cables seem to run down the center of the grassy medium. Thanks for the responses to this post. I see many think like I do as far as the dangers caused by these cables. And thank you to those who showed their concerns on whether I was all right or not. I'm fine. I will learn from this and use a bit more caution around these ares thats for sure.  Thanks ,   Chip

[AussieValk]

We have the same motorcycle hating pollies here as well. Cheese cutters going up everywhere. Seems that we're expendable and our votes aren't of concern to them.

[Bob E.]

I'm a Civil Engineer and design highways for a living.  And I can tell you that the DOT and FHWA criteria barely even consider motorcycles in their criteria for safety.  We're on our own out there.

[chip]

So Bob I have to ask, is there any groups out there giving the DOT/Hwy Dept. any gruff about these barriers?

[RLD]

These things have changed a very important safety rule I've always used. I used to ride in the fast lane, slightly faster than the majority of traffic and away from the exit/entrance ramps. Now, I stay as far away as possible from these things and rarely will take the freeway if I have the choice. Sometimes time dictates that I must though. I feel very insignificant to our safety people. I'd sure like to know which one of them is in their Prius some day when I'm driving the F350. Might be kinda fun to slightly nudge them towards these damn things and see how they look then.

[Bob E.]

So Bob I have to ask, is there any groups out there giving the DOT/Hwy Dept. any gruff about these barriers?

Perhaps the AMA, but I really don't know.  As a motorcyclist, I see alot of things in the highway design standards that make me scratch my head sometimes.  Non-motorcyclists don't even think of them.  These types of cable barriers are one, although PennDOT doesn't use them as far as I know.  Another is the maintenance practice of tar and chipping a road which leaves loose gravel all over the place for awhile.  And then, when the gravel wears off, it leaves an ultra slick smooth tar surface (think giant tar snake) that is hazardous when the temps rise or when they get wet.  Even tar snakes are hazardous for motorcycles when they get out of hand. 

[chip]

Thought I would share these photos from near the accident site. Could the cables be any closer?

[Spirited-6]

I'm a Civil Engineer and design highways for a living.  And I can tell you that the DOT and FHWA criteria barely even consider motorcycles in their criteria for safety.  We're on our own out there.

We have these around our New Circle around Lexington and help with head on`s. Do the numbers, we are not in the high catories. I am aware of these and ride accordly.

[MP]

Holy......!  The only ones I have seen are in the middle of a wide median.  These are terrible!

MP

[BuzzKill]

I saw them installing those up and down I35 here in texas a few years back and thought it would be a nice breakaway barrier.  But now that I started riding again and reading this I can only imagine what would happen on a bike.  Real sad story.