jppe

This one just kicked me in the stomach this morning. My auto mechanic was killed yesterday afternoon riding his motorcycle. He was riding on a lightly traveled road and a car coming from the opposite direction turned directly in front of him. My mechanic came off the bike and flew inside the car on the passenger side and was killed instantly. His wife was on the bike with him and flew off the bike and the last I heard was touch and go at a local hospital.He was only 44. I've been in a funk all day. Not so much over losing my trusted mechanic but losing someone I enjoyed visiting and trusted.He had ridden motorcycles since he was 16 and loved them. He was a terrific mechanic and an even better person. He tried to fix things that were broken instead of always replacing them. He ordered parts for me when I wanted to do the work myself. He'd turn rotors for me whenever I did my brake work-and not charge me. I think he always knew I'd be back in letting him correct my mistakes. I could bring my used oil by his place and dump it in his tank any time of the day. He had a laptop but didn't really know how to use it.......and didn't really want to learn how.He's been one of the reasons my van's still running strong after 500,000+ miles. I have several cars with lots of mileage and he was always very accomodating to me and my family. He'd always jump right on my vehicles when it seemed there were other vehicles ahead of ours. He would let my kids pick up their cars from his shop without paying and I'd come by later or call him with a credit card to square things up.Just last week I had to order an air conditioning compressor and related equipment for my daughter's vehicle who lives in Tucson. He took the time to do some research and gave me guidance on what I needed.We included him on our celebration when my van turned over 500,000 miles a couple months ago. I have a picture with the two of us standing outside his shop and in front of the van.I know he was on a motorcycle.........but its another accident where a vehicle turned in front of someone. My cycling buddy last Thanksgiving. Red Baron within the last few weeks. Now my Auto Mechanic. A bike ride tonight just didn't seem to break the funk. Darn. Darn. Darn.Ride safe and pay attention to those oncoming cars!Edit/Update: his wife died late yesterday-such a tragedy. I remembered I had this picture we made the day my van hit 500,000 miles.

Allegheny Jet

Sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. Man, life can change in an instant. Cars turning in front of motorcycles seems to present a great risk.

Just last Saturday a rider on our bicycling team was hit by his neighbor who turned left into his driveway and hit the cyclist coming the other way. He told us that he had just put a new cassette on his bike and went onto the street to make sure the adjustments were set correctly. Three houses down, the neighbor turned left and took him out. Because he didn't plan to ride anywhere he didn't put a helmet on and scrapped his skull on the pavement when he rolled. Luckily no brain damage but he did break several ribs.

alicestrong

Wow, sorry to hear that...

Did he have any kids?

I hope his wife is OK.

Is it wrong to hate cars? Seriously, I cannot wait for the age of the automobile to die. I just hope that I live to see it.

doctor j

Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend.

This is a good reminder for all of us, when we are behind the wheel or on two wheels.

Yen

I'm very sorry, what a terrible loss. It's extremely difficult to lose someone so suddenly to an accident -- like a hard punch in the stomach, it takes the breath away.

BengeBoy 

Sorry to hear that - way too close to home.

"Left hooks" are super scary; a good reminder for all of us.

cyclezealot

Terrible...Sorry for your loss. This stuff happens to two wheeled vehicles. Most of us have experienced cars making too sharp a turn for no reason..
Any news on what will happen to the driver. Was he charged.

kr32

To the OP.... really sorry to hear about your friend/mechanic. Very sad and it does hit close to home. Casn happen in a flash.

Please are you serious?

semsd

Sorry! life is short and friends are rare.

My question is "Whats going to happen to the driver of the car?" .... probably nothing

I’m a commercial driver, it’s my living. In my opinion people need to take driving way more seriously. We all need to slow down “Speed limits are not suggestions”.
Drivers don’t make left turns for no reasons. But! They/we drive without thinking about driving.
I challenge any of you drive your car one day and don’t exceed the posted speed limit. Then post about your experience.

Niked

A good mechanic is much like a good family doctor. So sorry to hear about the loss of your friend.

leob1

I do it every day. I get tailgated, passed, honked at, given the "look", etc. I don't care. I'm in no real hurry most of the time. Plus I have a new driver in the family and would like to set a good example.

Sorry to hear about your friend, he sounds more of a friend than a mechanic. Keep riding, it will help.

John E

Anyone who preferred "repair" over "replace" would have been a good friend and kindred spirit of mine. My condolences to all who knew this fine fellow.

John E

Pretty much the same here. On a freeway in light traffic, I like to set the cruise control at 65mph and hang out in the next-to-rightmost lane. I would never try this in the left/fast lane.

John E

In 100k mi of bicycling, my one collision with a motor vehicle was a similar left cross, with the oncoming motorist turning left across my path, into a driveway. Make yourself as visible as possible in your clothing and your positioning on the road, and be ready to make a quick turn or even to lay the bike down, either of which is better than a full-force collision. If a motorcyclist riding in the center of the traffic lane and displaying a bright headlamp can be overlooked by a left-turning motorist, a bicyclist certainly can.

alicestrong

Absolutely.


But that's a whole 'nother thread.

spoke50

Let me guess... the driver was on the cell phone or texting somebody. Leading cause of accidents these days. I fear those drivers even more than the ones who drink.

jppe

It will certainly be interesting to know. The driver was also hospitalized for injuries.

jppe

Agree 100%. One of the first things I look for when I moved.

With the plug and play mentality today repairing seems to be a dying art. You first have to determine how stuff works.......

[QUOTE=alicestrong;9460495]Did he have any kids?

I hope his wife is OK.QUOTE]

A 14yr old daughter with his first wife.

See update on his wife.

I think that just dawned on me as I was putting together the post........he got a kick out of hearing about my cycling stuff......he made the usual remark about riding a motorcycle 100 miles but could not imagine riding a bike that far.

Thanks to everyone for their well wishes.

sauerwald

+1

big john

Sorry to hear this, jppe. It's sad that people don't take driving more seriously and realize they could kill someone.

zoste

So sorry to hear this. As a lifelong motorcyclist, and recently adding bicycling, I worry more about this type of accident than any other

With what? Negligence isn't against the law. In this type of collision, the first thing out of the driver's mouth invariably is "Oh my God...I never saw him!"

Such a senseless waste of lives.

George

Sorry to hear about your lose.

Kragg

Horrible news. Stories like this are very upsetting. Our prayers are with his wife and family.

NealH

My condolences and, its always sad to hear of a traffic fatality, especially when its a friend. I keep hoping as two wheeled machines (especially bicycles) become more prevalent in todays society, that people will become more cognizant and attentive of us. But it doesn't seem like its happening.

Disposable

You honored the man by remembering him to us. Thank you. We should all do so well by another.